Global Soil Organic Carbon Map

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the carbon that remains in the soil after partial decomposition of any material produced by living organisms. It constitutes a key element of the global carbon cycle through atmosphere, vegetation, soil, rivers and the ocean. The Global Soil Organic Carbon Map (GSOCmap) allows the estimation of SOC stock from 0 to 30 cm. It represents a key contribution to SDG indicator 15.3.1 which defines the area of degraded land. The GSOCmap represents the first ever global soil organic carbon assessment produced through a participatory approach in which countries developed their capacities and stepped up efforts to compile all the available soil information at national level. Values are in tonnes per hectare. Source: Food and Agricultural Organization of The United Nations (FAO)