Geoconservation, Geoheritage, Geosites – and sustainable development - the role of ProGEO at a global level

With the establishment of the European Working Group on Earth Science Conservation in 1988 and the ‘First International Symposium on the Conservation of our Geological Heritage’ held at Digne-les-Bains (France) in 1991, geodiversity conservation emerged onto a global stage. By 1993 the working group had evolved into ProGEO, the International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage (www.progeo.ngo). Meanwhile, the concept and practice of geological heritage had begun to be recognised elsewhere with the establishment of UNESCO’s Earth Science division and the development of the concept of Geoparks and, in collaboration with IUGS, the development of the initial concept of Global Geosites, both in the 1990s. With a formal acceptance of Global Geoparks as a UNESCO programme in 2016, the potential contribution of geological heritage to sustainable development has now been fully realised in around 195 areas across 48 countries (https://www.unesco.org/en/iggp/geoparks/about).  Meanwhile, IUGS’s new International Commission for Geoheritage (ICG; https://iugs-geoheritage.org/) has launched its Geological Heritage Sites programme, celebrating the best of global geodiversity, with the first 100 sites being listed in 2022. ProGEO, however, continues its work of promoting the philosophy and practice of geodiversity conservation, at all levels from local the global, and as an independent NGO. Of particular importance in this context was the establishment of the journal Geoheritage in 2009 as a collaboration with Springer (www.springer.com/12371) with over 1000 published papers across 86 countries having now been published – with nearly 140,000 downloads in 2022 alone. Crucially, as a partnership, ProGEO receives an annual payment from Springer, which supports its continuing activities. In addition, ProGEO has been an ongoing collaborator with partner organisations to lay the foundations for the recognition and protection of sites of geoscientific importance at every level from national to global, by establishing formal motions and recommendations through IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), hence influencing conservation practice across more than 160 countries. Currently under development through the Geodiversity Specialist Group (https://www.iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-wcpa-geoheritage-specialist-group) of IUCN’s World Commission for Protected Areas is a programme for the recognition of ‘Key Geodiversity Areas’ (KGAs) – effectively ‘Global Geosites’ within the original 1990s concept. This project aims to establish a comprehensive and systematically selected global network of geosites to safeguard the most important stages and processes – both physical and biological - of planet Earth’s long history and ongoing evolution. Despite the quite distinct aims for KGAs from World Heritage, UGG and GHS selection and management, there is still a lot of work to be done to bring UNESCO, Global Geopark, IUGS and IUCN initiatives together towards developing mutual support and goals. In the meantime, however, the benefits for geosciences are clear if a global recognition of the importance of geosites, and geodiversity in general, can be established through international conservation designations, not least the contribution of those sites to understanding how better to sustainably manage our only planet for the benefit of future generations. Aspects of all these activities will be discussed and a vision for the future of global Geoconservation endeavour synthesised...