Save Soil Movement: “It’s time to speak,” says Sadhguru at UN, Geneva

Sadhguru addressed a panel of leaders from global organizations about the Save Soil movement at the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday in an urgent appeal for a global response to the issue of soil extinction. Panel members Nadia Isler representing the Director General of the UN Office, Dr. Naoko Yamamoto from the World Health Organization, and Stewart Maginnis, Deputy Director General for Programmes at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, expressed unanimous support and praise for the timeliness of the movement and a consensual need for collective action to restore and protect soil by instituting soil-friendly practices. The leaders expressed resonant concern for food security, climate change, and geographical vulnerability.

In his address to a rapt audience, Save Soil movement leader Sadhguru stressed the importance of people’s vote and voice in a democracy where “a government is elected to fulfil the people’s mandate.” Unless the people explicitly state that they want their leaders to invest in long-term wellbeing of the nation, elected governments cannot act, he explained.

Sadhguru cited the UN’s warning that rapid soil degradation could lead to a severe global food crisis which could threaten to plunge the world into brutal civil strife over the next few decades.

Speaking of the “crime against humanity,” Sadhguru remarked that the food we are eating today belongs to the unborn child. “We need to absolve ourselves of this,” he stated in closing.

In an opening address, Ambassador of Permanent Mission of India to Geneva, Indra Mani Pandey, expressed his delight at seeing the campaign receive global support and a keenness to learn more about what can be done individually and collectively to reverse global soil degradation.

Nadia Isler on behalf of Director General of the UN Office explained: “We now live more than ever in interconnected and fast changing environments. The challenges we face are deeply intertwined and require mobilization on many different levels.” Stressing on the importance of collective action, she expressed, “Community engagement is key to putting ecological challenges squarely into policies and actions at all levels.”

Dr. Naoko Yamamoto, Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage / Healthier Populations, spoke of the critical need of healthy soil for food security, nutrition and the prevention of non-communicable diseases. She echoed the need as a global community “to work together as one.”

Stewart Maginnis, Deputy Director General for Programmes at the International Union for Conservation of Nature fervently spoke about the remarkable number of species that exist in a handful of soil, reiterating that it is this aliveness in soil that sustains our own lives. He described the Save Soil movement as a message of urgency, hope and ultimately one of love.

About Conscious Planet – Save Soil Movement

The Conscious Planet Movement to Save Soil is a global civil movement to inspire a conscious approach to saving our soil and planet. This is, first and foremost, a people’s movement. Its aim is to activate the support of over 3.5 billion people (over 60% of the world’s voting population) to make ecological issues an election priority for governments across the globe.

The Movement aims to urge and support governments in formulating policies that will address soil health in their country and make farming activity more soil friendly to halt and reverse further soil degradation globally. The primary recommendation of the Save Soil Movement is for governments across the world to legislate policies that will mandate a minimum of 3-6% organic content in all agricultural soil in their country. World leaders, influencers, artists, subject matter experts, farmers, spiritual leaders, NGOs are among those who have pledged their support to rekindle humanity’s relationship with soil.

About Sadhguru

Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, and visionary. He has been conferred three presidential awards in India, including one for his environmental work as well as the country’s highest annual civilian award for exceptional and distinguished service.

Over the years, the founder of Isha Foundation has also launched large ecological initiatives that have created a blueprint for economic development that is ecologically sustainable.

He’s spoken before the United Nations, World Economic Forum, World Bank, the UK House of Lords, TED, and countless global companies, and has also been invited to present at Oxford, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, and MIT, among others