The role of soils and soil organic carbon (SOC) in the climate system and climate change adaptation and mitigation has been recognized widely and validated in various studies, both experimentally and through modelling. FAO organized a symposium to review the role of soils and SOC in the context of climate change, sustainable development and land degradation neutrality. The outcomes will contribute to building scientific evidence as assessed in the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.