Search Results (3)

Geosciences today play a vital societal role beyond their traditional extractive functions, offering innovative approaches to disseminate knowledge that supports local problem solving and climate resilience. UNESCO Global Geoparks have emerged as strategic platforms for promoting sustainable geoscientific values such as geodiversity, geoeducation, geoconservation, and geoethics. Within the Volcán del Ruiz Geopark Project (VRGP), an effusive andesitic monogenetic volcanic field contains both volcanological and industrial geoheritage. Using Brilha’s evaluation framework, this study assessed eight volcanic features and one industrial site, identifying La Capilla volcano and the Cementos Caldas ruins as having the highest scientific, educational, and touristic value. A structured georoute was proposed, integrating interpretive strategies to enhance public engagement with geodiversity, spatial awareness, and volcanic processes. The success of such initiatives depends on active community participation and interinstitutional collaboration to ensure the appropriation and operationalization of geoscientific knowledge. The VRGP stands out as a promising territorial strategy for anchoring geoeducation and geotourism within broader sustainability and community empowerment goals. Full article

Human existence and progress hinge on sustainability and resilience, especially in the Anthropocene Era, where the diversity of nature plays a critical role. Central to this endeavor is the realm of geoethics, which not only reshapes the role of geosciences but also fosters the development of ethical behavior and practices in our interaction with the Earth. This paper presents a conceptual framework that integrates the seemingly disparate domains of geoethics, geoenvironmental education, and the sense of place. By conducting a systematic review using the keywords “Geoethics AND Education” and “Geoethics AND place” across global databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and JSTOR, up to October 2023, we seek to uncover evidence illuminating the potential connections between these concepts. Out of n = 98 records identified, n = 22 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in our review. Our findings reveal a growing scientific interest in the spectrum of geoethics over the last decade, with diverse perspectives related to concerns about geoeducation. We propose that future research should focus on expanding the scope of geoethics across various disciplines, emphasizing the importance of human ethos, socio-eco responsibility, and ethical considerations in geological heritage and geoconservation management. Geoenvironmental education emerges as a crucial avenue for advancing geoethics, while the multifaceted outcome of the sense of place offers a promising pathway for standardizing and correlating these fields effectively. Full article

The debates about naming the unfolding times of anthropogenic global change the ‘Anthropocene’ are ultimately debates about the ‘human condition’. The proposal to amend the geological time scale by adding an ‘Anthropocene’ epoch (that is, the ‘Anthropocene proposal’ in its strict sense) is both an intra-geoscience debate about scientific sense-making and a debate about the societal context of the geosciences. This essay juxtaposes these debates, starting from three postulates: first, that the scientific methods of geological chronostratigraphy are applied rigorously; second, that anthropogenic global change is happening; and third, that the ‘Anthropocene proposal’ may be rejected if it does not meet the conditions required for its approval based on the rigorous application of the scientific methods of geological chronostratigraphy. These postulates are analysed through the lenses of the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics and the normative statements of the ‘geoethical promise’. It is found that an ethical quandary would arise if the ‘Anthropocene proposal’ were to be rejected. Consequently, and given the societal contexts of the geosciences, it is explored whether distinguishing between the geological past (as demarcated according to current chronostratigraphic methodology) and contemporary geological–historical times (characterised somewhat differently) could offer a work-around to tackle the quandary. Full article