ABSTRACT
Besides natural conditions and processes, primarily ongoing climate change, soil resources are affected by the constant and increasing pressures of human activities, including unsustainable agriculture and forestry practices, urbanization, pollution, the abandonment of fertile agricultural land, and the overexploitation of minerals. Permanent loss of the most fertile soils through urbanization is common practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where in the process of developing spatial and regulation plans, irresponsible decision-making consider the fertility rate of soils in this process. The climate change, the constant and increasing anthropogenic pressures, including unsustainable agriculture and forestry practices, urbanization, pollution, the abandonment of fertile agricultural land, the overexploitation of minerals, disturb soil health. The growing anthropogenic pressure and the observed and predicted climate change in the Balkan region endanger precious, fragile, and finite soil resource. The impacts of climate change associated with negative anthropogenic influence lead to the degradation of enormous soil surfaces, endanger forests, biodiversity, economic activities, and health in South East European countries.
