During the Natural Sciences Commission of the 41st General Conference for UNESCO, which was held in November 2021 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the proposal to dub October 6 of each year as the International Geodiversity Day was considered and finally approved by the 193 participating countries.
The approval of this day follows the request of the International Union of Geosciences (IUGS) and 108 other scientific organizations to have an International Geodiversity Day to raise awareness of the many benefits of geological diversity. It was an act done with the future of the people, communities, and environment in mind.
Geological diversity can mean to include land minerals, rocks, fossils, soils, sediments, landforms, and topography, as well as hydrological features such as rivers and lakes and the processes that create and alter those features. These are the sources of materials that build cities, as well as provide the soil and water needed to support agricultural systems.
Geological diversity also provides resources for energy production, including the materials used to build wind turbines and solar panels. In addition, geological diversity inspires artists and fascinates tourists by creating a variety of landscapes, colors, and shapes that are aesthetically pleasing to experience.
International Geodiversity Day is an opportunity to show how geological science education can help people find sustainable solutions to global challenges such as responsible resource extraction, disaster risk reduction, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity loss. It will also increase public awareness of the vital links between geological diversity and all forms of life.
As the only UN body dedicated to supporting research and capacity building in geology and geophysics, UNESCO supports the introduction of International Geodiversity Day.
