Complexities Surrounding China's Soil Action Plan

China's soil pollution is serious, with 16·1% of all soil samples exceeding soil quality standard according to a national soil quality survey. On 31 May 2016, the Chinese government unleashed an ambitious plan to address its soil pollution problem. The large scale and fast pace of the proposed plan pose many challenges. There are biogeochemical complexities governing the fate and transport of soil contaminants that require more thorough study. There are also human‐related complexities and dynamic feedback loops, which determine the behaviour of farmers, industrial polluters, remediation practitioners and regulators. Soil pollution prevention and remediation also have externalities and spillover effects ranging from greenhouse gas emission to social justice. Rigorous policy instruments must be developed to account for complex human behaviour, to strengthen risk management and to encourage interdisciplinary scientific research. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.