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ANALYSIS
WWW.RESEARCHMEDIA.EU 119
International
Union of
Geological
Sciences
With 122 national members, the IUGS aims to
promote development of the Earth sciences
through the support of broad-based scientifi c
studies relevant to the entire Earth System. The
Union’s President, Professor Alberto C Riccardi,
takes time out from his busy daily schedule to
offer a comprehensive insight into their work
ANALYSIS
120 INTERNATIONAL INNOVATION
Firstly, could you explain why the International Union of Geological
Sciences (IUGS) was founded?
The origin of the IUGS goes back to the International Geological
Congress (IGC). The IGC was founded in 1878 to provide an international
forum to the world geological community for reaching consensus
on matters related to standards of geological nomenclature. But the
IGC convened every four years and after the Second World War it was
becoming increasingly evident that, as a result of the IGC’s inability to act
effectively between Congresses, the international geological community
should be represented by a permanent body. The idea was initially
promoted by Sir Julian Huxley, UNESCO’s Director-General at the time.
Finally, in 1961, the IUGS was born at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
What is the main function and focus of IUGS? What does its
presence offer to the geological sciences?
The main functions of the IUGS are: (1) to unite the global geological
community to promote and encourage the study of geological problems;
(2) to apply the results of these studies to preserving Earth’s natural
environment, and improving the prosperity of nations and the quality of
human life using all natural resources wisely; (3) to facilitate and provide
continuity in international cooperation in geology and related sciences,
strengthening public awareness of geology and promoting geological
education in the widest sense; and (4) to assist the IGC.
Its main focus is in international cooperation and its presence offers the
international geological community a common ground for interaction
of all its members (representing 122 national or regional communities
and over 50 affi liated international organisations covering all fi elds of
geological expertise) among themselves and with other international
organisations, such as UNESCO and the International Council for Science
(ICSU).
By what means and mechanisms do you promote and encourage the
study of geological problems, especially those requiring signifi cant
support – both fi nancial and community-based?
IUGS promotes and encourages the study of geological problems by
organising international projects and meetings, sponsoring symposia
and scientifi c fi eld trips, and producing publications. IUGS works
through its Commissions, Sub-commissions, Task Groups, Initiatives
and Joint Programmes with the support of its national committees
and international affi liated organisations. One of the most successful
programmes has been the IGCP (International Geosciences Program) a
joint IUGS-UNESCO initiative. Tens of thousands of Earth scientists from
nearly every nation on Earth have been involved in the Program since
its launch in 1972. It is a global programme of scientifi c collaboration
between working scientists and has developed strongly multidisciplinary
projects. About 40 IGCP projects are active in any single year and since
its inception over 500 projects have been fi nancially supported.
IUGS seems to span the gamut of solutions, from fundamental
research to its economic and industrial applications. Could you
broaden the subjects and problems that you aim to respond to?
The IUGS Commissions, Task Groups, Initiatives and Joint Programs are
mainly focused on: (1) the establishment of international standards
for the Earth sciences; (2) the development of digital data standards
for the global exchange of geoscience information; (3) the design and
implementation of programmes to assist developed and developing
countries to maintain, expand or introduce better Earth Science
education, outreach and technological transfer; (4) the guidance to
geoscientists on how best to integrate geoscience into environmental
policy and to communicate with policy makers, environmental
organisations, scientists from other disciplines, and the general public;
and (5) the preparation of a global geochemical database – and its
representation in map form – to document the concentration and
distribution of chemical elements and species in the Earth’s near-surface
environment.
As for the IGCP Program, its current focus is on socially and culturally
relevant themes, including the geoscience of the water cycle,
geohazards, deep Earth, Earth resources/energy, global change, and the
evolution of life.
What form do your international projects and meetings take? Are
high level scientists and decision makers involved? What follow-up
work do you engage in?
All IUGS international projects are proposed and developed by high-level
scientists and carried out through the activity of the various IUGS bodies
(Commissions, Joint Programs, Initiatives, IGCP, etc.). These are reviewed
annually by the IUGS to ensure that their activities and results are as
expected. In the case of the IGCP, a high-level Scientifi c Board overviews
the whole process and guarantees the overall scientifi c quality. All these
bodies hold meetings in different countries and regions of the world
on a regular basis, and all of them participate every four years in the
International Geological Congress, whose main purpose is to encourage
the advancement of fundamental and applied research in the Earth
Sciences worldwide. The IGC is held under the sponsorship of IUGS that
advises and assists in formulating the scientifi c programme. The joint
IUGS-IGC Council – the highest IUGS body – meets in conjunction with
the sessions of the IGC.
IUGS also produces publications. Who are these aimed at and do the
results of scientifi c fi eld trips and projects appear in them?
The results of scientifi c work completed by the various commissions
and agencies of IUGS, IGCP projects, and books arising from sessions at
International Geological Congresses are published under an agreement
with the Geological Society of London (GSL) in a series of Special
Publications.
ANALYSIS
WWW.RESEARCHMEDIA.EU 121
www.iugs.org
Original scientifi c articles and review articles – as well as opinion pieces
on issues of the day, synthesis of results, fi eld trips, meetings and general
activities of IUGS’s bodies and news of Earth sciences in the global
arena – are published in the quarterly science and news peer-reviewed
journal Episodes which covers developments of regional and global
importance in the Earth sciences. Episodes is distributed to scientists in
almost 150 countries. The IUGS website provides scientists and others
around the world with comprehensive, up-to-date information about
the Union’s history, organisation, programmes, personnel, publications,
news, activities, and accomplishments. This website is linked to those
of the IUGS members and bodies. An Electronic Bulletin is released
several times a year to about 10,000 email addresses worldwide to keep
Earth scientists and others abreast of changes and events in the IUGS
community at large.
In terms of the impact that international and interdisciplinary
cooperation has had on Earth sciences, what would you highlight to
demonstrate it?
The most important impact that international and interdisciplinary
cooperation has had in the geological sciences is related to the
establishment and refi nement of the Stratigraphic/Time Scale, as this
scale is the framework on which all geological activities are developed.
With the occurrence of so many natural disasters in recent years,
environment and hazard management is proving essential if we are
to avert future calamities. Is your environment management focused
on natural or human-induced hazards and what does this work
entail?
IUGS work on environmental management is focused on both natural
and human-induced hazards and is carried out by different IUGS
bodies. The IUGS Commission on Geo-Science for Environmental
Management comprises several working groups (WG). The WG on Dust
is concerned with the improvement of investigation and understanding
of both dust and other particulates such as PM10s and fi ner emissions
to address the impacts on people, agriculture, livestock and the
natural environment. The WG on Climate Change Adaptation seeks
to deliver information upon the development and implementation
of natural hazard climate change adaptation measures in regional
development. The WG on Gold and Mercury address the importance
of this geoscience problem and its implications for ecosystems and
society with the aim to educate on, and participate in, developing,
disseminating and implementing solutions associated with this issue.
The WG on Man Made Strata and geopollution studies manmade
formations as a result of anthropogenic activities to understand their
problems and environmental implications, The WG on Communicating
Geoscience aims to bridge the gulf between environmental
geoscientists and those who could be using science in planning and
decision making The WG on Land Subsidence and Groundwater
examines the nature, extent and mechanisms of subsidence associated
with groundwater withdrawal and methods for recharging aquifers to
reduce the impacts of these ground movements. The IUGS Task Group
on Global Geochemical Baselines is to prepare a global geochemical
database – and its representation in map form – to document the
concentration and distribution of chemical elements and species in
the Earth’s near-surface environment for use of environmental and
resource managers throughout the world.
When you mention that you give special consideration to
geosciences education, could you expand on your activities in this
area? Do you mean education of the general public, or researchers?
Does your outreach extend to school-age children?
IUGS activities in this area are mainly carried out by the Commission
on Geoscience Education, Training & Technology Transfer (COGE). This
Commission interacts with other IUGS affi liated organisations, such as
the Association of Geoscientists for International Development (AGID),
the International Education Organization (IGEO), and the International
Center for Training and Exchanges in the Geosciences (CIFEG). COGE
activities are also linked to the activities of other IUGS bodies, ie.
the Commission and the Management & Application of Geoscience
Information (CGI), and to several UNESCO initiatives in developing
countries.
All these activities are directed not only to capacity building at the
graduate and undergraduate level in the geosciences but also to
secondary school students, as exemplifi ed by one of IGEO main activities,
ie. the annual International Earth Science Olympiad. In addition, COGE
is also participating in AGID´s Geoethics projects, directed to help in
decision making where ethical dilemmas occur in the fi elds of geology,
mining activities and energy resources.
Who makes use of the geosciences information you provide? Do you
impose standards to ensure that it is used correctly?
Information provided by IUGS – mainly international standards – is
basically used by geoscientists around the globe and only those
complying with IUGS approved standards are allowed to use IUGS name
and logo. The IUGS sanctioned standards are widely used by many other
organisations and people whenever geological information is used in any
type of human activity.
