Caring for the Earth: from polluted land to fertile soil

Soil is an environmental compartment with multiple functions that are indispensable to humans, including such essential activities as food production. However, it is subject to numerous degradations that recent regulatory texts are intended to curb. These regulatory constraints and, sometimes, certain physical limitations of land resources, are gradually pushing decision-makers to reclaim land from brownfield sites. However, the land reclamation process is fraught with many constraints. Soil is a naturally complex environment, subject to multiple issues, some of which are mutually antagonistic. This presentation describes the "soil" compartment and its challenges for urban environments. It covers recent developments in soil reconstruction and the opportunities they offer for the sustainable development of our regions.