Geodiversity, geoheritage and geoconservation for society

Abstract

Geology is part of the planet's “natural capital”, the stock of global natural assets. These assets provide many benefits for society, often referred to as “ecosystem services”. However, traditionally these have mainly focused on biotic services and have undervalued the abiotic ones. The latter are known here as “geosystem services” and they all derive from the geodiversity of the planet. This paper outlines how society benefits from three aspect of geodiversity – topographies, geological materials and physical processes. It also particularly argues that society benefits from geoconservation of the planet's geoheritage, citing the criteria for designating UNESCO World Heritage Sites, UNESCO Global Geoparks and national protected areas, the public interest in visiting spectacular geological places and the economic benefits this geotourism brings.