Niels H. Batjes

Niels H. Batjes is a Senior Soil Scientist and Head of the World Data Centre for Soils (WDC-Soils) at ISRIC, closely affiliated with Wageningen University in the Netherlands. With over 30 years of experience, he specializes in developing and applying land resources information systems to support sustainable land management and capacity building globally. ISRIC operates as an independent foundation under Dutch law but maintains strong academic ties with Wageningen University.

His research focuses on soil carbon stocks and change, land evaluation, soil data analysis for continental and global environmental assessments, soil property mapping, and digital soil mapping. As coordinator of the World Data Centre for Soils, he's a regular member of the International Council for Science World Data System (ICSU WDS), contributing to global soil data standardization and accessibility.

His publication record demonstrates expertise in open soil science technology, with a notable 2017 article highlighting how digital tools and applications are revolutionizing our understanding of soil properties and their environmental significance. His work emphasizes the critical role of soil as Earth's largest organic carbon reservoir and the importance of preserving this fragile resource.

Batjes receives funding from the Netherlands Government and contributes to several key soil information systems including SoilGrids, World Soil Information Service (WoSIS), and the Virtual World Soil Museum, which provide open access to global soil data for researchers, policymakers, and land managers worldwide.