The relevance of soil biodiversity (microbes to termites), their ecological interactions, global distributions, and role in ecosystem function and services, to land/environmental management, including food production to conservation, has largely been neglected in environmental policies. In response to this, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) coordinated and released in December of 2020 the comprehensive report “State of Knowledge of Soil Biodiversity: Status, Challenges, and Potentialities” at the request of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The first of its kind, the report is a collaborative effort of researchers and entities around the world (The Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, European Commission, Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, and Global Soil Partnership) to gather and synthesize the latest information on global soil biodiversity. In this session, we provide a forum for discussion of the report findings, as well as areas where increased research is needed. Contributors to the report will discuss the necessity and importance of the report, some of its findings, and emergent priorities such as the development of soil biodiversity monitoring programs and linkages to soils and ecosystem function. Ignite-style talks and open discussion with presenters and attendees will explore how to address the gaps and opportunities highlighted in the report, and the need for monitoring soil biodiversity around the globe.