SOLO is proud to be the main organiser of the Soils for Europe Conference, taking place in Coimbra, Portugal, from 7-11 September 2026. The countdown is nearly over - five days bringing together researchers, policymakers, farmers and the wider soil community to shape the future of soil health across Europe. Here's a summary of what you can expect at the event.

The conference opens with a "Fado de Coimbra" concert, before turning to the frameworks shaping European soil protection: the EU Soil Monitoring Law and its implications, a discussion forum on implementation across Member States, and a session on how Mission Soil supports the Law. The afternoon brings parallel sessions spanning soil degradation, pollution, biodiversity, monitoring and soil literacy, closing with a look at Living Labs as bridges between science, policy and territory.

During the second day, there will be the Living Labs & Project Fair, where participants can meet the projects behind the conference. The day also features a spotlight on Living Labs in practice, a round table on agroecology, and a multisensory workshop inviting attendees to discover soil through sight, touch, and smell.

The program turns to quantifying the sustainability of soil solutions and strengthening multi-actor knowledge exchange, with the EUSO Forum marking five years of the Mission Soil Program. Poster sessions, a dive into the Iberian Living Lab experiences in Mediterranean permanent cropping systems, and afternoon sessions on soil degradation, organic carbon, and sustainable supply chains will be in focus on 9 September.

The day opens with workshops on soil-inclusive spatial planning and becoming a soil data steward, followed by sessions on biowaste-to-soil-improvers projects and a society-wide "Soilathon" on soil literacy. Later, a collaborative roadmapping session outlines the path forward on Mission Soil objectives before the day closes with a Closing Concert with Tuna de Coimbra.