IUGS. A Global Player in Geoscience. International Union of Geological Sciences

Transcription

1 IUGS A Global Player in Geoscience 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 founding 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 116 member countries and 38 affiliated organizations, IUGS represents some 250,000 Earth scientists worldwide. Membership is open to countries or defined regions through an adhering organization. IUGS works through its Commissions, Subcommissions, Task Groups, and Joint Programmes with the support of its international affiliated organizations. Recently, IUGS has developed and provided support for scientific Initiatives including: Geoindicators, and Medical Geology. 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, proposed a merger of the Councils of IUGS and IGC. This logical step is the sincere wish of both IUGS and IGC and will bring a greater and deeply needed unity and clarity in international Earth sciences. The proposal for integration will be on the agenda at the IGC in Florence. 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 the impact of human activities on the Earth surface increases. It is a responsibility of the Union to make the society conscious of the importance of the geosciences to help solving problems that arise. Therefore, in 2000, the IUGS Council approved the new goals and direction for IUGS proposed by the Strategic Plan. During the past four years 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 has been developed. This will give direction to the Union s long-term ambitions involving changes extending beyond one Executive Committee s term. 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 news and science journal covers developments of regional and global importance in the earth sciences and is distributed to scientists in more than 150 countries. 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 almost five, from to 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 about four times a year to over 2,000 addresses worldwide. These short and informal news bites briefly convey the activities and accomplishments within the Union 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. The 2003 Annual Report has been released as a digital file on the IUGS web site, but is also available in printed format.

5 The International Year of Planet Earth The main aim of the International Year of Planet Earth is to demonstrate the great potential of the Earth sciences to lay the foundations of a safer, healthier and wealthier society. Momentum is growing behind this ambitious new international Earth science initiative. The International Year project was conceived by IUGS, endorsed by UNESCO s Division of Earth Sciences, and backed by all IUGS s sister unions in related disciplines. Currently, it has the full political backing of the People s Republic of China, India, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Jordan, Italy, Mexico, and the scientific backing of many more. The proposal goes before the UN for endorsement in autumn will be the official Year, but the project will begin in 2005 and run through to The Year aims to lay equal emphasis on research and outreach activities. These will be education, public relations and other avenues of mass communication to bring the main message of the Year and its research results home to billions of people worldwide. Although its eight research themes provide a clear focus, the Year will operate entirely responsively, building on demand from the grassroots of science and science communication. The eight themes (Groundwater, Hazards, Earth & Health, Climate, Resources, Deep Earth, Ocean and Megacities) have been chosen for their societal impact and outreach potential, as well as their multidisciplinary nature and high scientific potential. A ninth theme on soils may be added later. A prospectus for an International Year of Planet Earth , March To find out more about this exciting research and science communication initiative, visit Boiling mud pot in the Krisuvik high-temperature geothermal area, SW-Iceland. Photo: Hanne Refsdal

6 IUGS/UNESCO 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 that 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. In its early years, the Programme was to a great extent focused on international geological correlation. In the 1990s greater emphasis was placed on those projects aiming at serving the scientific needs of society. Hence, many projects now focus on societal and cultural issues, risk mitigation of natural hazards, population growth and increased demand for resources and energy. With the support of IUGS and the Division of Water Sciences at UNESCO, an additional focus was established in 2003 on groundwater and hydrogeology. 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 geologic 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 is 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 IUGS Council Established Adhering Organizations Episodes Website Commissions -subcommissions -working groups Task Groups 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 116 Adhering Members and 38 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 Geological Survey of Norway Leif Erikssons vei 39 N-7491 Trondheim Norway Telephone Fax iugs.secretariat@ngu.no July Design: DOBBEL J Reklamebyrå. Print: Lade Offset. Photo front page: Per Eide.