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EARTH SCIENCES AND THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANET EARTH

I. Zagorchev

Abstract

On 22.12.2005 the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization unanimously decided to proclaim the year 2008 as International Year of the Planet Earth. UNESCO and the International Union of Geosciences decided to develop the programmes within a Trienium of Geosciences 2007- 2009. Thus, the United Nations acknowledge the special role that geosciences may and should play in establishing a better world, their huge potential being utilized in a more rational manner for the benefit of humanity and its sustainable development. The Earth Sciences (Geosciences) are today a complex system of more than 40 interrelated sciences that can be conventionally referred to 4 “families”: physical-geographical, mineralogical-geochemical, geological and geophysical sciences. These sciences are closely related to the physical, chemical, biological and technical sciences. However, each geoscience has built its own methodology, classification schemes, data bases, and theoretical system. All geosciences are united by the common research subject: the planet Earth in all its aspects. The Earth sciences re[resent a complex of fundamental, regional and applied knowledge. Thus, they are indispensable both for the formation of the conception of the world of every modern European citizen and for obtaining basic theoretical and practical knowledge on our home – the planet Earth, and for the development of Science as a whole. On the other hand, most of the Earth sciences directly or indirectly reflect on the processes of establishment of a safe and healthy environment, and for providing the resources (water, mineral and energy) necessary for man and its economy. Without the Earth sciences we are not able to built modern communications and urban structures, to supply drinkable and industrial water, energy for housing, industry and transport, metals and polymers for the industry, etc. The International Year of the Planet Earth is planning a huge complex of outreach activities that should inform the wider circles of society, business and policy-makers about the potential of the geosciences and the different possibilities to utilize this potential for the benefit of society. The scientific programme is concentrated on 10 themes, and namely: 1. Groundwater – towards sustainable use; 2. Hazards – minimizing the risk, maximizing the awareness; 3. Earth and health – building a safer environment; 4. Climate – “the stone tape”; 5. Resources – towards sustainable use; 6. Megacities – going deeper, building safer; 7. Deep Earth – from crust to core; 8. Ocean – abyss of time; 9. Soils – the living skin of the Earth; 10. Earth and Life – origins of diversity. It is evident that these themes have enormous importance for the development of most prospective scientific trends but are specifically oriented towards their application in the economy and ecology. Bulgaria is amongst the first 20 countries that have built own organization structures and make great efforts for the celebration of the International Year of the Planet Earth, and for the use of the Trienium of Geosciences for the benefit of society.

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