Parched Earth

Beneath our feet, in Earth’s soil, lives a whole universe. Alive with trillions of microorganisms, intricate fungal networks and root systems, our soil pulses with electrical signals and gives rise to all life on land.

However, owing to harmful land management practices, deforestation, drought and urbanisation, over 75% of the world’s soils are already degraded, directly impacting over 3.2 billion people.  Without water, organic matter or forest cover, soil fertility crumbles. For example, in 2020, the Horn of Africa experienced the worst drought in 40 years, leaving more than 30 million people across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia facing severe food and water insecurity.

As the climate crisis intensifies, nearly half of the world’s population will be living in areas of high water stress by the end of this decade. Yet, with regenerative land practices, there is hope - just one per cent of organic matter in the top six inches of soil can help it hold over 20,000 gallons of water per acre.

On this World Soil Day, we invite you to notice the hidden worlds below your feet – what kind of soils fill your local landscapes? What amazing creatures are thriving within?

This award-winning photograph was shortlisted in the Planet Category of the COP28 Photography Competition, a collaboration between The Climate Tribe and the Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA). The Climate Tribe has partnered with HIPA to leverage the power of photography to inspire global awareness of sustainability and advance climate action.