BOOK OF ABSTRACTS 11 IHSS&IWA26 / BRNO / CZECHIA / 23–28 August 2026 KL Humic Substances as Drivers of Carbon Footprint Reduction: Linking Environmental Remediation, Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture Adele M. Muscolo Department of AGRARIA, Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, Italy The increasing environmental pressures associated with intensive agricultural systems, including greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, water contamination, and depletion of soil organic carbon (SOC), are accelerating the need for sustainable and regenerative agricultural strategies. Conventional input-intensive farming models, strongly dependent on synthetic fertilizers and linear resource consumption, have contributed significantly to climate alteration and ecosystem instability, particularly in fragile Mediterranean agroecosystems characterized by low organic matter content and high vulnerability to desertification processes. Within this framework, European policy frameworks such as the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU Soil Strategy for 2030, and emerging carbon farming initiatives are increasingly promoting the transition toward climate-smart and resource-efficient agricultural systems capable of combining productivity with environmental sustainability. In this context, humic substances (HS) are emerging as multifunctional ecological regulators capable of simultaneously improving soil functionality, enhancing carbon sequestration, reducing environmental pollution, and supporting sustainable agricultural productivity. Beyond their traditional role as stable fractions of soil organic matter, HS are increasingly recognized as dynamic bioactive compounds involved in nutrient cycling, microbial stimulation, pollutant immobilization, water retention, and modulation of soil biochemical processes. Their ability to influence the soil–plant–microbiome nexus places them at the center of new strategies aimed at restoring ecosystem resilience and reducing the environmental footprint of agricultural production systems. Particular attention is currently being devoted to the valorisation of agroindustrial residues and organic wastes as renewable sources for the generation of HS-rich amendments within circular bioeconomy frameworks. Composts, vermicomposts, digestates, and innovative sulfur–bentonite formulations enriched with agro-food by-products represent promising examples of engineered organic matrices capable of transforming waste into functional carbon resources. These materials not
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