4.9 Soil Sealing and Land Take

In Europe, soil sealing varies by country, with significant proportions observed in Malta, the Netherlands, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Urbanisation and industrialisation are major drivers, leading to the conversion of agricultural and natural land into built-up areas. Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine have experienced significant soil sealing due to urban expansion and infrastructure development. The impacts of soil sealing are profound, affecting soil and ecosystem services. Soil sealing disrupts natural processes such as water infiltration and gas exchange, leading to increased flood risk, carbon loss and higher temperatures in urban areas. Biodiversity loss is also a concern. Sustainable spatial planning is crucial for mitigating these impacts and ensuring a healthy environment in the face of climate change. Efforts to unseal soils and restore their functions through multistakeholder approaches are under way in some regions, but challenges persist amid ongoing trends towards urbanisation.