Lecture

Environmental Legislation: Soil Protection and Regulations

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In course

ENV-367: Environmental and construction law

Ce cours donne aux étudiant-e-s les connaissances de base nécessaires pour comprendre les dimensions juridiques de leur activité professionnelle concernant l'aménagement du territoire et la protection de l'environnement. Il les sensibilise aux questions ju ...

Description

This lecture covers the importance of soil protection, its ecological and economic value, and the legislation surrounding soil pollution and degradation. It discusses the functions of soil in biodiversity, climate balance, and water supply, emphasizing the slow but continuous degradation of soils in Switzerland. The lecture also delves into the strategies and regulations for protecting soils, including preventive measures, impact assessment, and remediation techniques. It highlights the role of legislation in safeguarding soil fertility and quality in the long term, addressing both chemical and physical threats. Case studies and examples illustrate the application of soil protection laws and the distinction between polluted sites and soil protection regulations.

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Soil conservation

Soil conservation is the prevention of loss of the topmost layer of the soil from erosion or prevention of reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Slash-and-burn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are practiced in some lesser developed areas. A consequence of deforestation is typically large-scale erosion, loss of soil nutrients and sometimes total desertification.

Environmental impact assessment

Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) is the assessment of the environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the term "environmental impact assessment" is usually used when applied to actual projects by individuals or companies and the term "strategic environmental assessment" (SEA) applies to policies, plans and programmes most often proposed by organs of state.

Soil retrogression and degradation

Soil retrogression and degradation are two regressive evolution processes associated with the loss of equilibrium of a stable soil. Retrogression is primarily due to soil erosion and corresponds to a phenomenon where succession reverts the land to its natural physical state. Degradation is an evolution, different from natural evolution, related to the local climate and vegetation. It is due to the replacement of primary plant communities (known as climax vegetation) by the secondary communities.

Environmental law

Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. Environmental law is the collection of laws, regulations, agreements and common law that governs how humans interact with their environment. This includes environmental regulations; laws governing management of natural resources, such as forests, minerals, or fisheries; and related topics such as environmental impact assessments.

Biodiversity loss

Biodiversity loss includes the worldwide extinction of different species, as well as the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat, resulting in a loss of biological diversity. The latter phenomenon can be temporary or permanent, depending on whether the environmental degradation that leads to the loss is reversible through ecological restoration/ecological resilience or effectively permanent (e.g. through land loss).

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