International Year of Planet Earth

International Year of Planet Earth The International Year of Planet Earth was a global scientific initiative proclaimed to promote sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, and public understanding of United Nations science policy through coordinated research and outreach. It mobilized partnerships among organizations such as UNESCO, the IUGS, the ICSU, and national bodies including the NASA, the ESA, and the USGS, aligning work with programs of the UNEP, the WHO, and the WMO.

Background and Goals

The initiative originated from proposals by the IGBP, the Royal Society, and the National Academy of Sciences to mark the importance of geosciences alongside the Millennium Development Goals, the Rio Summit, and the Hyogo Framework for Action on disaster reduction. Its goals included advancing research relevant to the IPCC assessments, supporting work by the GEOSS, fostering collaboration with the European Commission and the G8 science agendas, and informing multilateral negotiations such as those at the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Organization and Partnerships

Coordination was led by a steering committee that included representatives from UNESCO, IUGS, the IUGG, the IASPEI, and national academies including the Royal Society and the Académie des sciences. Partners ranged from intergovernmental organizations such as the European Union and the African Union to research agencies like CSIRO (Australia), the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), and the China Geological Survey. Funding and support engaged foundations and institutions including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the European Research Council, and corporate partners interacting with the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank.

Themes and Programs

Programmatic themes addressed subjects such as natural hazards (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) pertinent to organizations like USGS and Japan Meteorological Agency, groundwater and water resources relevant to International Water Association and the Food and Agriculture Organization; mineral resources connected with the International Mineralogical Association; and climate interactions tying to IPCC and Met Office research. Cross-cutting programs engaged mapping and remote sensing with partners including NASA, ESA, JAXA, and the CNSA; biodiversity links with IUCN and Convention on Biological Diversity efforts; and health linkages involving WHO and CDC initiatives.

Global Events and Activities

Major events included international conferences and symposia hosted in cities and institutions such as Paris at UNESCO Headquarters, Beijing with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, London involving the Royal Society, and meetings at the Smithsonian Institution and the AGU Fall Meeting. Regional workshops convened stakeholders from the African Union, ASEAN, OAS, and the Pacific Islands Forum to address region-specific issues like coastal resilience during sessions with the IPCC authors, the International Tsunami Information Center, and the GFDRR. Outreach included exhibitions at the Natural History Museum, London, curriculum development with the United Nations University, and public lectures featuring experts from the EGU and the AAAS.

Outcomes and Legacy

Outcomes comprised synthesis reports, datasets, and policy briefs submitted to bodies like the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, and national ministries of science and environment across countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa, Canada, and Australia. Legacy impacts include stronger linkages among the IUGS, national geological surveys (e.g., Geoscience Australia, British Geological Survey), and global observation networks including GEOSS and the GSN, contributions to subsequent IPCC cycles, and enhanced education resources used by universities such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, Peking University, and University of Cape Town. The initiative informed later programs hosted by UNESCO and influenced funding priorities at agencies like the European Research Council and the National Science Foundation.

Category:2007 establishments