Understanding the Root Causes of Soil Degradation as a Basic Precondition for Efficient Soil

Persistent problems of soil degradation indicate that the current use of this natural resource is not sustainable. The reasons are as follows: - Insufficient attention paid to the principles of good soil management and the relevant supporting legislation - The negative impact of economic activities on soil quality, not only in industrial and urban areas, but also on soil quality in the agricultural and forest sector - giving preference in the long-term to the importance of soil production function over remaining ecological functions - lack of utilisable information on soil protection in individual economic sectors - lack of broad public awareness to protect soil as a natural resource - building of infrastructure and industrial enterprises for provision of permanent economic growth - misunderstanding the essence of ownership relations to the soil. Besides these issues, there are also deeper causes of soil degradation, closely related to human thinking and activities. Favouring economic views in contrast to environmental benefits, private and group interests to cross societal ones, short-term benefits to long-term ones, promotion of excessive consumption as well as permanent need to increase the economic growth of individuals or purpose-built groups – they are; all of these mask the driving forces of soil degradation that must be taken into account for the provision of sustainable soil use. Understanding these activities and the societal forces that cause them is essential for the creation of necessary measures for efficient soil protection. With regard to the complex nature of the causes, soil protection must be of interest of all society.