IUGS. A Global Player in Earth Science. International Union of Geological Sciences

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1 IUGS A Global Player in Earth Science International Union of Geological Sciences

2 What is IUGS? What is IUGS? The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), which was founded in 1961, is one of the largest scientific organizations in the world. It encourages international co-operation and participation in the Earth sciences, increasingly in relation to human welfare. Since its foundation IUGS has been a member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). Soft sandstone of Petra, Jordan, partly carved into breath-taking architectural monuments. World Heritage List. With approximately 120 member countries and almost 50 affiliated organizations, IUGS represents some one million Earth scientists worldwide. Membership is open to countries or defined regions through an adhering organization. IUGS works through its Commissions, Subcommissions, Task Groups, Initiatives and Joint Programmes with the support of its international affiliated organizations. International Geological Congress (IGC) The Union sponsors this quadrennial Congress and advises and assists the organizers to formulate the scientific programme. The IUGS Strategic Action Plan, which was developed after a review of IUGS in 1999, resulted in a merger of the Councils of IUGS and IGC. This logical step was the sincere wish of both IUGS and IGC and will bring a greater and deeply needed unity and clarity in international Earth sciences. Venues include Oslo in 2008 and Brisbane in Layers of chromite interbedded in anorthosite. A National Monument at Dwarsrivier, Bushveldt Complex, South Africa. Photos: Hanne Refsdal.

3 What does IUGS do? What does IUGS do? IUGS fosters dialogue and communication among the various specialists in earth science around the world. It achieves this by organizing international projects and meetings, sponsoring symposia and scientific field trips, and producing publications. Topics addressed span the gamut from fundamental research to its economic and industrial applications, from scientific, environmental and social issues to educational and developmental problems. IUGS Action Plan and vision towards 2011: IUGS 50 th anniversary As the world population continues to expand and the impact of human activities on the Earth surface increases, it is a responsibility of the Union to make society conscious of the importance of the geosciences to help solve problems that arise. Therefore, in 2000, the IUGS Council approved the new goals and direction for IUGS as proposed by the Strategic Plan. Since then the Union has worked hard to address the many recommendations in the strategic plan to improve its professional performance. As IUGS approaches its 50th anniversary, a mid-term vision together with a road-map for its implementation were developed. Both documents continue to guide the work of the Executive Committee representatives through various terms. Erratic boulder trapped in an open fracture by Lysefjord, Norway. 1,000 meters above sea level. Photo: Per Eide.

4 News from IUGS EPISODES, the Union s journal IUGS s quarterly science and news journal covers developments of regional and global importance in the earth sciences and is distributed to scientists in more than 150 countries. All back issues from 1978 to the present are available for download at Since 1997, the editorial office of the journal has been located in Beijing. The Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources provides editorial and production support. In the period the SCI Journal Citation Report Impact Factor for the journal has risen by a factor of more than twelve, from to IUGS BOOKS IUGS has a special publishing agreement with the Geological Society of London. Under this agreement, the results of scientific work completed by the various commissions and agencies of IUGS are published under the GSL Special Publication series. See IUGS WEBSITE The IUGS web site provides scientists and others around the world with comprehensive, up-to-date information about the Union s history, organization, programs, personnel, publications, news, activities, and accomplishments. It also disseminates reports, policy positions, and other material of interest. ELECTRONIC BULLETIN This bulletin is released several times a year to about 10,000 addresses worldwide. These short and informal news bites briefly convey the activities and accomplishments within the Union and its family of members and countries and are meant to keep Earth scientists and others abreast of changes and events in the IUGS community at large. IUGS ANNUAL REPORT The Annual Report provides scientists and the general public with information about the activities in IUGS. Since 2003 Annual Reports have been released as digital files available for download from

5 The International Year of Planet Earth The International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) is a joint initiative of IUGS and UNESCO to raise awareness of the benefits of the Earth sciences among the public and decision makers who are urged to apply and translate such knowledge in their day-to-day policymaking. This ambition is expressed through its subtitle: Earth Sciences for Society. Through Partnerships, the IYPE enjoys support by all major geoscientific and other scientific and non-scientific communities in the world. The International Year has been proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly for 2008, but its activities span the triennium The International Year of Planet Earth has a science programme and an outreach programme. The former focuses on 10 themes, including Groundwater, Hazards, Health, Earth & Life, Resources, Megacities, Soil, Oceans, Deep Earth and Climate. The outreach programme includes exciting and spectacular public events, such as balloon launches, geo-trains and geo-buses, stamps, coins, rock competitions, excursions, public lectures, exhibitions, Geoparks and educational programmes all suggested by participating individuals and groups locally. Both programmes operate in this responsive ( bottom-up ) mode, whereas the international events on all continents address the political dimension by drawing attention to geo-solutions to societal problems. Prospectus for an International Year of Planet Earth Implementation of the Greatest Geo-Show on Earth mainly takes place at national levels. IYPE Committees have been established in some 70 nations and regions throughout the world. To find out more about the International Year of Planet Earth, visit: Boiling mud pot in the Krisuvik high-temperature geothermal area, SW-Iceland. Photo: Hanne Refsdal

6 International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) The International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) has been the most successful science programme ever conducted in UNESCO, and IUGS has been a full partner since its start. Tens of thousands of Earth scientists from nearly every nation on Earth have been involved in the Programme since its launch in The goal was to create a global program of scientific collaboration between working scientists, rather than between governments. IGCP has been a breeding ground for lasting projects in the geosciences, which often involve other disciplines. Many such projects have eventually evolved into permanent activities, programs or societies. For instance the International Consortium on Landslides and the International Association of Medical Geology both had origins in the IGCP programme. In its early years, the Programme was strongly focused on the relationship between geological time, rock strata sequences and their worldwide correlation, standardization and comparative analysis. In 2007 the focus of IGCP shifted to more socially and culturally relevant themes including: geoscience of the water cycle, geohazards, deep earth, earth resources/energy, and global change and the evolution of life. About 40 IGCP projects are active in any single year and since its inception over 500 projects have been financially supported by IUGS and UNESCO. Water: a major transforming force. Photos: Peter Bobrowsky and Hanne Refsdal.

7 Standard Geologic Time Scale The geologic time scale is the framework for deciphering our planet s complex and exciting history. The Stratigraphic Chart provides a universal language for geo-history, and includes a succession of global rock units, the stages, formed during specific intervals of time. It is produced by the International Commission on Stratigraphy under IUGS and is the result of many years hard work by thousands of stratigraphers all over the world in their endeavour to relate rock with time. The basal boundary of each global stage in this international geologic scale is standardized at a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP). A GSSP is a point in a single reference section within an interval exhibiting continuous sedimentation that was selected by international agreement as the primary reference level for that geologic stage. The Stratigraphic Chart is based on the sequence of these GSSPs The chart is continually updated (available at The third edition with 2/3rds of the international geologic stages standardized by GSSPs at their bases was printed in connection with the International Geological Congress in Florence in This standardization of the international stratigraphic chart by GSSPs and ratified nomenclature for units of geologic time will be completed by Proterozoic Era base of the Ediacaran Period. Typical Ediacaran animals include these Charniodiscus arboreus specimens (about 30 cm long). Flinders Ranges, Australia. The GSSP defining the base of the Ediacaran Period lies by the foot of Jim Gehling and was ratified by IUGS in Enorama Creek, Flinders Ranges, S. Australia. Photos: James Gehling and Guy Narbonne.

8 Organization Associated Members Episodes Website Commissions -subcommissions -working groups Task Groups IUGS Council Established 1961 Adhering Organizations Executive Committee Initiatives Joint Programs International Council for Science ICSU Affiliated Organizations IUGS Secretariat Sister Organizations under ICSU Nominating Committee Committees Projects IUGS, which currently has about 120 Adhering Members and about 50 Affiliates, is the largest body within ICSU. IUGS keeps a nonpolitical and non-governmental stance and is a non-profit making organization. The Executive Committee comprises 10 distinguished scientists from around the world, and this body, in conjunction with a Permanent Secretariat based in Trondheim, Norway ensures that the Union operates as a professional scientific body and that the directions approved for the Union by the Council are carried out. IUGS Permanent Secretariat address Geological Survey of Norway Leif Erikssons vei 39 N-7491 Trondheim Norway Telephone Fax: iugs.secretariat@ngu.no November Design: Dobbel J reklamebyrå. Print: Trykkpartner Lade. Photo front page: Dead Pan at the end of the Tsauchab River, Namib Desert, Namibia. Photo: Gabriele Schneider.