image: The 23rd World Congress of Soil Science
Credit: Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
The 23rd World Congress of Soil Science, often regarded as the “Olympics” of the soil science community, opened in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Held from June 8 to 12 under the theme “Soil and the Shared Future of Humankind,” the congress marks the first time in its nearly 100-year history that this premier global academic event in soil science has been hosted in China.
Co-organized by the International Union of Soil Sciences and the Soil Science Society of China, and hosted by the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the congress brings together nearly 3,000 experts, scholars, policymakers, and industry representatives from more than 100 countries. Participants will discuss some of the most urgent challenges facing the planet, including soil health, food security, climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.
At the opening ceremony, representatives from national and local scientific organizations emphasized that soil is the foundation of life on Earth and a critical resource for building a sustainable future. Strengthening international cooperation in soil science, they noted, is essential for protecting ecosystems, supporting agriculture, and responding to global environmental change.
The five-day program features 9 symposia, 5 workshops, more than 100 parallel sessions, over 800 poster presentations, and more than 2,000 oral presentations, offering a major platform for scientific exchange and collaboration.
A highlight of the congress exhibition is the presence of NEW Community, an interdisciplinary academic network centered on its flagship journals Biochar and Carbon Research. The community also brings together a broad portfolio of journals covering agricultural ecology, artificial intelligence and the environment, biochar science, biocontaminants, energy and environmental systems, new contaminants, nitrogen cycling, sustainable carbon materials, and related fields.
With the guiding values of sharing, collaboration, and innovation, NEW Community supports academic events, thematic seminars, and international meetings that connect researchers across disciplines. At the congress, its exhibition booth attracted strong interest from scientists in China and abroad, highlighting the community’s role in advancing soil-related research and building new pathways toward carbon neutrality and environmental health.
During the opening ceremony, five distinguished scientists were named Honorary Members of the International Union of Soil Sciences in recognition of their outstanding contributions to soil science and sustainable agriculture.
The congress is expected to strengthen China’s role in the global soil science community and provide new momentum for the protection and sustainable use of soil resources. Outcomes from the meeting will contribute to the Nanjing Action Initiative, which aims to guide global soil science research and cooperation over the next decade.