Sustainable use of land & water

Healthy surface water and soils are essential for life on earth, providing diverse life-support functions including nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, oxygen generation, degradation of pollutants and the production of food, feed and fiber.
Theme
Biodiversity in NIOO's grassland garden in summer
© Froukje Rienks / NIOO-KNAW

Important ecosystem services

These ecosystem services are greatly affected by the discharge of excess nutrients, pesticides, medicines and micro-pollutants by industry, traffic, agriculture and aquaculture. The NIOO theme ‘Sustainable Water and Land use’ combines research on the services that a broad range of  ecosystems provide and how this is impacted by society. As such, NIOO contributes fundamental knowledge that will help achieve different sustainable development goals, notably including SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG14 (Life Below Water) and SDG15 (Life on Land). 

water

Experts