| The International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) was initiated by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and UNESCO and has been active in the period 2007-2009. The IYPE was proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations for 2008. The International Year aims to raise public and political awareness of the relevance of the Earth sciences for society and in particular to use such knowledge more effectively in decision making to contribute to safer, healthier and more prosperous societies around the world. Following UN proclamation the IYPE Corporation was developed and 80 countries and regions joined the initiative by creating National IYPE Committees. The IYPE Science program focused on 10 themes: groundwater, health, climate, hazards, natural resources, (meg)cities, soils, oceans, deep Earth and life. But IYPE’s aims and ambitions were most prominently addressed through its extensive and successful outreach program.
This presentation reviews its activities from an international perspective. New initiatives that emerged from the IYPE legacy will be presented. |