Abstract
This study presents the context of the creation and development of actions of the Geoparks Commission of the Brazilian Society of Geology (CG-SBG). For this, documentary research of the entity’s minutes and existing records in other media was carried out. The results show that the commission has positioned itself as a channel for institutional, political, and social mobilization relative to the topic of geoparks in Brazil, following the objectives established in the CG-SBG bylaws, namely: (a) awaken and conduct debates and reflections on geoparks within SBG; (b) share knowledge about the context and performance of geoparks with the national society, government institutions, and entities of common interest with this topic through publication in its most diverse media; (c) work to benefit the dissemination and implementation of geoparks in Brazil; (d) integrate representatives of the various proposals for geoparks in Brazil and; (e) propose institutional support to geoparks implementation projects in the national territory. In addition, many representatives of regional branches on the commission also form teams of aspirants and geopark projects, further facilitating the interaction between the proposals and the joint discussions. Among the actions carried out is the participation of the commission in several regional, national, and international events, the provision of information through a website, and the manifestation on issues related to geoparks, such as the need to create a National Geoparks Committee, as provided for byUNESCO, in accordance with the statutes of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme and guidelines of the UNESCO Global Geoparks (IGGP/2015/ST), to monitor the development of projects and act jointly with UNESCO and aspiring geoparks. Thus, this study concludes that although the commission exists within the scope of a scientific society, it has carried out actions that contribute to the strengthening of the topic of geoparks in various segments of Brazilian society, from the municipalities to national policies.
Highlights
Global Geoparks of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are unique and unified geographical areas, where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development (UNESCO, 2017)
The presence of 161 geoparks in the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme and the Global Geoparks Network in 44 countries shows the relevance of these structures for regional development, especially in Brazil, which has a remarkable geological diversity with the representation of practically all geological periods, rich biodiversity, and important cultural heritage
An interinstitutional group was formed as a result of this debate and, because the geopark is a territorial management model based on sustainable development, a strategic plan for the implementation of geoparks in the State of Bahia (Santos-Pinto et al 2018) was elaborated and delivered to the Secretariats of Planning (SEPLAN) and Economic Development (SDE)
Summary
Global Geoparks of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are unique and unified geographical areas, where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development (UNESCO, 2017). Its territories have a geological heritage of great prominence associated with other aspects of natural and cultural heritage (material and immaterial), a geopark is not a conservation unit nor does it aim to protect geological sites. For this purpose, there are other legal mechanisms in Brazil included in the National System of Conservation Units, for example. The Brazilian Geology Society, through the creation of its Geoparks Commission, joins the effort to publicize the topic, the creation of the National Geoparks Committee, and the implementation of Brazilian geoparks
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