International Geodiversity Day (IGD) 2022
International Geodiversity Day (IGD) 2022 was observed on 6 October. This year, first International Geodiversity Day (IGD) was observed.
International Geodiversity Day is observed every year on 6 October, to promote the many aspects of geodiversity.
Objective:
The objective is to raise awareness in society about the importance of nature for the well-being and prosperity of all living beings on the planet.
International Geodiversity Day emphasizes the essential role that geoscientific knowledge will play in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals defined in the 2030 Agenda adopted by the Member States of the United Nations in 2015.
UNESCO is the only United Nations body with a mandate to support research and capacity-building in geology and geophysics. UNESCO will use International Geodiversity Day to promote the goals of The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as the creation of new UNESCO Global Geoparks in Africa, the Arab region and Latin America, in particular.
History:
- International Geodiversity Day was proclaimed by UNESCO at the 41st General Conference in 2021.
- International Geodiversity Day was approved on 22 November 2021 by the 193 Member States attending UNESCO’s General Conference (draft decision 41 C/38).
- The adoption of International Geodiversity Day follows a proposal from the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and 108 other scientific organisations.
- International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) is responsible for administering International Geodiversity Day.
What is geodiversity?
Geological diversity refers to the natural portion of the planet that is not alive, both at the surface and in the planet’s interior. By geodiversity, we mean the Earth’s minerals, rocks, fossils, soils, sediments, landforms, topography and hydrological features such as rivers and lakes.
The term ‘geodiversity’ also spans the processes that create and modify these features. Exceptional examples of geodiversity are preserved in UNESCO Global Geoparks around the world.