The Scientific Interest Group on Soils

The Groupement d'Intérêt Scientifique Sol  (GIS Sol) was set up in 2001 to build up and manage France's soil information system and meet the demands of public authorities and society at local and national level.

It designs, directs and coordinates the geographical inventory of soils, monitors their properties and changes in their quality, and manages the soil information system. It also promotes the use of French soil data, in line with European programmes.

It brings together:

• the Ministry of Agriculture,
• the Ministry for the Environment,
• the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE)
• the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME),
• the Institute of Research for Development (IRD)
• Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière (IGN) - member since 2012
• the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) - member since 2016
• The French Geological and Mining Research Bureau (BRGM) - member since 2021.