is a multidisciplinary, scientific platform for widening the discussion and creating awareness about problems of Geoethics and Ethics applied to the Geosciences.
IAPG is legally recognized as a not-for-profit association, has 3222 members in 130 countries on 5 continents, and can count on a network of 37 national sections.
IAPG works to developing theoretical and practical activities covering a wide range of contents comprising: philosophy of geosciences and history of geosciences thinking; research integrity and professionalism in geosciences; working climate issues and related aspects; geoethics in georisks and disaster risk reduction; responsible georesources management; ethical and social aspects in geoeducation and geoscience communication; geoethics applied to different geoscience fields including economic geology, paleontology, forensic geology and medical geology; ethical and societal relevance of geoheritage and geodiversity; sociological aspects in geosciences and geosciences-society-policy interface; geosciences for sustainable and responsible development; geoethical implications in global and local changes of socio-ecological systems; ethics in geoengineering; ethical issues in climate change and ocean science studies; ethical implications in geosciences data life cycle and big data; ethical and social matters in the international geoscience cooperation.
What is Geoethics?
Geoethics consists of research and reflection on the values which underpin appropriate behaviours and practices, wherever human activities interact with the Earth system. Geoethics deals with the ethical, social and cultural implications of geoscience education, research and practice, and with the social role and responsibility of geoscientists in conducting their activities.....
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Busan, Republic of Korea, 28 August 2024
Vienna, Austria, 16 April 2024
EGU 2015: IAPG informal meeting
Busan, Republic of Korea, 28 August 2024
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Affiliations and Agreements
IAPG promotes geoethics through the international collaboration with Associations and Institutions. IAPG has:
7 affiliations, 31 agreements for cooperation, 5 partnerships.
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News
Best wishes 2024-2025!
The new Executive Council of the IAPG
The new Executive Council (EC) of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) is in charge from 1 November 2024.
The EC is now formed by:
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President: Silvia Peppoloni (Italy)
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Vice-President: Peter T. Bobrowsky (Canada)
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Vice-President: Elizabeth I. Rovere (Argentina)
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Secretary General and Treasurer: Giuseppe Di Capua (Italy)
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Continental Coordinator for North America: Vincent S. Cronin (USA)
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Continental Coordinator for South America: Marita Ahumada (Argentina)
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Continental Coordinator for Europe: Vitor Correia (Portugal)
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Continental Coordinator for Africa: Ezzoura Errami (Morocco)
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Continental Coordinator for Asia: Surya Parkash (India)
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Continental Coordinator for Oceania: Matthew Hughes (New Zealand)
Bio-sketches of each EC member are available here: https://www.geoethics.org/executive-council
We wish to thank the previous members of the Executive Council. We greatly appreciate their efforts in helping the IAPG expand and strengthen its network over the years.
27 April - 2 May 2025
Vienna (Austria) and online
Geoethics at the EGU 2025
The call for abstracts is open (deadline: 15 January 2025, 13:00 CET)
The IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics, the Commission on Geoethics of the IUGS - International Union of Geological Sciences and the Chair on Geoethics of the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences welcome you at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2025 in Vienna (Austria), that attracts thousand of geoscientists from all over the world every year. From 2013, the IAPG organizes and supports events on geoethics at the EGU General Assembly.
This year, the IAPG co-sponsors the following sessions:
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EOS4.3: Geoethics and Global Anthropogenic Changes: Geoscience Informing Policy-Making and Decision-Making (Conveners: Silvia Peppoloni, Giuseppe Di Capua)
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EOS2.3: Climate and ocean communication and education: Experience, ethics, prospects (Conveners: David Crookall, Giuseppe Di Capua, Svitlana Krakovska, Rachel Wellman, Pimnutcha Promduangsri)
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SC1.7: Geoethical values, principles and behaviours: A participatory workshop (Conveners: David Crookall, Giuseppe Di Capua, Berill Blair, Pimnutcha Promduangsri)
Descriptions of the sessions and short course:
https://www.geoethics.org/egu2025
Financial support by EGU (Registration fee waivers for virtual participants; Roland Schlich Travel Support for on-site participants; EGU EDI Participation Support): https://www.egu25.eu/guidelines/supports_and_waivers.html
How to submit and abstract: https://www.egu25.eu/programme/how_to_submit.html
Podcast: Navigating Geoethics – Balancing Science and Responsibility in Geosciences - An interview to Giuseppe Di Capua
The Society of Exploration Geophysicists released the podcast of the interview to Giuseppe Di Capua (IAPG Secretary General and Treasurer).
From the SEG website:
“Geoethics encourages us to think beyond just technical solutions and consider the long-term social and environmental impacts. It’s about embracing humility and seeing problems through multiple lenses to find sustainable solutions.”
In this episode, Andrew Geary interviews Giuseppe Di Capua, a founding member, Secretary General and Treasurer of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG). They discuss the connection between ethics and geoscience, highlighting the importance of ethical awareness for responsible scientific practices. Giuseppe shares insights on how geoethics can guide geoscientists to balance technical work with social and environmental responsibilities, aiming to foster sustainable interactions with our planet.
Listen for a thought-provoking conversation on why geoethics is vital to responsible geoscience and how it can guide our efforts toward a more sustainable world.
Key Points and Takeaways
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The Role of Geoethics: Geoethics combines scientific knowledge with ethical responsibility, encouraging geoscientists to consider their work’s societal and environmental impact.
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Balancing Growth and Sustainability: Younger geoscientists face balancing economic development with the need for environmental conservation, underscoring a shift towards sustainable geoscience practices.
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IAPG’s Mission: The International Association for Promoting Geoethics seeks to foster ethical awareness and inclusivity among geoscientists globally, especially in low-income countries, by promoting cooperative values like honesty, integrity, and transparency.
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Educational Shift: Giuseppe advocates for integrating geoethics into academic training for geoscientists, emphasizing the importance of ethical, social, and cultural awareness in their professional roles.
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Call to Action: Giuseppe challenges listeners to embrace geoethics in their work and daily lives, inspiring them to contribute to a sustainable future by recognizing the intricate connections between human actions and the Earth’s systems.
IUGS Commission on Geoethics:
Task Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Geosciences
The IUGS Commission on Geoethics has established a new Task Group to address issues related to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in geosciences. Its primary objective is to draft a White Paper offering insights and suggestions for the geoscience community.
This new Task Group is formed by four members (picture above, from the left): Paul Cleverley (Chair, United Kingdom), Mrinalini Kochupillai (Germany/India), Mark Lindsay (Australia), Emma Ruttkamp-Bloem (South Africa). Giuseppe Di Capua is the contact person of the IUGS-CG Governing Board.
New book on geoethics published by Elsevier
Silvia Peppoloni and Giuseppe Di Capua, eds. (2024). Geoethics for the Future: Facing Global Challenges. Elsevier, XXXI+401 pp., ISBN 978-0443156540. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2022-0-00487-6
This book offers a set of points of view on highly topical issues in geosciences and beyond, including societal relevance of geosciences, georesources, sustainable development, geoeducation, georisks, data, as well as philosophical, legal, political, scientific considerations about anthropogenic global changes and the Anthropocene, enabling readers to acquire multifaceted knowledge on topics of global relevance in the 21st Century. This book explores topics vital to our historical moment and the future of human societies, through the analyzes by scholars with different disciplinary backgrounds, emphasizing the need for new cultural and scientific frameworks to address global issues. It aims to foster multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches for problem-solving, by integrating diverse knowledge and visions to effectively tackle urgent global challenges.
Serving as a significant milestone in geoethics, this book provides academics, researchers and students with insights into the ethical and societal dimensions of various challenges arising from human impact on the Earth system.
Welcome to IAPG-Colombia
We are pleased to announce the establishment of IAPG-Colombia. This is our 37th national section. This section will be chaired by Prof. Clemencia Gomez (photo on the side). She is a geologist, holding a Ph.D. in Paleontology with a specialization in Quaternary palynology, and further qualifications in Business Administration and Oil Mining Law. She made history as the first female president of the Colombian Society of Geology, serving from 2017 to 2019, and later as President of the Colombian Association of Geology from 2021 to 2022. Throughout her career, she has held significant roles in both public and private companies, notably as the coordinator of the Geology Group at the National Hydrocarbons Agency. With over 25 years of experience as a university professor at various educational institutions, she currently serves as a full-time associate professor at the National University of Colombia. Her dedication to education and geoscience was recognized in 2021 when she received the Inspirational Geoscience Educator Award from the American Association of Petroleum Geologist (AAPG) Foundation. In 2022, she was honored with the Humberto Gallego Gamboa Order as an illustrious graduate of the Universidad de Caldas. As a testament to her commitment to public service, she was awarded the prestigious Public Service Award by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) in 2024. Her outstanding contributions to the field of geology and education continue to inspire future generations and drive positive change in the industry.
Welcome to IAPG-New Zealand
We are pleased to announce the establishment of IAPG-New Zealand. This is our 36th national section and it is also recognized as the Geoethics Special Interest Group within the Geoscience Society of New Zealand (GSNZ). This section will be chaired by Dr. Matthew Hughes (photo on the side). He is geoscientist based in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. His research interests cover economic geology, landscape evolution, and the interplay between communities and natural and engineered systems. He conducts multidisciplinary research investigating how communities are impacted by and in turn influence the development of infrastructure, impacts of hazards on infrastructure and communities, and how long-term climate and landscape evolution processes will impact cultural heritage, settlements and infrastructure into the Anthropocene.
GSNZ Geoethics Special Interest Group (IAPG-New Zealand)
Members of the just-established Geoethics Special Interest Group within the Geoscience Society of New Zealand have a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, but all share interest in research and reflection on values underpinning behaviours and practices wherever human activities interact with the Earth system. This is especially pertinent in geological resource use, post-disaster response, geoheritage issues, and engaging with communities including Indigenous peoples. The Geoethics Special Interest Group exists to build a community of practice within research and teaching, to explore and promote Geoethical principles.
Website of the GSNZ Geoethics Special Interest Group (IAPG-New Zealand)
Geoethics Medal 2024: Call for applications open!
The Geoethics Medal honors scientists and scholars who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to ethical practices in geoscience research and/or practice, as well as its interdisciplinary applications. The award highlights the importance of responsible and ethical behavior in geosciences and encourages others to integrate geoethical principles into their work.
The Geoethics Medal is open to geoscientists and other scholars/professionals from around the world who have made significant contributions to promoting geoethics and social geosciences and/or including geoethical principles and values into their professional and/or societal practices. Candidates may be nominated for their work in various areas, including:
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Development and implementation of geoethical practices in professional and societal settings.
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Education and outreach efforts that enhance the understanding of geoethics and social geosciences among students and the general public.
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Leadership in promoting geoethical standards within organizations, institutions, and society.
Nominations have to be submitted by 31 December 2024, by providing the following material about the candidate:
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A CV (about 1 page) and a list of up to 10 selected publications that show the focus on ethical/social/cultural implications in the geoscience work, as well as interdisciplinary applications.
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A concise statement of achievements for merits in the geoethical field (maximum 250 words).
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A brief encomium of the candidate and his/her work (maximum 600 words).
The nominations have to be submitted through an email to: iapgeoethics@aol.com, with the subject “Nomination for the IAPG Geoethics Medal 2024”.
The nominations will be evaluated by an international committee.
Important: IAPG officers (Members of the Executive Council, Coordinators of National Sections, Corresponding Citizen Scientists, Members of Task Groups, Members of the Board of the Young Scientists Club) cannot be nominated for the Geoethics Medal.
More about the Geoethics Medal:
JGSG published other two articles of the Special Issue "25 Years of Advancing Geoethics and Social Geosciences at INGV"
The new articles can be cited as follows:
JGSG published the first article of the Special Issue "25 Years of Advancing Geoethics and Social Geosciences at INGV"
The Journal of Geoethics and Social Geoscience published the first, open access, article of the Special Issue "25 Years of Advancing Geoethics and Social Geosciences at INGV" on 16 December 2024.
The article can be cited as follows:
JGSG published its ninth article!
The Journal of Geoethics and Social Geoscience published its seventh, open access, article on 13 December 2024.
The article can be cited as follows:
JGSG published its eighth article!
The Journal of Geoethics and Social Geoscience published its seventh, open access, article on 27 November 2024.
The article can be cited as follows:
Article on artificial intelligence (AI) in geosciences published by Geoscientist
Advancing transparent and ethical AI
Paul Cleverley, Silvia Peppoloni, Chuck Bailey and Simon Thompson discuss ongoing concerns around geoscience AI and the need for transparency
Read here:
https://geoscientist.online/sections/viewpoint/advancing-transparent-and-ethical-ai/
International Geoethics Day 2024: valuing geosciences for the public good
17 October 2024
We celebrate the 8th edition of the International Geoethics Day on 17 October 2024.
The theme of this year is "valuing geosciences for the public good".
The International Geoethics Day 2024 emphasizes the importance of applying geoscientific knowledge to address societal challenges and promote the well-being of communities. By understanding Earth's processes, geoscientists contribute to disaster risk reduction, resource management, environmental conservation, and sustainable development. Their work helps ensure safe water supplies, mitigate climate change impacts, and support responsible land use. Valuing geosciences means recognizing their role in fostering resilience, protecting ecosystems, and improving quality of life, ultimately ensuring that scientific advancements benefit society as a whole.
If you want to organize an event (conference, webinar, seminar, field trip, etc.) to celebrate the International Geoethics Day 2024, please inform the IAPG Secretariat by sending an email to: iapgeoethics@aol.com. IAPG will be happy to promote your event.
Website of the International Geoethics Day: https://www.geoethics.org/geoethics-day
Hashtag: #geoethicsday2024
Events planned:
- IAPG-Turkey shares a text (in Turkish) with the press and the public, prepared by Yülsel Örgün Tutay and Dündar Çağlan (IAPG-Turkey Co-coordinators).
Download the press release (pdf file)
- The Tethys Fossil Museum (tethysfossilmuseum@gmail.com) celebrates the International Geoethics Day on 20 October 2024 in Dangyari, Himachal Pradesh, India. This enriching event offers village school children and families a chance to explore geology and its role in sustainable resource management and future planning.
- Matthew Hughes (IAPG-New Zealand Coordinator) has planned a picnic lunch at the Coronation Hill Scenic Reserve in the Port Hills (Christchurch, New Zealand) on 17 October, with its spectacular views of the harbour and loess-mantled volcanic landscapes.
More details on the website of the Geoscience Society of New Zealand: https://gsnz.org.nz/gsnz-events/ViewEvent/367
- On 17 October 2024, at the premises of Bologna Section of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV, Italy), Giuliana Rubbia (IAPG-Italy) delivers a seminar about “Gender and natural hazards: a duo to be explored” (in Italian) for celebrating the International Geoethics Day 2024. According to the new European Charter for Researchers, the principle of Gender Equality includes fostering the integration of the gender dimension in research, teaching and innovation content to improve the scientific quality, excellence, and societal relevance of the produced knowledge. In disaster risk reduction, gender and intersectional dimensions are crucial, since natural hazards are gender-neutral, but impacts are not. The event can be followed remotely via the following link: https://meet.google.com/vnk-coog-cwe
Download the poster (pdf file)
- The Aliaga Geological Park in Teruel, Spain, will celebrate the International Geoethics Day 2024 with an event on 18 October 2024. The Park management will host a workshop led by Pablo Antonio Crespo in the Geology Classroom, followed by a field trip to the Aliaga Geological Park. The event aims to educate 53 primary and secondary school students about geology, resource management, and sustainable development, with a focus on applying the principles of geoethics.
- IAPG-Bangladesh will organize a seminar on "Valuing Geosciences for the Public Good" to celebrate the International Geoethics Day 2024. The event will take place at the auditorium of the Geological Survey of Bangladesh in Dhaka. The Seminar will be focused on emphasizing the importance of applying geoscientific knowledge to address societal challenges and promote the well-being of communities.
JGSG published its seventh article!
The Journal of Geoethics and Social Geoscience published its seventh, open access, article on 4 June 2024.
The article can be cited as follows:
Follow the IUGS Commission on Geoethics on:
The IUGS Commission on Geoethics
On 16 February 2023, the IUGS - International Union of Geological Sciences has officially established the Commission on Geoethics (CG). The proposal for creating the CG was presented at the 78th IUGS Executive Committee (EC) meeting in Belfast (UK) by Silvia Peppoloni (past IUGS Councilor and Secretary General of the International Association for Promoting Geoethics - IAPG) (photo on the right).
The CG will be the supporting branch of the IAPG to the IUGS and the IUGS body that officially deals with geoethics and social geosciences for the Union.
The CG has a light structure made up of a Governing Board, a Supportive Structure, and an Operative Structure consisting of Task Groups working on specific issues. Among them, there is the task group dealing with diversity, equity, and inclusion, which takes the baton from the existing IUGS task group dedicated to those issues.
The core business of the CG consists of the following activities, to be developed in cooperation with the IAPG:
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Drafting and updating ethical guidelines for the IUGS.
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Supporting the IUGS (officers and bodies) regarding questions such as unprofessional conduct, misconduct, harassment, retaliation, racism, sexism, conflicts of interest and others.
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Fostering the participation of women in activities, events, and other initiatives organized or supported by the IUGS with the aim of reducing the gender gap and increasing diversity.
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Cooperating with IUGS bodies to focus on geoethical issues or other themes of mutual interests.
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Contributing to IUGS events (congresses, including the International Geological Congress - ICG, conferences, videos, webinar, etc.) or any other scientific or public events.
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Supporting the IUGS in developing activities at the geoscience-policy interface and delicate issues related to geoscience-society interaction.
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Promoting the adoption of the Geoethical Promise within Universities and geoscience organizations.
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Organizing events that address ethical and social implications of geoscience knowledge, research, practice, education, and communication.
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Training on geoethics, professional ethics, data ethics, and publication ethics.
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Networking with geoscience (affiliated or not to the IUGS) and humanities organizations to create opportunities for bridging geosciences and human and social sciences.
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Fostering opportunities to increase the impact of IUGS in Latin American and African countries by promoting activities to foster the culture of geosciences among local geoscience communities.
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Supporting the IUGS in enlarging its network in countries in which the presence of the IUGS is missing or to be developed/increased.
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Preparing an annual report containing the outcomes of the reference year, a plan of activities for the new year, and a financial request to the IUGS. The annual report will contain results, activities, events, publications, or any kind of outcomes of the IAPG to be considered as outcomes of the CG.
GC dedicated web pages are hosted on the IAPG website (https://www.geoethics.org/iugs-cg).
In addition, the CG has its official social media pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iugs.geoethics/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9314437/
AGU Ethical Framework for Climate Intervention
From AGU website:
Climate change requires urgent action. Increasingly, the world is considering dramatic climate intervention approaches—often called geoengineering. Many of these approaches are untested and the consequences are not well understood. In 2022, AGU launched its plan to develop an Ethical Framework for Climate Intervention Research, Experimentation and Deployment—a code of conduct to guide climate intervention measures that may be needed in addition to emissions reduction.
JGSG published its third article!
The Journal of Geoethics and Social Geoscience published its third, open access, article on 25 May 2023.
We remind you that this journal is dimond open access and is supported by the IAPG. No Article Processing Charge (APC) is requested to authors and no fee is paid by readers.
The article can be cited as follows:
Book on geoethics published in the SpringerBriefs in Geoethics series
Di Capua G. and Oosterbeek L. (2023). Bridges to Global Ethics: Geoethics at the Confluence of Humanities and Sciences. Springer, Cham, VII+115 pp., ISBN 978-3031222221. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22223-8
This book contributes to the current discussion on geoethics and global ethics within the geoscience and humanities communities. It provides new content and insights into developing convergent human actions in response to global anthropogenic changes, based on perspectives that make it possible to combine geoscience knowledge with humanities and social sciences approaches. Selected authors present their reflections, findings and insights regarding the vision of geoethics (ethics of responsibility towards the Earth) as global ethics from philosophical, humanities and social sciences perspectives. In addition, they discuss ethical frameworks from diverse cultural traditions, searching for points of intersection with geoethics.
The goal: for global environmental problems to be managed via multi-perspective approaches that can more effectively accommodate complexity. Combining the strengths of the geosciences, humanities and social sciences can pave the way for a paradigm shift in how human societies develop adaptive, sustainable responses to environmental changes and societal inequalities.
- Download the book front matter (pdf file)
Book on geoethics published by Springer
Peppoloni S. and Di Capua G. (2022). Geoethics: Manifesto for an Ethics of Responsibility Towards the Earth. Springer, Cham, XII+123 pp., ISBN 978-3030980436. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98044-3
This book outlines the current development of geoethical thinking, proposing to the general public reflections and categories useful for understanding the ethical, cultural, and societal dimensions of anthropogenic global changes.
Geoethics identifies and orients responsible behaviors and actions in the management of natural processes, redefining the human interaction with the Earth system based on a critical, scientifically grounded, and pragmatic approach. Solid scientific knowledge and a philosophical reference framework are crucial to face the current ecological disruption. The scientific perspective must be structured to help different human contexts while respecting social and cultural diversity. It is impossible to respond to global problems with disconnected local actions, which cannot be proposed as standard and effective operational models. Geoethics tries to overcome this fragmentation, presenting Earth sciences as the foundation of responsible human action toward the planet. Geoethics is conceived as a rational and multidisciplinary language that can bind and concretely support the international community, engaged in resolving global environmental imbalances and complex challenges, which have no national, cultural, or religious boundaries that require shared governance. Geoethics is proposed as a new reading key to rethinking the Earth as a system of complex relationships, in which the human being is an integral part of natural interactions.
IUGS Zumaia Declaration on geological heritage
The IAPG is among the supporting organizations of the Zumaia Declaration on geological heritage that was officially released on 28 October 2022 at the event "First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites" held in Zumaia (Basque Coast, Spain).
In this document, the International Union of Geological Sciences - IUGS declares the following:
Recognizing and preserving Geological Heritage is critical. The IUGS adopts the mission to acknowledge Geological Heritage of highest scientific importance. Collaboration between all international initiatives involved with geoheritage and geodiversity can lead to their further appreciation, to their sustainable use as educational resources, and, most importantly, to their preservation for the good of society, for future generations, and for our Planet’s well-being.
- Download the Zumaia Declaration (pdf file)
- Website of the "First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites"
- More about the "First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites" on the Geoparkea website
IAPG endorses the eLearning Course "Practical Geocommunication"
Dear IAPG member,
IAPG has recently endorsed the eLearning course ‘Practical Geocommunication’ offered by Geologize Ltd. Geologize teaches geoscientists to bring the public to a great understanding and appreciation of our planet through effective and powerful communication.
To find out more about the course, please check out the following video:
https://youtu.be/jQDZxDZnUC8
As a member of an endorsing association, you now have a 70% discount on the usual course price.
Your unique access code is: iapg-pggz
Here’s how to start your learning experience!
1) Head over to https://training.geologize.org/courses/geocomms
2) Click on 'BUY'
3) Register (Free)
4) Click on the link ‘Have a coupon?’
5) Enter the code above. This applies the 70% discount.
6) Pay the remaining value.
7) Start learning!
The number of times this coupon can be used is limited to the current membership of the IAPG, so I kindly request that it not be shared with those outside the IAPG.
Learners follow the course at their own pace and you will have lessons, quizzes, assignments and the opportunity to interact directly with myself, Dr Haydon Mort. A certificate is provided at the end of the course, with the seals of the IAPG, The Geological Society of London and the European Federation of Geologists, who also endorse the course.
All the best,
Haydon Mort
---------------------------------------------------
Dr. Haydon Mort
CEO-Director Geologize Ltd
Geologist, Science Communicator
Article: Water resources management for a sustainable nexus of hydrogeoethics and societal well-being.
It can be cited as follows:
Abrunhosa M., Chambel A., Peppoloni S., Ferraz de Matos P., Aragão A., Petitta M. & Chaminé H.I. (2024). Water resources management for a sustainable nexus of hydrogeoethics and societal well-being. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 10:97, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-024-01085-4.
Article: Geoethics: The Missing Piece in the Separation of Responsibility Between Volcanologists and Decision-Makers.
It can be cited as follows:
Peppoloni S., Woo G., Martí J., and Di Capua G. (2023). Geoethics: The Missing Piece in the Separation of Responsibility Between Volcanologists and Decision-Makers. In Malheiro A., Fernandes F., Chaminé H.I. (Eds.), Advances in Natural Hazards and Volcanic Risks: Shaping a Sustainable Future. NATHAZ 2022. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham, 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25042-2_4.
Article: Geoethics to Face Natural Risks by Improving Societal Resilience.
It can be cited as follows:
Peppoloni S. (2023). Geoethics to Face Natural Risks by Improving Societal Resilience. In Malheiro A., Fernandes F., Chaminé H.I. (Eds.), Advances in Natural Hazards and Volcanic Risks: Shaping a Sustainable Future. NATHAZ 2022. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham, 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25042-2_1.
Article: Geotourism and geoethics as support for rural development in the Knjaževac municipality, Serbia.
It can be cited as follows:
Marjanović M., Radivojević A.R., Antić A., Peppoloni S., Di Capua G., Lazarević J., Marković R.S., Tomić N., Milićević A.L., Langović Z., Mišić I. and Marković S.B. (2022).
Geotourism and geoethics as support for rural development in the Knjaževac municipality, Serbia.
Open Geosciences, 14(1), 794-812. https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0388
Article: Sustainable Production of Rare Earth Elements from Mine Waste and Geoethics.
It can be cited as follows:
Jouini M., Royer-Lavallée A., Pabst T., Chung E., Kim R., Cheong Y.-W. and Neculita C.M. (2022).
Sustainable Production of Rare Earth Elements from Mine Waste and Geoethics.
Minerals, 12(7), 809. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12070809
Book: Teaching Geoethics
This e-Book was a deliverable of the Erasmus+ project GOAL "Geoethics Outcomes and Awareness Learning". It can be downloaded for free and cited as follows:
Vasconcelos Clara, Schneider-Voß Susanne, and Peppoloni Silvia (Eds.)
Teaching Geoethics
Resources for higher education
2020, U.Porto Edições, 207 pp., https://doi.org/10.24840/978-989-746-254-2
Cape Town Statement on Geoethics
It sums up all the values, concepts, contents developed by IAPG, giving a perspective for the future development of geoethics. Supported by 22 geoscience organizations and available in 35 languages
Geoethical Promise
A Hippocratic-like oath for geoscientists, originally proposed at the 34th IGC-International Geological Congress in Brisbane (Australia). Translated in 35 languages
Journal of Geoethics and Social Geosciences
Articles on the ethical, social and cultural implications of geosciences, and on study and research aimed at accompanying safe and sustainable development policies for human communities, transdisciplinary food for thoughts and proposals aimed at addressing global anthropogenic changes
SpringerBriefs
in Geoethics
It envisions a series of short publications that aim to discuss ethical, social, and cultural implications of geosciences knowledge, education, research, practice and communication.
A Wider Perspective on Chemistry and Sustainability
(by Enrico Cameron, Italy)
"In May 2024, the journal Chemical Science, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, issued the open-access paper titled “An anthropocene-framed transdisciplinary dialog at the chemistry-energy nexus."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
Resources to give facts a fighting chance against misinformation
(by Bärbel Winkler, Germany)
"At a guess, readers of this blog published by the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) will - just like me - find spreading mis- and disinformation a rather unethical activity. But, it unfortunately happens and we all need to take that into account and be prepared for it. None of us is immune - even with the best intentions - to accidentally spreading misinformation. It therefore helps to be aware of at least some tell-tale signs in order to prevent liking or even sharing what later turns out to be misinformation. In this blog post, I'll introduce some resources to give facts a fighting chance against misinformation."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
Is ethics solely pertinent to the fields of mining and geosciences?
(by Marita Ahumada, Argentina)
"Over the past decade, mining operations in Argentina and numerous other countries have endured widespread discredit and stigma. Misinformation campaigns, incomplete data dissemination, and the propagation of post-truth narratives have obstructed the acknowledgment of the scientifically grounded and ethically responsible practices employed in modern mining ... Social and environmental accountability is a collective imperative that relies on the active involvement of all stakeholders."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
Ethical Considerations for Responsible Geological Fieldwork and Sampling
(by Enrico Cameron, Italy)
"Geological fieldwork and sampling play a crucial role in broadening our comprehension of the Earth’s complexities. Geoscientists should conduct these activities ethically, with respect for both the natural world and the communities they engage with. This responsibility becomes even more crucial when working on Indigenous lands, where acknowledging the historical context and upholding cultural values are paramount"
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
The Indigenous Groundwater Declaration of the Australian Chapter of the IAH
(by Enrico Cameron, Italy)
"In November 2022 the Australian Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) has put forward the Indigenous Groundwater Declaration to foster the respect and inclusion of Indigenous knowledge in groundwater activities, deliberations, decisions, and policies."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
On the Ground: Ending the Hell of Scotland’s Conifer Plantations
(by Patrick Phillips, Scotland, United Kingdom)
"When one encounters a plantation in Scotland one has not entered into an ethical space (nor holistic) they have entered into a kind of ontological hell. Hell, for every pre-existing and existing ecosystem that enabled life to flourish in the first place and hell for our Scottish communities through persistent transient sensations. Plantations are critically therefore not natural forests, as one might assume at first glance but instead a form (therefore space) of ‘modern’ alienation."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
An exploration: from the history of science for geo-philosophical studies
(by Martin Bohle, Germany)
"This essay has an educational objective: the tools for geo-philosophical enquiries, i.e., studies in geoethics. In the first instance, geoethics emerged as an intra-disciplinary endeavour in responsible geosciences. During the last few years, geoethics’ scope expanded [1] [2]. Therefore, my study programme is aggregating insights from other disciplines, iteratively reconstructing geo-philosophical enquiries, and continuously consolidating philosophical foundations. ..."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
The era of crises: facing the choices to build the future
(by Silvia Peppoloni, Italy)
"For about fifteen years I have been dedicated to the development and promotion of geoethics around the world. When I speak of geoethics, I refer to an ethics of responsibility of the human being towards the Earth system; a geosophy, a "knowledge" of the functioning of the Earth, which in the human being translates into Aristotelian phronesis, a wisdom capable of directing choices, a wisdom of living the Earth, which presupposes the awareness of the human position and condition in the great natural architecture. ..."
Read the article in the IAPG Blog
Teaching Geoethics
Books on Geoethics
White Papers
Research Integrity
In evidence
Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
("This Recommendation addresses ethical issues related to the domain of Artificial Intelligence to the extent that they are within UNESCO’s mandate. It approaches AI ethics as a systematic normative reflection, based on a holistic, comprehensive, multicultural and evolving framework of interdependent values, principles and actions that can guide societies in dealing responsibly with the known and unknown impacts of AI technologies on human beings, societies and the environment and ecosystems, and offers them a basis to accept or reject AI technologies. It considers ethics as a dynamic basis for the normative evaluation and guidance of AI technologies, referring to human dignity, well-being and the prevention of harm as a compass and as rooted in the ethics of science and technology")
UNESCO 2022
2023 State of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Sector
(The 2023 State of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Sector is a collaboration between the World Bank’s Extractives Global Programmatic Support Multi-Donor Trust Fund (EGPS) and Pact)
World Bank 2023
The Global Risks Report 2023
(Insight Report, 18th Edition. In partnership with Marsh & McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group)
World Economic Forum, 2023
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
(Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [H.-O. Pörtner, D.C. Roberts, M. Tignor, E.S. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, A. Alegría, M. Craig, S. Langsdorf, S. Löschke, V. Möller, A. Okem, B. Rama (eds.)])
February, 2022
Biodiversity and Climate Change
Scientific Outcome of the IPBES-IPCC co-sponsored workshop
June 2021
In the Section 4.2 "Human and Social Dimensions" (page 49) you can read the following sentences, that include also the definition of geoethics by IAPG:
"Ethical behaviour with respect to nature (“geoethics”) is at the core of several discussions regarding adaptation. The values which underpin appropriate behaviours and practices wherever human activities interact with the Earth system play an important role in the awareness of society regarding problems with biodiversity and NCP. Ethical, social, and cultural implications of both scientific knowledge and humankind’s role as an active geological force on the planet and the ethical responsibility that this implies need to be addressed in every plan of action (Bobrowsky et al., 2017). This includes equity issues linked to biodiversity related interventions. These are often not distributionally neutral and have equity implications both within and between generations."
The paper on geoethics cited in the document is:
Bobrowsky, P., Cronin, V. S., Di Capua, G., Kieffer, S. W., & Peppoloni, S. (2017). The emerging field of geoethics. Sci. Integr. Ethics Geosci, 73, 175.
This paper can be read here:
Lisbon Declaration on Humanities, Open Research and Innovation
Result of the European Humanities Conference 2021
Lisbon, 7 May 2021
This document is supported by the IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics
Guidelines for geoconservation in protected and conserved areas
(by Crofts R., Gordon J.E., Brilha J., Gray M., Gunn J., Larwood J., Santucci V.L., Tormey D., and Worboys G.L.)
Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series No. 31. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. ISBN 978-2-8317-2079-1, doi:10.2305/IUCN.CH.2020.PAG.31.en.
IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 2020
Global Research Report
Research Integrity: Understanding our shared responsibility for a sustainable scholarly ecosystem
(by Szomszor M. and Quaderi N., Institute for Scientific Information)
October 2020
Promoting Gender Diversity and Inclusion in the Oil, Gas and Mining Extractive Industries
A Women’s Human Rights Report
(by R. Park, B. Metzger, and L. Foreman)
The Advocates for Human Rights, January 2019
White Paper on Citizen Science for Europe
(by Sanz F.S., Holocher-Ertl T., Kieslinger B., Sanz García F. and Silva C.G.)
European Commission, 2014
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
On 25 September 2015, countries adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.
Latest (click on the picture):
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IAPG and IUSS signed a MoU
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IAPG Best wishes for the holiday season and the new year
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Survey on The Culture and Ethics of Geologic Sampling
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Yuriy Kostyuchenko passed away on 16 March 2023
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Minigeology interviewed Peter Bobrowsky on geoethics
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IAPG endorses the Jena Declaration
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IAPG is partner of the Earth Future Festival (EFF)