International Year of Planet Earth to be launched at UNESCO

Building safer, healthier and wealthier societies around the globe by using the knowledge of the world’s 400,000 earth scientists more effectively is the main goal of the International Year of Planet Earth - Earth science for Society- which will be launched on 12 and 13 February at UNESCO (Room I, 9:00 a.m.).

Hosted by Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO’s Director-General, the event will bring together top scientists, Chief Executive Officers of leading industries and political decision makers. They will be joined by students from around the world, selected for their creativity on the basis of a geosciences contest organized in 2007. Debates will focus on three themes: Population growth and climate change: challenges for Planet Earth; Earth resources: threat or treat? Geo hazards: minimizing risk, maximizing awareness.

A joint initiative of UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Science (IUGS), the International Year of Planet Earth runs from January 2007 to December 2009, the central year of the triennium, 2008, having been proclaimed the United Nations (UN) year by the UN General Assembly. The Year contributes to the UN’s sustainable development goals by promoting wise use of Earth materials and encouraging better planning and management to reduce risks for the world’s inhabitants. It strives to attract more young people to geosciences, to reach out to the general public by highlighting the central importance of Earth sciences for our future and to encourage political leaders to use the available knowledge to shape their national policies. It also encourages scientists to work on ten broad themes particularly relevant to society: health, climate, groundwater, the oceans, soils, deep earth, megacities, hazards, resources and life.

UNESCO and the IUGS have worked together since 1972 through their "International Geological Correlation Programme", today known as the "International Geoscience Programme" (IGCP). IGCP provides scientists from some 150 countries with a multi-discipline platform to exchange knowledge and methodology on geological subjects, including the geoscience of the water cycle; geohazards and their mitigation; and the rational use of the Earth's resources. Special focus is given to developing a safer environment, the relationship between natural geological factors and health problems, biodiversity, climate change, mineral and groundwater resources extraction. IGCP promotes collaborative projects with a special emphasis on sustainable socio-economic development.

Initiated in 1983, the Geological Applications of Remote Sensing (GARS) Programme is another international co-operation programme sponsored jointly by UNESCO and the IUGS. The Programme focuses on reducing the vulnerability of communities at risk to natural hazards (IGOS Geohazards Theme) and managing resources in a sustainable and environmentally sound way, and aims to demonstrate the use of advanced remote sensing techniques in solving geological problems including landslides, volcanic and geohazards, and in detecting groundwater resources. It also transfers and disseminates information and technology, and trains scientists.

UNESCO also assists the Global Network of National Geoparks. Launched in 2004, Geoparks are areas with a geological heritage of significance, and a coherent and strong management structure. Comprised of 54 geoparks in 17 countries (Austria, Brazil, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Iran, Malaysia, Norway, Portugal, Rumania, Spain, United Kingdom), the network strives to develop geotourism and high-quality local geoproducts for the benefit of the local economy and supports active cooperation between experts and practitioners in geological heritage. Each geopark proposes a strong educational component to help visitors understand the evolution of their local landscape.

Finally, UNESCO, in cooperation with the Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CGMW) supports OneGeology, a mapping project launched by the British Geological Survey in March 2007 for which leading scientists from national Geological Surveys in more than 55 countries will create and provide geological data across the surface of the Earth. These data will be converted into a new international geological exchange language known as GeoSciML. Greater use of this language will allow geological data to be shared and integrated across the planet and help transfer valuable know-how to the developing world. Related information on OneGeology will become available to the general public via worldwide web.

Press entrance: 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris

• Author(s):Media Advisory N°2008-08
• Source:UNESCOPRESS
• 01-02-2008