New Perspectives in Science Education

Abstract:

Global, national, and local geological features that essentially serve as culturally significant locations, posing as information treasure troves for comprehending the evolution of the Earth, which humans live on and off, are referred to as geo-heritage. The range of earth forms, processes, and materials that make up and shape the Earth is known as geo-diversity (Gray, 2019). The preservation of these Earth Science components is referred to as geo-conservation. The domain of nature conservation is usually oriented toward the protection of live species and plants alone, while abiotic components such as geology and geomorphology are overlooked as important aspects of the same science. Motion 101 was passed with overwhelming majority at the recently concluded World Conservation Congress of the IUCN at Marseille, France (September 2021). This coalition call is a proposal to arrest climate change and stop the sixth mass extinction by endeavoring to save at least 30% of the existing eco-regions by 2030, and push for up to 50% conservation by 2050. Climate change and Rewilding of nature in response to geo-genic and anthropogenic biodiversity loss, triggered by factors are generally addressed separately. However, holistic conservation of nature is only possible when geo-diversity and geo-conservation of geo-heritage is incorporated into this endeavor. Geodiversity is the basis for a healthy biodiversity. Geological World Heritage: A Global Framework, (Dingwall et al., 2005) an IUCN published report advocates the role of the World Heritage Convention in recognizing and protecting geological heritage according to criterion (viii), which states “to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features”. There is a growing need to sensitize the human population, especially the student community towards geologically formed natural landscapes, in order to safeguard Earth’s colossal geomorphology capital. One way of achieving this would be to popularize responsible geo-tourism (Singh and Ghosh, 2021). This paper looks at these aspects as a whole and suggests a methodology to implement sensitization towards the matter.

Keywords: 

Geodiversity, Geoheritage, Geoconservation, Rewilding

References:

• Gray, M (2019) Geodiversity, geoheritage and geoconservation for society, International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, Vol. 7, pp. 226–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2019.11.001

• Dingwall, P, Weighell, T. and Badman, T., (2005) Geological world heritage: a global framework: A Contribution to the Global Theme Study of World Heritage Natural Sites, IUCN Report, pp. 1-52

• Singh, R., Ghosh, P., (2021) Geotourism potential of coal mines: An appraisal of Sonepur-Bazari open cast project, India, International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, Vol 9, Issue 2, pp. 172-181