Led by UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), IYPE will focus on the fundamental role of the earth sciences, within a resolutely inter-­disciplinary context, in maintaining a living and healthy Earth system, thus enabling prosperous and diverse human societies to envision a future based on the principles of sustainable development.

Through the exhibition ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’, to take place during the 34th session of the UNESCO General Con-­ ference, and its five main themes (the Earth system, dynamic Earth, diverse Earth, changing Earth and sustaining the Earth) we intend to show how UNESCO’s work in the sciences, culture, education and communication contribute to the sustai-­nable development of Planet Earth. Parti-­cular focus will be given to UNESCO’s role in advancing knowledge of the Earth sys-­tem in the fields of ecological and earth sciences, disaster mitigation, intangible cultural heritage, cultural and biological di-­versity, climate change, renewable energy and education and indigenous knowledge for sustainable development.

Indeed, UNESCO’s contributions to sustai-­nable development are broad in scope. As lead agency for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, UNESCO is mobilizing its expertise in both formal and non-­formal education to further the principles, values and behaviour linked to sustainable development.

Through its actions in the field of science and culture, UNESCO is working to con-­serve diversity, the necessary basis for achieving sustainable societies. Linkages between the different types of diversity, including cultural and biological diversity, create rich and complex knowledge sys-­tems. Knowledge is the key to sustaina-­ble development and UNESCO is actively working to create knowledge societies through the promotion of communication and information technology, in particular in the developing world.

Observing our complex and changing pla-­net Earth from space is an important tool to help us observe changes and to mana-­ge the Earth’s resources in a wise manner. Thanks to space technology and remote sensing, UNESCO in collaboration with the European Space Agency and other partners, is assisting its Member States to use spa-­ce technology as a tool for managing wa-­ter resources, monitoring World Heritage sites and observing changes, for example in sea temperature, which will contribute to our understanding of climate change.

While views of our planet from space are valuable in giving us the necessary global planetary vision, it is at the local level, or place, that UNESCO’s actions best contri-­bute to sustainable development. Designa-­ting a World Heritage site or a biosphere reserve, proclaiming a masterpiece of in-­tangible cultural heritage, training a water scientist from a least developed country, catalyzing the establishment of telecentres in remote rural villages, training journalists and helping Members States to provide basic education for children, are some con-­ crete examples.

We live on a unique, diverse and ever-­changing Planet Earth travelling through space in a vast universe. Through this ex-­hibition let us celebrate its beauty but also reflect on its fragility and how UNESCO can continue to contribute to our place’s sus-­tainable development from the perspec-­tive of space.

Koïchiro Matsuura

Exhibition organized by the Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO under the supervision of Walter Erdelen, As-­sistant Director-­General for Natural Sciences and with the contributions of all sectors of UNESCO. Content also provided by UNESCO Member States and their institutions, by international organizations and NGOs working in collaboration with UNESCO.

Organization and Overall Coordination: Anne CandauContent Coordination: Dominic FauxRemote sensing adviser: Mario Hernandez Administration: Evelyne Roumain

Artistic Direction and concept of PentaGlobe: Laurent MetterieFilm Editing and Production:Laurent Metterie assisted by Jean-­Christophe NurbelMusic composed by: Mathieu TigerSet Design: Agence MostraGraphic Design, Layout, Website: Atelier Cédric Gatillon

Main Partners: European Space Agency, International Year of Planet Earth, Convention on Biological Diversity, Mairie de Paris

The Magic Planet® digital video globe [created by Global Imagination®] is presented courtesy of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in collaboration with the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and the U.S. Per-­manent Delegation to UNESCO.

The organizers thank the following institutions for the generous loan of objects:

Musée des arts et métiers – Conservatoire national des arts et métiers -­ ParisMusée du quai Branly, ParisMuseum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris National Museum of NamibiaGeoforschungZentrum Potsdam

For audiovisual material we wish to thank the following:BBC Worldwide, Institut de recherche pour le déve-­loppement, Paris, Natural History Museum, London, Agence Vu’, European Space Agency, Université Radiophonique et Télévision Internationale, Paris, the UNESCO audiovisual archives and Catherine Debra-­bandère, director of the Jardin et Club d’Enfants de l’UNESCO.

Thanks are due to all those who contributed ideas and suggestions, texts and graphics with special thanks to:

UNESCO: All members of the Steering Committee, as well as Salvatore Arico, Shyam Balakrishnan, Peter Bates, Christine Carbonnel, Pilar Chiang-­Joo, Safoura Clément, Claude Van Engeland, Alfredo Miranda Gon-­zalez, Tom Gross, Mireille Jardin, Cathy Lee, Robert Missotten, Claudio Bruno Monteiro, Douglas Nakashima, Margarete Patzak, Mohan Perera, Ana Persic, Emma-­nuel Rudowski, Vanessa VidalPalais de la Découverte: Patrick GrosCité des Sciences et de l’Industrie: Marie-­Françoise Bosq, Olivier Poublan

DisclaimerThe designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boun-­daries.

Suggested citation:UNESCO 2007 Planet Earth: from Space to Place

Published in October 2007 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 7 place Fontenoy – 75352 Paris 07 SP – France

Graphic Design: Atelier Cédric GatillonPrinted in France

In 2008, the international community will celebrate the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE), which will officially be launched at UNESCO in February of that year. This is a timely and pertinent initiative, as never before in living memory has Planet Earth been subjected to such rapid and profound change both in terms of the physi-cal environment and of social transformations.

Foreword by Koïchiro MatsuuraDirector-General of UNESCOOctober 2007

Led by UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), IYPE will focus on the fundamental role of the earth sciences, within a resolutely inter-­disciplinary context, in maintaining a living and healthy Earth system, thus enabling prosperous and diverse human societies to envision a future based on the principles of sustainable development.

Through the exhibition ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’, to take place during the 34th session of the UNESCO General Con-­ ference, and its five main themes (the Earth system, dynamic Earth, diverse Earth, changing Earth and sustaining the Earth) we intend to show how UNESCO’s work in the sciences, culture, education and communication contribute to the sustai-­nable development of Planet Earth. Parti-­cular focus will be given to UNESCO’s role in advancing knowledge of the Earth sys-­tem in the fields of ecological and earth sciences, disaster mitigation, intangible cultural heritage, cultural and biological di-­versity, climate change, renewable energy and education and indigenous knowledge for sustainable development.

Indeed, UNESCO’s contributions to sustai-­nable development are broad in scope. As lead agency for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, UNESCO is mobilizing its expertise in both formal and non-­formal education to further the principles, values and behaviour linked to sustainable development.

Through its actions in the field of science and culture, UNESCO is working to con-­serve diversity, the necessary basis for achieving sustainable societies. Linkages between the different types of diversity, including cultural and biological diversity, create rich and complex knowledge sys-­tems. Knowledge is the key to sustaina-­ble development and UNESCO is actively working to create knowledge societies through the promotion of communication and information technology, in particular in the developing world.

Observing our complex and changing pla-­net Earth from space is an important tool to help us observe changes and to mana-­ge the Earth’s resources in a wise manner. Thanks to space technology and remote sensing, UNESCO in collaboration with the European Space Agency and other partners, is assisting its Member States to use spa-­ce technology as a tool for managing wa-­ter resources, monitoring World Heritage sites and observing changes, for example in sea temperature, which will contribute to our understanding of climate change.

While views of our planet from space are valuable in giving us the necessary global planetary vision, it is at the local level, or place, that UNESCO’s actions best contri-­bute to sustainable development. Designa-­ting a World Heritage site or a biosphere reserve, proclaiming a masterpiece of in-­tangible cultural heritage, training a water scientist from a least developed country, catalyzing the establishment of telecentres in remote rural villages, training journalists and helping Members States to provide basic education for children, are some con-­ crete examples.

We live on a unique, diverse and ever-­changing Planet Earth travelling through space in a vast universe. Through this ex-­hibition let us celebrate its beauty but also reflect on its fragility and how UNESCO can continue to contribute to our place’s sus-­tainable development from the perspec-­tive of space.

Koïchiro Matsuura

Exhibition organized by the Natural Sciences Sector, UNESCO under the supervision of Walter Erdelen, As-­sistant Director-­General for Natural Sciences and with the contributions of all sectors of UNESCO. Content also provided by UNESCO Member States and their institutions, by international organizations and NGOs working in collaboration with UNESCO.

Organization and Overall Coordination: Anne CandauContent Coordination: Dominic FauxRemote sensing adviser: Mario Hernandez Administration: Evelyne Roumain

Artistic Direction and concept of PentaGlobe: Laurent MetterieFilm Editing and Production:Laurent Metterie assisted by Jean-­Christophe NurbelMusic composed by: Mathieu TigerSet Design: Agence MostraGraphic Design, Layout, Website: Atelier Cédric Gatillon

Main Partners: European Space Agency, International Year of Planet Earth, Convention on Biological Diversity, Mairie de Paris

The Magic Planet® digital video globe [created by Global Imagination®] is presented courtesy of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in collaboration with the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO and the U.S. Per-­manent Delegation to UNESCO.

The organizers thank the following institutions for the generous loan of objects:

Musée des arts et métiers – Conservatoire national des arts et métiers -­ ParisMusée du quai Branly, ParisMuseum national d’histoire naturelle, Paris National Museum of NamibiaGeoforschungZentrum Potsdam

For audiovisual material we wish to thank the following:BBC Worldwide, Institut de recherche pour le déve-­loppement, Paris, Natural History Museum, London, Agence Vu’, European Space Agency, Université Radiophonique et Télévision Internationale, Paris, the UNESCO audiovisual archives and Catherine Debra-­bandère, director of the Jardin et Club d’Enfants de l’UNESCO.

Thanks are due to all those who contributed ideas and suggestions, texts and graphics with special thanks to:

UNESCO: All members of the Steering Committee, as well as Salvatore Arico, Shyam Balakrishnan, Peter Bates, Christine Carbonnel, Pilar Chiang-­Joo, Safoura Clément, Claude Van Engeland, Alfredo Miranda Gon-­zalez, Tom Gross, Mireille Jardin, Cathy Lee, Robert Missotten, Claudio Bruno Monteiro, Douglas Nakashima, Margarete Patzak, Mohan Perera, Ana Persic, Emma-­nuel Rudowski, Vanessa VidalPalais de la Découverte: Patrick GrosCité des Sciences et de l’Industrie: Marie-­Françoise Bosq, Olivier Poublan

DisclaimerThe designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boun-­daries.

Suggested citation:UNESCO 2007 Planet Earth: from Space to Place

Published in October 2007 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 7 place Fontenoy – 75352 Paris 07 SP – France

Graphic Design: Atelier Cédric GatillonPrinted in France

In 2008, the international community will celebrate the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE), which will officially be launched at UNESCO in February of that year. This is a timely and pertinent initiative, as never before in living memory has Planet Earth been subjected to such rapid and profound change both in terms of the physi-cal environment and of social transformations.

Foreword by Koïchiro MatsuuraDirector-General of UNESCOOctober 2007

Its five facets evoke the five elements and their interdependence, recall UNESCO’s five programme sectors and reflect the five themes of the exhibition: the Earth system, the dynamic Earth, the diverse Earth, the changing Earth and sustaining the Earth.

Rotating at the height of a human being, the ‘PentaGlobe’ invites each of us, not only to wonder at the marvels of our Planet Earth, but also to reflect on the challenges it faces. At the centre of the exhibition, it represents the common cause of all who work in UNESCO in the interests of Pla-­net Earth.

Protected from the light and noise of the city, as if rotating in space, the facets of the ‘PentaGlobe’ are interlinked through image and sound. The screens echo each other by the simultaneous diffusion of five films calling to mind the specificity of UNESCO’s programme sectors and the intangible ties which interweave their actions.

Adding a human and unifying dimension, signifying the human conscience, the lar-­ge plasma screen responds to the ‘Penta-­Globe’ through the eyes of children. They tell us that the Earth is their most treasu-­red possession.

For example, the use of the Earth’s na-­tural resources which provide us with our raw materials and sources of energy, the conservation of its cultural and biological diversity which constitutes the basis for our present and future wellbeing, the mo-­nitoring of the state of its oceans which regulate our climate, and the Earth’s natu-­ral movements which can sometimes re-­present hazards for the world’s population, all these are at the heart of UNESCO’s programmes.

UNESCO has a unique mandate in the United Nations system to explore the inter-­face between science, culture and edu-­cation and to promote the development of ways to transmit scientific knowledge through the latest information and com-­munication technology. By exhibiting UNESCO’s programmes in science, edu-­cation and culture through the lens of the five unifying themes of the exhibition -­ the Earth system, the dynamic Earth, the di-­verse Earth, the changing Earth and sus-­taining the Earth -­ we aim to promote inter-­disciplinary actions as the solid foundation for future sustainable development.

The kind of future that people will enjoy on Planet Earth will be largely determined by our knowledge of the Earth system and by the vision which imagines and builds a future based on the principles of sustaina-­ble development. Science as the pursuit of knowledge through observation, experi-­mentation and asking the right questionsis essential to understanding how our Planet Earth functions. Therefore, both indigenous knowledge and new approaches to know-­ledge of sustainable development figure prominently in this exhibition.

We also wish to celebrate Planet Earth in all its beauty and wondrous complexity, to raise awareness of the wealth of its diver-­sity and our dependence upon it. Science communication, the creation of scientifically literate societies, the fostering of intel-­lectual curiosity in children, and informing policy-­makers are all issues of concern to UNESCO Member States and indeed vital arms in finding solutions to old and new problems, creating economically prosperous societies and building full and satisfying lives for people.

I would sincerely like to thank all who have assisted us in making this attractive ex-­hibition a reality. In particular, I would like to thank the European Space Agency and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Convention on Biologi-­cal Diversity and the numerous UNESCO Member States who enthusiastically con-­tributed content and objects and told their own stories of Planet Earth; the Mairie de Paris for the plant exhibits and the French, German and Namibian institutions for the loan of emblematic objects.

I wish you an enjoyable visit.

Walter Erdelen, Assistant Director-­General for Natural Sciences

In the exhibition ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’, UNESCO celebrates the Earth through the ‘PentaGlobe’, which although a temporary installation, represents the timelessness, the universality and diversity of the Organization’s mission.

Through the five themes of the exhibition ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’,which reflect those of the upcoming International Year of Planet Earth, we aim to raise aware-­ness among UNESCO Member States of the central role that the wellbeing, in its widest sense, of the Planet plays in the Organization’s programmes.

5The PentaGlobe

Its five facets evoke the five elements and their interdependence, recall UNESCO’s five programme sectors and reflect the five themes of the exhibition: the Earth system, the dynamic Earth, the diverse Earth, the changing Earth and sustaining the Earth.

Rotating at the height of a human being, the ‘PentaGlobe’ invites each of us, not only to wonder at the marvels of our Planet Earth, but also to reflect on the challenges it faces. At the centre of the exhibition, it represents the common cause of all who work in UNESCO in the interests of Pla-­net Earth.

Protected from the light and noise of the city, as if rotating in space, the facets of the ‘PentaGlobe’ are interlinked through image and sound. The screens echo each other by the simultaneous diffusion of five films calling to mind the specificity of UNESCO’s programme sectors and the intangible ties which interweave their actions.

Adding a human and unifying dimension, signifying the human conscience, the lar-­ge plasma screen responds to the ‘Penta-­Globe’ through the eyes of children. They tell us that the Earth is their most treasu-­red possession.

For example, the use of the Earth’s na-­tural resources which provide us with our raw materials and sources of energy, the conservation of its cultural and biological diversity which constitutes the basis for our present and future wellbeing, the mo-­nitoring of the state of its oceans which regulate our climate, and the Earth’s natu-­ral movements which can sometimes re-­present hazards for the world’s population, all these are at the heart of UNESCO’s programmes.

UNESCO has a unique mandate in the United Nations system to explore the inter-­face between science, culture and edu-­cation and to promote the development of ways to transmit scientific knowledge through the latest information and com-­munication technology. By exhibiting UNESCO’s programmes in science, edu-­cation and culture through the lens of the five unifying themes of the exhibition -­ the Earth system, the dynamic Earth, the di-­verse Earth, the changing Earth and sus-­taining the Earth -­ we aim to promote inter-­disciplinary actions as the solid foundation for future sustainable development.

The kind of future that people will enjoy on Planet Earth will be largely determined by our knowledge of the Earth system and by the vision which imagines and builds a future based on the principles of sustaina-­ble development. Science as the pursuit of knowledge through observation, experi-­mentation and asking the right questionsis essential to understanding how our Planet Earth functions. Therefore, both indigenous knowledge and new approaches to know-­ledge of sustainable development figure prominently in this exhibition.

We also wish to celebrate Planet Earth in all its beauty and wondrous complexity, to raise awareness of the wealth of its diver-­sity and our dependence upon it. Science communication, the creation of scientifically literate societies, the fostering of intel-­lectual curiosity in children, and informing policy-­makers are all issues of concern to UNESCO Member States and indeed vital arms in finding solutions to old and new problems, creating economically prosperous societies and building full and satisfying lives for people.

I would sincerely like to thank all who have assisted us in making this attractive ex-­hibition a reality. In particular, I would like to thank the European Space Agency and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Convention on Biologi-­cal Diversity and the numerous UNESCO Member States who enthusiastically con-­tributed content and objects and told their own stories of Planet Earth; the Mairie de Paris for the plant exhibits and the French, German and Namibian institutions for the loan of emblematic objects.

I wish you an enjoyable visit.

Walter Erdelen, Assistant Director-­General for Natural Sciences

In the exhibition ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’, UNESCO celebrates the Earth through the ‘PentaGlobe’, which although a temporary installation, represents the timelessness, the universality and diversity of the Organization’s mission.

Through the five themes of the exhibition ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’,which reflect those of the upcoming International Year of Planet Earth, we aim to raise aware-­ness among UNESCO Member States of the central role that the wellbeing, in its widest sense, of the Planet plays in the Organization’s programmes.

5The PentaGlobe

Life on Earth through geological time

The Earth is an integrated system: the water cycle, base of interde-pendency between geology, land and oceansThe values of water storage in the earth’s hydrosphere permanently vary during water exchange among the ocean, land, and the atmosphere. This exchange is called the global hydrological cycle.

International Year of Planet Earth: healthRocks and sediments provide fertile earth which can in turn provide food and energy. However, excess concentrations of some components may lead to a number of health problems.Earth scientists and medical/public health researchers develop preventive action with respect to health issues that could be re-­lated or exacerbated by geologic materials and processes.

Traditional medi-cine: the Earth, a rich resource for healthDiscovery of the healing virtues of plants can be traced back a several millennia. Healers at the time experimented with plants in or-­der to find calming and healing relief from weariness and pain. Examples are the Kawallaya ethnic group in Bolivia, and the less known Geophagia.

GroundwaterMaintaining secure water supplies for drin-­king, industry and agriculture would be im-­possible without groundwater, the largest and most reliable source of all freshwater resources.

Geology and energy supply: exploitation of energy supplyNearly everything we make or build, and nearly all the energy we use, comes from the Earth. Modern society is increasingly dependent on minerals and energy sour-­ces. They are non-­renewable, they differ in their availability, in the cost of production and in geological distribution. It is expected that unconventional energy resources will become major components of the world’s energy consumption in 25-­50 years; but their development must be followed care-­fully in view of utility, macroeconomic chan-­ges and political preferences.

Example of alternative energy: geothermalGeothermal energy is heat from within the earth. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the water is reple-­nished by rainfall and the heat is conti-­nuously produced inside the earth.

Gas hydrates will become a major fu­ture energy resourceMethane hydrates are mainly found in the Polar Regions and within water or seabed sediments and they are accessible only to countries with the appropriate technology.

Terrestrial and Marine EcosystemsAssessing global change impacts on eco-­ systems and promoting appropriate mana-­gement of freshwater resources in these systems have become, in contribution with IHP (International Hydrology Programme), key issues in recent years for the MAB programme.UNESCO’s programmes work to improve our understanding of marine ecosystems with a view to developing management strategies for sustainable development and coping with impacts from climate change.

uniquenessUNESCO is the only UN agency that has worldwide long term capacity-­building and research programmes for geology and geophysics. The research is not only to be used for advancing scientific knowledge but also for people to gain a better under-­standing of the Earth and its resources in order to manage it in a sustainable way.

The Global Network of National Geoparks provides a landscape approach for the conservation of geological heritage in order

to respond to the wish expressed by the geoscientific community within numerous Member States.

UNESCO established the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) in 1975, as the single intergovernmental program-­me of the UN system devoted to scienti-­fic study of the hydrological cycle and to formulating methods and strategies for the sustainable management of water re-­sources.

UNESCO’s uniqueness

As human beings, we need our planet. We depend on it completely – we evolved from it, remain forever part of it, and can only exist by courtesy of the self-sustaining com-plex and interdependent Earth System.

The health and prosperity of humankind depends on the continued acquisition of knowledge to help manage resources for future generations.

UNESCO together with its partners, work to increase knowledge and understanding of the Earth system: the solid Earth, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, with its cultural and social dimensions.

6 Earth SystemUnderstanding the Earth: a healthy planet for a prosperous society

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Life on Earth through geological time

The Earth is an integrated system: the water cycle, base of interde-pendency between geology, land and oceansThe values of water storage in the earth’s hydrosphere permanently vary during water exchange among the ocean, land, and the atmosphere. This exchange is called the global hydrological cycle.

International Year of Planet Earth: healthRocks and sediments provide fertile earth which can in turn provide food and energy. However, excess concentrations of some components may lead to a number of health problems.Earth scientists and medical/public health researchers develop preventive action with respect to health issues that could be re-­lated or exacerbated by geologic materials and processes.

Traditional medi-cine: the Earth, a rich resource for healthDiscovery of the healing virtues of plants can be traced back a several millennia. Healers at the time experimented with plants in or-­der to find calming and healing relief from weariness and pain. Examples are the Kawallaya ethnic group in Bolivia, and the less known Geophagia.

GroundwaterMaintaining secure water supplies for drin-­king, industry and agriculture would be im-­possible without groundwater, the largest and most reliable source of all freshwater resources.

Geology and energy supply: exploitation of energy supplyNearly everything we make or build, and nearly all the energy we use, comes from the Earth. Modern society is increasingly dependent on minerals and energy sour-­ces. They are non-­renewable, they differ in their availability, in the cost of production and in geological distribution. It is expected that unconventional energy resources will become major components of the world’s energy consumption in 25-­50 years; but their development must be followed care-­fully in view of utility, macroeconomic chan-­ges and political preferences.

Example of alternative energy: geothermalGeothermal energy is heat from within the earth. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because the water is reple-­nished by rainfall and the heat is conti-­nuously produced inside the earth.

Gas hydrates will become a major fu­ture energy resourceMethane hydrates are mainly found in the Polar Regions and within water or seabed sediments and they are accessible only to countries with the appropriate technology.

Terrestrial and Marine EcosystemsAssessing global change impacts on eco-­ systems and promoting appropriate mana-­gement of freshwater resources in these systems have become, in contribution with IHP (International Hydrology Programme), key issues in recent years for the MAB programme.UNESCO’s programmes work to improve our understanding of marine ecosystems with a view to developing management strategies for sustainable development and coping with impacts from climate change.

uniquenessUNESCO is the only UN agency that has worldwide long term capacity-­building and research programmes for geology and geophysics. The research is not only to be used for advancing scientific knowledge but also for people to gain a better under-­standing of the Earth and its resources in order to manage it in a sustainable way.

The Global Network of National Geoparks provides a landscape approach for the conservation of geological heritage in order

to respond to the wish expressed by the geoscientific community within numerous Member States.

UNESCO established the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) in 1975, as the single intergovernmental program-­me of the UN system devoted to scienti-­fic study of the hydrological cycle and to formulating methods and strategies for the sustainable management of water re-­sources.

UNESCO’s uniqueness

As human beings, we need our planet. We depend on it completely – we evolved from it, remain forever part of it, and can only exist by courtesy of the self-sustaining com-plex and interdependent Earth System.

The health and prosperity of humankind depends on the continued acquisition of knowledge to help manage resources for future generations.

UNESCO together with its partners, work to increase knowledge and understanding of the Earth system: the solid Earth, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, with its cultural and social dimensions.

6 Earth SystemUnderstanding the Earth: a healthy planet for a prosperous society

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The different types of geohazards that have devastating consequences Tsunamis and ocean related hazardsA tsunami is a series of travelling ocean waves of extreme length generated by rapid changes of the seafloor, mainly cau-­sed by earthquakes. Underwater volcanic eruptions and landslides can also gene-­rate tsunamis, although these sources are significantly less frequent.

DroughtDroughts are complex phenomena, the result of a combination of meteorological conditions and climate change, land sur-­face conditions, and water use practices.

FloodsFlooding is one of the greatest water related environmental disasters. Its human, mate-­rial and ecological costs can be staggering whether the flood is due to natural causes or water resources mismanagement, de-­forestation or inadequate planning.

Volcanic activityVolcanoes draw magma to the surface from a depth of sometimes several hun-­dred kilometres. At a few kilometres from the surface, the magma is almost entirely molten and is stored in a magma chamber, waiting to be spewed to the surface in an eruption.

EarthquakesEarthquakes most often occur at the boun-­daries of two moving plates where the crust is deformed and large breaks are formed. There is no constant movement along faults.

LandslidesExternal disruptions also threaten our sa-­ fety. These involve the Earth’s inseparable fluid layers, its hydrosphere and its atmos-­phere, causing, for example, landslides.

Research programmes used to understand hazardsIn order to understand the origin and dy-­namics of geohazards, multilevel and multi-­disciplinary research programmes are ne-­cessary. Three levels of observation exist: the lithosphere level, the sea level, and the space level. The techniques are used to elucidate the nature, dynamics, origin and evolution of the lithosphere and provide exact, fundamental knowledge of the com-­position, structure and processes of the Earth’s crust. New technologies such as satellites permit humankind to appreciate the global extent of hazards.

Disaster prevention: product of apprenticeship

Natural disaster prevention programme

Operating at the interface between edu-­cation, natural and social sciences, culture and communication, UNESCO has a vital role to play in constructing a global culture of disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Earthquake response programme

Past experience and projects have revealed the enormously positive effects of educa-­tion for disaster risk reduction. Education and knowledge systems have provided so-­ciety with vulnerability reduction and pre-­ventive self-­help strategies.

Tsunami response programme

The Tsunami Warning System in the Paci-­fic Ocean has been successfully operating for more than 40 years and ensures that people living on the ocean’s rim receive prompt forecasts and warnings of impen-­ding tsunamis.

UNESCO’s contribution to the study of geohazardsNone of the natural hazards the Earth faces can be prevented but most can be foreseen and the effects diminished. UNESCO plays a unique role in strengthe-­ning the cooperation between the many scientific programmes on fundamental and applied earth sciences through the crea-­tion of a network of partnerships where scientists from industrialised and deve-­loping countries work together to develop a better under-­standing of na-­tural hazards. Through these networks and partnerships the indigenous ca-­ pacities to deve lop new mitiga-­tion methods in developing coun-­ tries are greatly strengthened.

The Earth is a dynamic planet with natural movements of its solid, liquid and ga- seous components.

These movements are the origin of the distribution of the Earth’s minerals, energy and, to a certain extent, living resources.

Occasionally they represent natural hazards for humankind. We cannot prevent natural hazards but we can prevent disasters by increasing our knowledge of theEarth’s natural movements through scientific research, by building earlywarning systems and particularly by educating both policy makers and the general public, especially children, to recognize the effectiveness of prevention.

Geohazards include:Landslides, volcanoes, hydro-meteorological hazards such as flood and freak tides and geophysical hazards - earthquakes. Their scale can vary considerably.

UNESCO together with its partners work to build capacity in geo-scientific research, to establish early warning systems, and to educate for disaster prevention.

8 Dynamic EarthNatural movements of the Earth: preventing natural disasters

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The different types of geohazards that have devastating consequences Tsunamis and ocean related hazardsA tsunami is a series of travelling ocean waves of extreme length generated by rapid changes of the seafloor, mainly cau-­sed by earthquakes. Underwater volcanic eruptions and landslides can also gene-­rate tsunamis, although these sources are significantly less frequent.

DroughtDroughts are complex phenomena, the result of a combination of meteorological conditions and climate change, land sur-­face conditions, and water use practices.

FloodsFlooding is one of the greatest water related environmental disasters. Its human, mate-­rial and ecological costs can be staggering whether the flood is due to natural causes or water resources mismanagement, de-­forestation or inadequate planning.

Volcanic activityVolcanoes draw magma to the surface from a depth of sometimes several hun-­dred kilometres. At a few kilometres from the surface, the magma is almost entirely molten and is stored in a magma chamber, waiting to be spewed to the surface in an eruption.

EarthquakesEarthquakes most often occur at the boun-­daries of two moving plates where the crust is deformed and large breaks are formed. There is no constant movement along faults.

LandslidesExternal disruptions also threaten our sa-­ fety. These involve the Earth’s inseparable fluid layers, its hydrosphere and its atmos-­phere, causing, for example, landslides.

Research programmes used to understand hazardsIn order to understand the origin and dy-­namics of geohazards, multilevel and multi-­disciplinary research programmes are ne-­cessary. Three levels of observation exist: the lithosphere level, the sea level, and the space level. The techniques are used to elucidate the nature, dynamics, origin and evolution of the lithosphere and provide exact, fundamental knowledge of the com-­position, structure and processes of the Earth’s crust. New technologies such as satellites permit humankind to appreciate the global extent of hazards.

Disaster prevention: product of apprenticeship

Natural disaster prevention programme

Operating at the interface between edu-­cation, natural and social sciences, culture and communication, UNESCO has a vital role to play in constructing a global culture of disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Earthquake response programme

Past experience and projects have revealed the enormously positive effects of educa-­tion for disaster risk reduction. Education and knowledge systems have provided so-­ciety with vulnerability reduction and pre-­ventive self-­help strategies.

Tsunami response programme

The Tsunami Warning System in the Paci-­fic Ocean has been successfully operating for more than 40 years and ensures that people living on the ocean’s rim receive prompt forecasts and warnings of impen-­ding tsunamis.

UNESCO’s contribution to the study of geohazardsNone of the natural hazards the Earth faces can be prevented but most can be foreseen and the effects diminished. UNESCO plays a unique role in strengthe-­ning the cooperation between the many scientific programmes on fundamental and applied earth sciences through the crea-­tion of a network of partnerships where scientists from industrialised and deve-­loping countries work together to develop a better under-­standing of na-­tural hazards. Through these networks and partnerships the indigenous ca-­ pacities to deve lop new mitiga-­tion methods in developing coun-­ tries are greatly strengthened.

The Earth is a dynamic planet with natural movements of its solid, liquid and ga- seous components.

These movements are the origin of the distribution of the Earth’s minerals, energy and, to a certain extent, living resources.

Occasionally they represent natural hazards for humankind. We cannot prevent natural hazards but we can prevent disasters by increasing our knowledge of theEarth’s natural movements through scientific research, by building earlywarning systems and particularly by educating both policy makers and the general public, especially children, to recognize the effectiveness of prevention.

Geohazards include:Landslides, volcanoes, hydro-meteorological hazards such as flood and freak tides and geophysical hazards - earthquakes. Their scale can vary considerably.

UNESCO together with its partners work to build capacity in geo-scientific research, to establish early warning systems, and to educate for disaster prevention.

8 Dynamic EarthNatural movements of the Earth: preventing natural disasters

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Pharmaceutical and industrial applications derived from biodiversity: scientific and ethical aspectsBiodiversity, especially genetic diversity, offers an exciting potential for the develop-­ment of medicine and for industrial and re-­search applications. UNESCO participates actively in assessing the status of scienti-­fic knowledge in this area and looks at the ethical aspects. This knowledge is crucial for the development of appropriate policies.

Diversityof ecosystemservices for human well-beingEcosystem services are being significantly reduced due to unsustainable human ac-­tion, thus constituting a significant barrier to the achievement of the Millennium De-­velopment Goals to reduce poverty, hun-­ger, and disease.

Through relevant scientific assessments, education and public awareness, UNESCO provides Member States with options to identify appropriate policy choices that take into account the value of ecosystem services for sustainable development.

Intangible cultural heritageUNESCO has paved the way for new ap-­proaches to the understanding, protection and respect of our cultural heritage. They involve the recognition of communities as those who identify, recreate and transmit intangible or living heritage and this culmi-­nated in the adoption in October 2003 of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

LanguagesLanguage diversity is essential to human heritage. Each and every language embo-­dies the unique cultural wisdom of a com-­munity. Preserving linguistic diversity is one of the concerns of the United Nations, which proclaimed 2008 as the Internatio-­nal Year of Languages and designated UNESCO as the lead agency.

Sustaining diversity on the groundBoth cultural and biological diversity are considered key elements for ensuring the long-­term sustainability of social and eco-­logical systems. In light of its multi-­fold and interdisciplinary mandate, UNESCO plays a unique role in identifying and promoting the importance of linkages between biolo-­gical and cultural diversity.

Memory of the WorldThe world’s documentary heritage belongs to all, it should be fully preserved and pro-­tected for all and, with due recognition of cultural mores and practices, should be permanently accessible to all without hin-­drance. UNESCO established the Memory of the World Programme in 1992.

The future of the diverse EarthThe main challenges towards ensuring the Earth’s diversity include supporting the relationship between biological and cultu-­ral diversity in intergovernmental dialogue and the use of local and traditional know-­ledge.

By bringing together the expertise of all areas, UNESCO will focus on translating principles of cultural and biological diver-­sity into proposals for policies and action. Frameworks and tools will be developed and shared, emphasizing the importance of diverse knowledge systems as a source for promoting sustainable development and contributing to heritage conservation worldwide.

Diversity is the raw material which best guarantees our future existence and the sustainable development of our Planet.

Biological diversity comprises the diversity of genes, species and ecosystems from micro-organisms to the largest living creatures, both plants and animals, found on land, in freshwater and in the oceans. By cultural diversity, we imply the variety of tangible and intangible expressions, including languages. Geological diversity is witness to the long history of our planet. Biological, cultural and geological diversity are all inextricably linked.

Challenges to the conservation of di- versity include biodiversity erosion and loss, climate change, globaliza-tion, and finding new approaches to sustainable development.

UNESCO and its partners work closely to conserve diversity on Planet Earth.

10 Diverse EarthDiversity: rich roots for peace and well-being

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Pharmaceutical and industrial applications derived from biodiversity: scientific and ethical aspectsBiodiversity, especially genetic diversity, offers an exciting potential for the develop-­ment of medicine and for industrial and re-­search applications. UNESCO participates actively in assessing the status of scienti-­fic knowledge in this area and looks at the ethical aspects. This knowledge is crucial for the development of appropriate policies.

Diversityof ecosystemservices for human well-beingEcosystem services are being significantly reduced due to unsustainable human ac-­tion, thus constituting a significant barrier to the achievement of the Millennium De-­velopment Goals to reduce poverty, hun-­ger, and disease.

Through relevant scientific assessments, education and public awareness, UNESCO provides Member States with options to identify appropriate policy choices that take into account the value of ecosystem services for sustainable development.

Intangible cultural heritageUNESCO has paved the way for new ap-­proaches to the understanding, protection and respect of our cultural heritage. They involve the recognition of communities as those who identify, recreate and transmit intangible or living heritage and this culmi-­nated in the adoption in October 2003 of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

LanguagesLanguage diversity is essential to human heritage. Each and every language embo-­dies the unique cultural wisdom of a com-­munity. Preserving linguistic diversity is one of the concerns of the United Nations, which proclaimed 2008 as the Internatio-­nal Year of Languages and designated UNESCO as the lead agency.

Sustaining diversity on the groundBoth cultural and biological diversity are considered key elements for ensuring the long-­term sustainability of social and eco-­logical systems. In light of its multi-­fold and interdisciplinary mandate, UNESCO plays a unique role in identifying and promoting the importance of linkages between biolo-­gical and cultural diversity.

Memory of the WorldThe world’s documentary heritage belongs to all, it should be fully preserved and pro-­tected for all and, with due recognition of cultural mores and practices, should be permanently accessible to all without hin-­drance. UNESCO established the Memory of the World Programme in 1992.

The future of the diverse EarthThe main challenges towards ensuring the Earth’s diversity include supporting the relationship between biological and cultu-­ral diversity in intergovernmental dialogue and the use of local and traditional know-­ledge.

By bringing together the expertise of all areas, UNESCO will focus on translating principles of cultural and biological diver-­sity into proposals for policies and action. Frameworks and tools will be developed and shared, emphasizing the importance of diverse knowledge systems as a source for promoting sustainable development and contributing to heritage conservation worldwide.

Diversity is the raw material which best guarantees our future existence and the sustainable development of our Planet.

Biological diversity comprises the diversity of genes, species and ecosystems from micro-organisms to the largest living creatures, both plants and animals, found on land, in freshwater and in the oceans. By cultural diversity, we imply the variety of tangible and intangible expressions, including languages. Geological diversity is witness to the long history of our planet. Biological, cultural and geological diversity are all inextricably linked.

Challenges to the conservation of di- versity include biodiversity erosion and loss, climate change, globaliza-tion, and finding new approaches to sustainable development.

UNESCO and its partners work closely to conserve diversity on Planet Earth.

10 Diverse EarthDiversity: rich roots for peace and well-being

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Throughout history migrations have relocated cultures and people in response to the environment, world trade and colonizationCultures and civilizations are rarely formed in isolation but are the result of interac-­tions and cultural exchanges.

UNESCO has a number of programmes dealing with this issue such as the Silk Roads programme which sheds light on this vast network of trade; the Slave Road programme that examines the tragic and forced displacement of populations; the Programme on International Migration and Multicultural Societies which aims to en-­force the protection of migrants’ human rights and their peaceful integration into the host society contributes to the fight against human trafficking and exploitative migration.

Changing environ-ments, both natural and human-induced have accelerated changes in demo-graphic, social and economic processesUNESCO is helping to combat desertifi-­cation by promoting sustainable land and water management practices. The scale of megacities creates new dynamics, new pressures and new processes. Population pressure on marginal lands will increase their already high vulnerability to drought.

Environmental changes have caused people to adapt and accept a new stewardship ethicHuman impact on the Earth is most readily evident in ecosystem degradation and the decreasing numbers of species. UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves is promoting the conservation of biodiversity in legally protected areas, and the much larger surrounding transition areas.Seafood as a resource is being threatened through over-­fishing, poor management and climate change. UNESCO and UN Food and Agriculture Organization work together to protect this vital resource.

International cooperation and global observation systemsThe complexity of the global climate system requires a global system of observations, modelling and analyses of coastal and glo-­bal ocean variables. The UNESCO Inter-­governmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) is working in a global UN partnership through the establishment of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).

The United Nations International Year of Planet Earth will focus worldattention on the changing EarthThe International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE), a UNESCO initiative together with the International Union of Geological Scien-­ ces (IUGS), through its thematic approach, aims to demonstrate the great potential of the Earth sciences to lay the foundations of a safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable society.

Human beings have been adapting to a changing world since Homo sapiens first migrated about and from the African continent.The social responses, including migration, to changes on planet Earth are part of UNESCO’s work and include studies of changes and population movements in the past such as the Silk Route and the Slave Route.

UNESCO supports several programmes researching the effect on and adapta-tion of populations to these changes.

As human beings developed societies and technology, aggregating in ever denser population centres, they began to have a major impact on the Earth system. Deser-tification and biodiversity loss due to agricultural practices have resulted in new challenges for both resource managers and environmental scientists. Widespread exploitation of non-renewable energy sources are causing profound changes in the world climate.

UNESCO works with its partners to coordinate international efforts in observing the oceans and freshwater and terrestrial resources, to monitor both present and past changes on Planet Earth. UNESCO also works to respond to these changes by promoting approaches to sustainable development at the practical level and through education.

12 The Changing EarthHuman impact on Earth: changing climate and populations

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Throughout history migrations have relocated cultures and people in response to the environment, world trade and colonizationCultures and civilizations are rarely formed in isolation but are the result of interac-­tions and cultural exchanges.

UNESCO has a number of programmes dealing with this issue such as the Silk Roads programme which sheds light on this vast network of trade; the Slave Road programme that examines the tragic and forced displacement of populations; the Programme on International Migration and Multicultural Societies which aims to en-­force the protection of migrants’ human rights and their peaceful integration into the host society contributes to the fight against human trafficking and exploitative migration.

Changing environ-ments, both natural and human-induced have accelerated changes in demo-graphic, social and economic processesUNESCO is helping to combat desertifi-­cation by promoting sustainable land and water management practices. The scale of megacities creates new dynamics, new pressures and new processes. Population pressure on marginal lands will increase their already high vulnerability to drought.

Environmental changes have caused people to adapt and accept a new stewardship ethicHuman impact on the Earth is most readily evident in ecosystem degradation and the decreasing numbers of species. UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves is promoting the conservation of biodiversity in legally protected areas, and the much larger surrounding transition areas.Seafood as a resource is being threatened through over-­fishing, poor management and climate change. UNESCO and UN Food and Agriculture Organization work together to protect this vital resource.

International cooperation and global observation systemsThe complexity of the global climate system requires a global system of observations, modelling and analyses of coastal and glo-­bal ocean variables. The UNESCO Inter-­governmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) is working in a global UN partnership through the establishment of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS).

The United Nations International Year of Planet Earth will focus worldattention on the changing EarthThe International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE), a UNESCO initiative together with the International Union of Geological Scien-­ ces (IUGS), through its thematic approach, aims to demonstrate the great potential of the Earth sciences to lay the foundations of a safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable society.

Human beings have been adapting to a changing world since Homo sapiens first migrated about and from the African continent.The social responses, including migration, to changes on planet Earth are part of UNESCO’s work and include studies of changes and population movements in the past such as the Silk Route and the Slave Route.

UNESCO supports several programmes researching the effect on and adapta-tion of populations to these changes.

As human beings developed societies and technology, aggregating in ever denser population centres, they began to have a major impact on the Earth system. Deser-tification and biodiversity loss due to agricultural practices have resulted in new challenges for both resource managers and environmental scientists. Widespread exploitation of non-renewable energy sources are causing profound changes in the world climate.

UNESCO works with its partners to coordinate international efforts in observing the oceans and freshwater and terrestrial resources, to monitor both present and past changes on Planet Earth. UNESCO also works to respond to these changes by promoting approaches to sustainable development at the practical level and through education.

12 The Changing EarthHuman impact on Earth: changing climate and populations

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New technology and approaches to sustainabilityTechnological developments in rene­wable energies offer exciting new avenues for sustainable development.

In this field, UNESCO focuses in promoting the wider use of renewable energy through institutions and capacity-­building and the elaboration of energy policies.

The vast amount of waste generated by global societies is a growing problem. However, advances in waste manage­ment techniques may not only mini­mise waste but also generate sus­tainable forms of income for those involved.

UNESCO is participating in the develop-­ment of two multimedia training modules on how to manage computer equipment waste. It aims to help transform this pro-­blem into a local development opportunity while securing the adoption of healthy and environmentally-­friendly processes.

Conflict management with respect to waterThere are around 263 transboundary ba-­sins in the world covering around 45% of the Earth’s surface and they represent a vital resource for the livelihood and deve-­lopment of 40% of the world’s population. In order to prevent and manage conflicts over water, UNESCO’s International Hy-­drological Programme (IHP) launched the PCCP (from Potential Conflict to Coope-­ration Potential) project.

Indigenous knowledge and resource managementA Tree at the Centre: Mapuche­Pewen­che, people of the Araucaria (Chile)

In the Andes of southern Chile the Arauca-­ria tree (Araucaria araucana) is an ecolo-­gical keystone species and plays a central role in the economic, social and spiritual lives of the indigenous inhabitants of the area.

The Indigenous Markan-­Kura Association has developed a project with the support of UNESCO-­LINKS (Local Indigenous Knowledge Systems) programme, and in consultation with the local communities. As a result, two pedagogical textbooks for different primary education segments have been developed.

Building the future with youth Youth Visioning – Young People Making the Future Now

Led by UNESCO and supported by many organizations at the national, regional and inter-­regional level, Youth Visioning seeks to build capacity among island youth to make positive changes at the local and national level, and to encourage youth to implement their own sustainable develop-­ment ideas on the ground.

YouthXchange

YouthXchange, the UNEP/UNESCO project on youth and sustainable consumption, is designed to assist teachers, youth groups, and NGOs to raise awareness of sustaina-­ble consumption while empowering youth to put theory into practice. To make sustai-­nable consumption more relevant to youth, the YouthXchange toolkit refers to the no-­tion of lifestyles rather than consumption.

World Heritage in Young Hands Programme

Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures is a cartoon series for young people on World Heritage conservation. The Programme is one of the most successful flagship pro-­jects launched by UNESCO for young peo-­ ple, with over 130 participating countries.

Preservation of Mayangna peoples traditional knowledgeThe conservation of the Bosawas Bios-­phere Reserve which is located in the north of Nicaragua, next to the frontier with Honduras, is a project on Indigenous Knowledge for Biodiversity Management, part of the UNESCO Local and Indige-­nous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) Pro-­gramme.

The Organization promotes access to new knowledge and technology contributing to sustainable development, including renewable energy, recycling and remote sensing.

UNESCO also works to gain recognition for local, traditional and indigenous know-ledge that has served to manage the Earth’s resources for centuries.

UNESCO engages with youth through education, the innovative use of information technology, and awareness-raising via the media, for sustainable development. By enabling young people to build upon the synergies of traditional and scientific knowledge, UNESCO empowers them to create new pathways towards a sustai-nable future.

14 Sustaining the EarthUNESCO’s commitment to achieving global sustainability remains as relevant as ever.

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New technology and approaches to sustainabilityTechnological developments in rene­wable energies offer exciting new avenues for sustainable development.

In this field, UNESCO focuses in promoting the wider use of renewable energy through institutions and capacity-­building and the elaboration of energy policies.

The vast amount of waste generated by global societies is a growing problem. However, advances in waste manage­ment techniques may not only mini­mise waste but also generate sus­tainable forms of income for those involved.

UNESCO is participating in the develop-­ment of two multimedia training modules on how to manage computer equipment waste. It aims to help transform this pro-­blem into a local development opportunity while securing the adoption of healthy and environmentally-­friendly processes.

Conflict management with respect to waterThere are around 263 transboundary ba-­sins in the world covering around 45% of the Earth’s surface and they represent a vital resource for the livelihood and deve-­lopment of 40% of the world’s population. In order to prevent and manage conflicts over water, UNESCO’s International Hy-­drological Programme (IHP) launched the PCCP (from Potential Conflict to Coope-­ration Potential) project.

Indigenous knowledge and resource managementA Tree at the Centre: Mapuche­Pewen­che, people of the Araucaria (Chile)

In the Andes of southern Chile the Arauca-­ria tree (Araucaria araucana) is an ecolo-­gical keystone species and plays a central role in the economic, social and spiritual lives of the indigenous inhabitants of the area.

The Indigenous Markan-­Kura Association has developed a project with the support of UNESCO-­LINKS (Local Indigenous Knowledge Systems) programme, and in consultation with the local communities. As a result, two pedagogical textbooks for different primary education segments have been developed.

Building the future with youth Youth Visioning – Young People Making the Future Now

Led by UNESCO and supported by many organizations at the national, regional and inter-­regional level, Youth Visioning seeks to build capacity among island youth to make positive changes at the local and national level, and to encourage youth to implement their own sustainable develop-­ment ideas on the ground.

YouthXchange

YouthXchange, the UNEP/UNESCO project on youth and sustainable consumption, is designed to assist teachers, youth groups, and NGOs to raise awareness of sustaina-­ble consumption while empowering youth to put theory into practice. To make sustai-­nable consumption more relevant to youth, the YouthXchange toolkit refers to the no-­tion of lifestyles rather than consumption.

World Heritage in Young Hands Programme

Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures is a cartoon series for young people on World Heritage conservation. The Programme is one of the most successful flagship pro-­jects launched by UNESCO for young peo-­ ple, with over 130 participating countries.

Preservation of Mayangna peoples traditional knowledgeThe conservation of the Bosawas Bios-­phere Reserve which is located in the north of Nicaragua, next to the frontier with Honduras, is a project on Indigenous Knowledge for Biodiversity Management, part of the UNESCO Local and Indige-­nous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) Pro-­gramme.

The Organization promotes access to new knowledge and technology contributing to sustainable development, including renewable energy, recycling and remote sensing.

UNESCO also works to gain recognition for local, traditional and indigenous know-ledge that has served to manage the Earth’s resources for centuries.

UNESCO engages with youth through education, the innovative use of information technology, and awareness-raising via the media, for sustainable development. By enabling young people to build upon the synergies of traditional and scientific knowledge, UNESCO empowers them to create new pathways towards a sustai-nable future.

14 Sustaining the EarthUNESCO’s commitment to achieving global sustainability remains as relevant as ever.

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Through the programme “From space to place” the European Space Agency (ESA) and UNESCO are bringing data together from satellite images, airborne data and ground measurements to assist UNESCO Member States in monitoring our heritage and precious resources.

Space is increasingly a part of our lives. Earth Observation from space is building knowled-­ge of our planet, enhancing understanding of our environment and making discoveries that are changing the way we live.

Today, ESA and UNESCO are creating an international network of space agencies, research institutions, universities and pri-­vate sector to bring the benefit of remote sensing to assist developing countries. Working with space partners, ESA and UNESCO are implementing activities for monitoring cultural and natural heritage (UNESCO World Heritage Sites and bios-­phere reserves), evaluating the impact of climate change, assessing biodiversity in Central America and managing water re-­sources in Africa.

Along with providing technical assistance, ESA and UNESCO organize capacity-­buil-­ding activities to assist developing coun-­tries in increasing knowledge and skills to use space technologies. In support of Education for Sustainable Development,

space partners are also offering satellite imagery, as a means to raise awareness among children of the changes occurring to our Planet’s fragile resources.

This ESA-­UNESCO initiative has attrac-­ted significant funding to assist its activi-­ties for UNESCO Member States; these funds go directly to support fieldwork.

“UNESCO is proud to serve as a ‘cata-­lyst’ of this growing partnership….It is the concerted effort of all these partners that help release the full potential of space technologies for development by applying them to new fields such as the preserva-­tion of natural and cultural heritage of hu-­mankind”. Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-­General

SpThe NASA Electronic Theater (ETheater) introduces Earth science observations and visualizations from present and past NASA remote sensing missions. This is a dyna-­mic theater-­style presentation, showing animations of satellite launch deployments and mapping from space. Spectacular vi-­sualizations of the world’s atmosphere, oceans and lands are displayed. For example, learn where and how much the

temperature of the Earth’s surface has changed during the twentieth century. For the Changing Earth theme of the ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’ ex-­hibition, the Magic Planet® digital video globe presented by UNESCO’s US par-­tners displays distribution maps and ima-­ges of sea temperatures, the slave, silk and spice routes, biosphere reserves, indi-­genous navigation, and megacities.

The association TERROIRS & CULTU­RES is convinced that terroirs provide a modern response to this fundamen­tal question because they respect people, valorize their culture and knowledge, and preserve the planet.

The terroirs follow a path towards the respect for biological and cultural diver­sity. They lean towards globalization on a human scale; they are manageable and capable of generating wealth that is locally obtainable. They constitute an alternative to standardization and homogenization by emphasizing the origins of the source of food and artisanal products, services and landscapes.

The terroirs – living and innovative spa­ ces – contribute to the safeguard and valorization of tangible and intangible heritage.

Launched in 2005, the movement “Planete Terroirs” has as its ambition to set up a platform of reflection for exchange and action on terroirs. Conforming to its objec-­tives, TERROIRS & CULTURES collabo-­rates with UNESCO who, for many years, have pursued similar objectives. Together they intend to implement an international programme of research-­action on the de-­velopment of terroirs in the world by em-­phasizing the World Network of Biosphe-­re Reserves that includes 529 sites in 105 countries, and will enable the testing of alternative approaches to development for the benefit of rural societies while conser-­ving biodiversity and respecting cultural di-­versity. The cultural landscapes inscribed on the World Heritage list constitute ano-­ther instrument for the maintenance of land use practices.

Space and Place Technology

How can we conciliate environmental protection, the pursuit of economic and social development, the maintenance of biological and cultural diversity while ensuring that human beings flourish?

The world’s extraordinary natural and cultural wonders face a variety of threats including uncontrolled agriculture, urban development, natural catastrophes, cli-mate change, and excessive tourism.

17UNESCO and the European Space Agency using Space Technolo-gies for monitoring UNESCO heritage sites and managing natural resources

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Through the programme “From space to place” the European Space Agency (ESA) and UNESCO are bringing data together from satellite images, airborne data and ground measurements to assist UNESCO Member States in monitoring our heritage and precious resources.

Space is increasingly a part of our lives. Earth Observation from space is building knowled-­ge of our planet, enhancing understanding of our environment and making discoveries that are changing the way we live.

Today, ESA and UNESCO are creating an international network of space agencies, research institutions, universities and pri-­vate sector to bring the benefit of remote sensing to assist developing countries. Working with space partners, ESA and UNESCO are implementing activities for monitoring cultural and natural heritage (UNESCO World Heritage Sites and bios-­phere reserves), evaluating the impact of climate change, assessing biodiversity in Central America and managing water re-­sources in Africa.

Along with providing technical assistance, ESA and UNESCO organize capacity-­buil-­ding activities to assist developing coun-­tries in increasing knowledge and skills to use space technologies. In support of Education for Sustainable Development,

space partners are also offering satellite imagery, as a means to raise awareness among children of the changes occurring to our Planet’s fragile resources.

This ESA-­UNESCO initiative has attrac-­ted significant funding to assist its activi-­ties for UNESCO Member States; these funds go directly to support fieldwork.

“UNESCO is proud to serve as a ‘cata-­lyst’ of this growing partnership….It is the concerted effort of all these partners that help release the full potential of space technologies for development by applying them to new fields such as the preserva-­tion of natural and cultural heritage of hu-­mankind”. Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director-­General

SpThe NASA Electronic Theater (ETheater) introduces Earth science observations and visualizations from present and past NASA remote sensing missions. This is a dyna-­mic theater-­style presentation, showing animations of satellite launch deployments and mapping from space. Spectacular vi-­sualizations of the world’s atmosphere, oceans and lands are displayed. For example, learn where and how much the

temperature of the Earth’s surface has changed during the twentieth century. For the Changing Earth theme of the ‘Planet Earth: from Space to Place’ ex-­hibition, the Magic Planet® digital video globe presented by UNESCO’s US par-­tners displays distribution maps and ima-­ges of sea temperatures, the slave, silk and spice routes, biosphere reserves, indi-­genous navigation, and megacities.

The association TERROIRS & CULTU­RES is convinced that terroirs provide a modern response to this fundamen­tal question because they respect people, valorize their culture and knowledge, and preserve the planet.

The terroirs follow a path towards the respect for biological and cultural diver­sity. They lean towards globalization on a human scale; they are manageable and capable of generating wealth that is locally obtainable. They constitute an alternative to standardization and homogenization by emphasizing the origins of the source of food and artisanal products, services and landscapes.

The terroirs – living and innovative spa­ ces – contribute to the safeguard and valorization of tangible and intangible heritage.

Launched in 2005, the movement “Planete Terroirs” has as its ambition to set up a platform of reflection for exchange and action on terroirs. Conforming to its objec-­tives, TERROIRS & CULTURES collabo-­rates with UNESCO who, for many years, have pursued similar objectives. Together they intend to implement an international programme of research-­action on the de-­velopment of terroirs in the world by em-­phasizing the World Network of Biosphe-­re Reserves that includes 529 sites in 105 countries, and will enable the testing of alternative approaches to development for the benefit of rural societies while conser-­ving biodiversity and respecting cultural di-­versity. The cultural landscapes inscribed on the World Heritage list constitute ano-­ther instrument for the maintenance of land use practices.

Space and Place Technology

How can we conciliate environmental protection, the pursuit of economic and social development, the maintenance of biological and cultural diversity while ensuring that human beings flourish?

The world’s extraordinary natural and cultural wonders face a variety of threats including uncontrolled agriculture, urban development, natural catastrophes, cli-mate change, and excessive tourism.

17UNESCO and the European Space Agency using Space Technolo-gies for monitoring UNESCO heritage sites and managing natural resources

Planet Terroir

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Secretariat of the Convention on Biological DiversityThe Secretariat of the Convention on Bio-­logical Diversity developed this exhibit, building on the increasing recognition of the links between indigenous people and biodiversity conservation, and the threats posed to both by climate change. The ex-­hibition focuses on the problems faced by indigenous and local communities living in the Artic, small islands and high altitudes, where the effects of climate change are felt the most. It also introduces some gui-­delines for the future.

Indigenous and local communities are amongst the communities that contribute the least, per capita, to the emission of greenhouse gases, yet they are amongst the first to face direct adverse consequen-­ces of climate change.

Indigenous and local communities depend on the environment and its resources and have a very close relationship with their na-­ tural surroundings. Therefore, the funda-­mental basis for their existence and liveli-­hoods is being threatened by climate change.

Climate change also brings additional vul-­ nerabilities to indigenous and local com-­ munities, which add on to existing vulne-­rabilities, including political and economic marginalization, land and resource en-­croachments, human rights violations, dis-­crimination, unemployment and substance abuse.

Traditional knowledge is generally descri-­bed as knowledge, innovations and practi-­ces of indigenous and local communities, developed and shared through experience gained over time and adapted to the local social structure, culture and environment.

Knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities can con-­tribute within the context of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Indigenous and local communities can contribute to the understanding of climate change through their observation and perspectives on chan-­ ges in the environment.

The scientific activities of the Year will in-­volve co-­funding science projects that fall under one of 10 broad themes, chosen for their societal relevance and their outreach potential and multidisciplinary nature. The-­se are: Groundwater, Hazards, Earth and Health, Climate, Resources, Megacities, Deep Earth, Ocean, Soil and Earth and Life.

The IYPE envisages a significantly expan-­ded role for the Earth sciences in building a healthier, safer and more prosperous society. Among others, the Year aims to reduce risks for society caused by natural and man-­induced hazards through exis-­ting knowledge and new research; reduce health problems for mankind by better un-­derstanding medical geology; discover new natural resources and exploit them in a sustainable way; build safer structures and expand urban areas, utilizing natural sub-­surface conditions; determine the non-­hu-­man factor in climate change; reduce poli-­tical tension among neighbouring countries as a result of poor understanding of the oc-­currence of natural resources; improve un-­derstanding of unique conditions on ocean floors relevant to the evolution of life.

The IYPE is a joint initiative by UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). It was adopted by decla-­ration by the UNESCO Executive Board and General Conference in 2005 and pro-­claimed by the United Nations (UN) Ge-­neral Assembly in December 2005 to take place in 2008 but with activities spanning the three years 2007-­2009. The UN Ge-­neral Assembly designated UNESCO as the lead agency and focal point in the UN system for the Year. It is expected that this ambitious programme will attract funding from private sources.

International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) is an ambitious programme designed to foster research and outreach activities with the single purpose of raising world-wide public and political awareness of the enormous (and underused) potential of Earth sciences to improve life and safeguard our planet. This aim is encapsulated in the Year’s strapline, “Earth sciences for Society”.

192008International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE)

Indigenous and Local Communities the Human Face of Climate Change

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Secretariat of the Convention on Biological DiversityThe Secretariat of the Convention on Bio-­logical Diversity developed this exhibit, building on the increasing recognition of the links between indigenous people and biodiversity conservation, and the threats posed to both by climate change. The ex-­hibition focuses on the problems faced by indigenous and local communities living in the Artic, small islands and high altitudes, where the effects of climate change are felt the most. It also introduces some gui-­delines for the future.

Indigenous and local communities are amongst the communities that contribute the least, per capita, to the emission of greenhouse gases, yet they are amongst the first to face direct adverse consequen-­ces of climate change.

Indigenous and local communities depend on the environment and its resources and have a very close relationship with their na-­ tural surroundings. Therefore, the funda-­mental basis for their existence and liveli-­hoods is being threatened by climate change.

Climate change also brings additional vul-­ nerabilities to indigenous and local com-­ munities, which add on to existing vulne-­rabilities, including political and economic marginalization, land and resource en-­croachments, human rights violations, dis-­crimination, unemployment and substance abuse.

Traditional knowledge is generally descri-­bed as knowledge, innovations and practi-­ces of indigenous and local communities, developed and shared through experience gained over time and adapted to the local social structure, culture and environment.

Knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities can con-­tribute within the context of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Indigenous and local communities can contribute to the understanding of climate change through their observation and perspectives on chan-­ ges in the environment.

The scientific activities of the Year will in-­volve co-­funding science projects that fall under one of 10 broad themes, chosen for their societal relevance and their outreach potential and multidisciplinary nature. The-­se are: Groundwater, Hazards, Earth and Health, Climate, Resources, Megacities, Deep Earth, Ocean, Soil and Earth and Life.

The IYPE envisages a significantly expan-­ded role for the Earth sciences in building a healthier, safer and more prosperous society. Among others, the Year aims to reduce risks for society caused by natural and man-­induced hazards through exis-­ting knowledge and new research; reduce health problems for mankind by better un-­derstanding medical geology; discover new natural resources and exploit them in a sustainable way; build safer structures and expand urban areas, utilizing natural sub-­surface conditions; determine the non-­hu-­man factor in climate change; reduce poli-­tical tension among neighbouring countries as a result of poor understanding of the oc-­currence of natural resources; improve un-­derstanding of unique conditions on ocean floors relevant to the evolution of life.

The IYPE is a joint initiative by UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). It was adopted by decla-­ration by the UNESCO Executive Board and General Conference in 2005 and pro-­claimed by the United Nations (UN) Ge-­neral Assembly in December 2005 to take place in 2008 but with activities spanning the three years 2007-­2009. The UN Ge-­neral Assembly designated UNESCO as the lead agency and focal point in the UN system for the Year. It is expected that this ambitious programme will attract funding from private sources.

International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) is an ambitious programme designed to foster research and outreach activities with the single purpose of raising world-wide public and political awareness of the enormous (and underused) potential of Earth sciences to improve life and safeguard our planet. This aim is encapsulated in the Year’s strapline, “Earth sciences for Society”.

192008International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE)

Indigenous and Local Communities the Human Face of Climate Change

© C

BD -

Éric

Laff

orgu

e

© U

S Fis

h an

d W

ildlif

e Se

rvic

e

© C

BD -

Wal

ter C

alle

ns

© E

SFS

© E

SFS