Online Course
Professionalism and Geoethics:
Creating a Workplace Environment
Where Everyone Can Succeed

David Mogk
(IAPG Board of Experts)

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) and the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) are pleased to announce our newest course as part of the Geoscience Online Learning Initiative (GOLI). Professionalism and Geoethics: Creating a Workplace Environment Where Everyone Can Succeed is an on-demand course in which learners can register and access all content, materials, and assessments free of charge. The instructor for this course is Dr. David Mogk, Professor of Geology at Montana State University.

David Mogk is member of the IAPG Board of Experts for Geo-education and Teaching Geoethics: http://www.geoethics.org/experts  

Professionalism refers to the attitudes and behaviors that impact interpersonal relations in the workplace, the foundations of which are based on the concepts of power, trust, respect, responsibility, justice, and fairness. The nature of the Geosciences (e.g., working with an incomplete record, temporal and spatial scales beyond human perception, uncertainty in natural systems), and the geoscience work environment (e.g., in the field, laboratory, with extensive travel) presents many situations where ethical dilemmas may arise. Recent high-visibility transgressions have brought special attention to sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace. Everyone has a right to a safe, inclusive, supportive, and productive work environment and a high bar must be set for both students and faculty to ascribe to the highest professional standards of the discipline. This course will introduce topics that contribute to workplace "climate" (e.g., microaggressions, implicit bias, empowering bystanders), and will provide suggestions for personal and institutional actions that can be taken to ensure that everyone can succeed in your workplace environment.

This course is ideal for all geoscientists interested in promoting a happy and healthy work environment. It is a great resource particularly for geoscientists in leadership, management, or advising roles to introduce these basic concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Register for the course and peruse the content to learn more!

For more information about this course, including registration details, please visit:
https://goli.americangeosciences.org/courses/course-v1:AIPG+AIPG009+2018/about

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

An IAPG report from the
FORAM 18 pilot event

David Ovadia
(IAPG-UK coordinator)

David Ovadia (coordinator of IAPG-United Kingdom) recently represented IAPG at the FORAM 18 pilot event (Nancy, France, 27 June 2018). FORAM, whose full title is "Towards a World Forum on Raw Materials" is a Horizon 2020 project funded by the European Commission. The main objective of FORAM is to develop a platform of international experts and stakeholders who will together help to improve international cooperation on raw materials and investments worldwide. By closely working with the relevant stakeholders in industry, European and international organisations, governments, academia and civil society, the project is contributing to consolidate the efforts of a more joint and coherent approach towards raw materials policies. FORAM seeks to engage the international stakeholders coming from different sectors of the value chain of the raw materials into a dialogue, so that experiences will be shared and understanding of all aspects of raw materials will be increased. FORAM is led by World Resources Forum Association and coordinated by 11 other international organizations. More information is available on the project’s website (http://www.foramproject.net/)
To achieve this goal, the FORAM project has reviewed and mapped the activities of existing national and international initiatives, programmes and policy documents (to see the results of the mapping, please visit: http://www.foramproject.net/index.php/geo-map-and-results/). In parallel, the project has set up a Stakeholder Network composed of more than 170 experts from relevant organizations, coming from G20 and other countries active in the non-energy abiotic raw materials sector.
The FORAM project has set itself ambitious goals that are still in their early stages of being delivered. Some of these goals will require a greater absorption of the underlying principles of geoethics and in turn will contribute to them. Examples include recommending policies that minimise mining's negative environmental and social legacies, and a greater sharing between public and industry bodies of data and geo-information, both for reasons of cost savings and to ensure maintenance of quality. There was an interesting discussion on the use of blockchain technology as applied to geo-data, although this concept was somewhat light on detail.
Most, if not all, of the 100 or so invited attendees accepted that the extractive sectors are essential to modern society but more must be done to 'clean up' the process, in every sense of the term – in other words there should be a raising of ethical standards. The debate on how this could be achieved remains on-going, as it was pointed out that even if the European Union adopts stricter policies in these areas, these would only apply to EU anchored activities, leaving much of the sector outside such controls. It is open to organisations such as the United Nations (UN) to endorse and even require higher standards in the sector, but such a position is far from imminent, if at all, and could be seen as shifting the mining industry towards becoming a global utility, in which much of the risk would inevitably be moved from private investors to the taxpayer, and hence it is likely to be politically controversial.
Overall, the FORAM project is seen as an important flag bearer for geoethics, although its ability to deliver any actual changes, within the constraints of being a time-limited EU research project, is not clear. The dialogue between IAPG and FORAM has begun, and will be carried forwards with input from the members of both organisations.

FORAM 18 pilot event website: http://www.foramproject.net/index.php/pilot-event/

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

An article just published in Episodes (open-access)

"The ethical duty to divulge geosciences and the improvement of communication skills to fulfil it"

(by Massimo Arattano, Silvia Peppoloni, Albertina Gatti)

Abstract:
In recent years the commitment to disseminate the geological knowledge, making it available for citizens and decisionmakers, has been recognized as a precise ethical duty of the geologist. However the fulfilment of the duty to disseminate the geoscience knowledge requires good communication skills that should be adequately trained, since often the university studies don’t include such training. A specific research has been carried out to explore the possibility to develop a short training course capable of improving the expressive and communication abilities of professionals. A set of exercises has been also expressly developed to improve the metacognitive skills of the participants (metacognition is the knowledge and regulation of one’s cognitive activities in learning processes). The course has been delivered to professionals belonging to the Professional Association of Engineers (FOIT) in Turin, Italy, and has been able to significantly improve their expressive and communication abilities, increasing their interest and willingness to divulge their knowledge, recovering their confidence to succeed in this task and helping them to become more effective communicators. The contents of the course are now available, upon request, for anyone interested in teaching it elsewhere and/or improving its contents. Providing both professional and research geologists with means to renew their interest and ability to communicate can be a useful contribution to raise their (geo)ethical conscience and to help them to more easily carry out their ethical commitment.

Citation:
Arattano M., Peppoloni S., Gatti A. (2018). The ethical duty to divulge geosciences and the improvement of communication skills to fulfil it. Episodes, Vol. 41, No. 2,
http://dx.doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2018/018007

Free Download:
http://dx.doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2018/018007


Other publications on geoethics in the IAPG website: 
http://www.geoethics.org/publications

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

IAPG Session ED037

"Geoethics: Taking a Stand for Ethical Geoscience Research, Education, Communication, and Practice"

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
(deadline: 1 August 2018, 23:59 EDT)

Fall Meeting of the AGU - American Geophysical Union

10-14 December 2018, Washington D.C. (USA)

Session #51793: "Geoethics: Taking a Stand for Ethical Geoscience Research, Education, Communication, and Practice"

Convenership: Cindy Palinkas (primary convener; IAPG-USA co-chair), Vincent S. Cronin (IAPG-USA co-chair), Silvia Peppoloni (IAPG Secretary General), Chris Keane (AGI).

Session description: There is a clear need to develop ethical frameworks within which geoscientists can conduct their research, professional, education, and outreach activities. Geoethics deals with the ethical, social and cultural implications of geoscience research and practice, and so provides these frameworks in a variety of settings. For example, as scholars and experts in earth sciences, geoscientists are required to conduct research responsibly and to inform society of potential geological hazards and possible sustainable resources. As educators, they should train students in ethical practices. In all activities, they should exemplify ethical behaviors and attitudes as they interact with colleagues and students in the work environment (including offices, classrooms, labs, and the field) and seek to increase diversity and inclusion. The goal of this session is to discuss these frameworks, considering both theoretical and practical aspects. We invite contributions focusing on the ethical aspects of geoscience research, practice and education, including case studies.

This session is co-organized with AGI - American Geosciences Institute.

Abstract submission:
https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2018/abstract-submissions/


Website: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm18/preliminaryview.cgi/Session51793


Other events on geoethics in the IAPG website: 
http://www.geoethics.org/events

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

New dates for the
Geoscience & Society Summit  

Location and dates of the Geoscience & Society Summit changed. This event will take place in Stockholm (Sweden), from 18 to 21 March 2019.

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics co-sponsors the Summit, that aims to create a highly interactive forum for effective cooperation between scientists and users of scientific information to tackle global and local challenges around sustainability of natural resources and systems, global health, and resilience.

Participants will represent diverse global communities and sectors, including:

• Research institutions
• Students, scientists, and administrators from academia
• Non-profit and philanthropic organizations
• Government agencies and policymakers
• For-profit corporations and industries
• Religious institutions and indigenous communities

Anticipated cross-cutting topics include:

• Energy and Minerals Sustainability
• Climate Change and Ocean- and Habitat-Health
• Water and Agricultural Production Sustainability
• Environmental Hazards, Human Health, and Social Justice

Objectives:

• Define: Assess the major societal challenges and the role geoscience can play to inform solutions
• Discuss: Facilitate a dialogue between the science and user community to advance the foundational capability to tackle societal challenges by leveraging geoscience
• Action: Develop models or processes to improve interdisciplinary engagement and science diplomacy

Information on the call for abstracts as well as submission guidelines will be provided in August 2018.

Registration will open in fall 2018.

Ten internationally recognized geoscience organizations sponsor the conference: American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America, Geology in the Public Interest, Department of Geology and Environmental Science at Wheaton College,  American Geosciences Institute, Stockholm University - Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Geological Society of London, Geoscientists Without Borders, Geology for Global Development, International Association for Promoting Geoethics.

Website: https://connect.agu.org/gss/home

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

Spreading geoethics
through the languages of the world

Translations of the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics

The Cape Town Statement on Geoethics is now available in 35 languages: 
Afrikaans, Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Belarusian, Bengali, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Nepali, Norwegian, Persian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Sepedi, Serbian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu.

The IAPG pubblication that collects all the translations is for free download from the IAPG website:
http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/5195a5_f80fe698039e4f6d9bc8c5e4a5f05898.pdf

Flip book: http://fliphtml5.com/gqru/ttwl

and can be cited as follows:

Peppoloni Silvia (ed.) (2018). Spreading geoethics through the languages of the world. Translations of the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics. International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG), http://www.geoethics.org/ctsg

Translations have been possible thanks to a great job done by IAPG officers, members, and followers:
Sonja Van Eck (South Africa), Marku Sokol (Albania), Mamoon Allan (Jordan), Khachatur Meliksetian (Republic of Armenia), Mary Misakyan (Republic of Armenia), Yuriy Kostyuchenko (Ukraine), Jahangir Alam (Bangladesh), Wang Meng (China), Liangliang Wang (China), Magdalena Brus (Finland), Felix Riede (Denmark), Sandra Junier (Netherlands), David Crookal (France), Isabelle Richaud (France), Morgane Le Boucher (France), Team of ExpoGeorgia (Georgia), Florian Ortner (Austria), Gerassimos Papadopoulos (Greece), Partha Sarathi Datta (India), Jasveer Singh (India), Karoli Tatarvari (Hungary), Silvia Peppoloni (Italy), Kazuki Koketsu (Japan), Kyung Sik Woo (South Korea), Shree Prasad Vista (Nepal), Bjørn Kalsnes (Norway), Sedigheh Seifilaleh (Iran), Manuel Abrunhosa (Portugal), Cristina Toma (Romania), Mahlogonolo Brillent Kobola (Suth Africa), Danka Blagojevic (Serbia), Marko Komac (Slovenia), Eli Ivonne Rovere (Argentina), Michael Msabi (Tanzania), Hema Achyuthan (India), Aybige Akinci (Turkey), Muhammad Yaseen (Pakistan).

Currently, 19 geoscience organizations endorse or support the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics: http://www.geoethics.org/ctsg

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:

http://www.geoethics.org

The new IAPG leaflet is out:
please, share it!

This is the 3rd version of the IAPG leaflet (after ones of the 2014 and 2016), that can be downloaded (as pdf file) at:
http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/5195a5_9a4ccfbe70254d62be82b5788dc7a7e0.pdf

Many thanks to Daniela Riposati (Grafica&Immagini Lab of the INGV, Italy) for the graphic design. 

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:

http://www.geoethics.org

The IAPG section of Lebanon

Welcome to the IAPG section of Lebanon! 

IAPG-Lebanon is chaired by Soumaya Ayadi-Maasri.

Soumaya Ayadi-Maasri

She is a lecturer at the Saint Joseph University (Beirut), where she teaches and coordinates Geology and Environment at the faculties of sciences and engineering.  

She is also the President of ACE - Association for Community and Environment (www.ace4ce.org) a non-profit organization, based in the southern City of Tyre in Lebanon that works on resilience projects with communities, and development and protection of cultural and natural heritage.

She holds a PhD in Structural Geology and applied Geophysics from the University of Sciences of Tunis, Tunisia and Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France; and completed graduate studies in petroleum prospecting in association with the Hydrocarbon Tunisian Corporation (P.A. Resources).

Soumaya worked for thirteen years as expert geologist in the private environmental consulting sector (in Tunisia and Lebanon). She is an expert in natural resources management, specifically protection of aquifers; with substantial experience in master-planning solid waste management. 

She is member and moderator with the African Association of Women in Geosciences - AAWG and representative of the African Geopark Network - AGN. Among other current work, she is focusing on geoheritage protection and conservation, working on the settlement of Jezzine-Shouf aspiring geopark in Lebanon; and managing a project under the program of "building of eco-citizen capacities for sustainable development".

List of the IAPG national sections:
http://www.geoethics.org/sections.html

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

Geoethics Medal 2018

The deadline for submitting nominations is approaching!

Purpose

The Geoethics Medal rewards scientists who have distinguished themselves in applying/favouring/assuring ethical approaches in the geoscience research and practice.​

Nominations

For the IAPG Geoethics Medal 2018 nominations should be submitted by 30 June 2018, by providing the following material about the candidate:

1) A CV (about 1 page) and a list of up to 10 selected publications that show the focus on ethical/social/cultural implications in the geoscience work.

2) A concise statement of achievements for merits in the geoethical field.

3) A brief encomium of the candidate and his/her work (1 page).

​Proposals have to be submitted through an email to: iapgeoethics@aol.com, with the subject "Nomination for the IAPG Geoethics Medal 2018".

Nominations will be evaluated by an international committee.

IAPG officers (Members of the Executive Council, Coordinators of National Sections, Corresponding Citizen Scientists, Members of Task Groups, Members of the Board of the Young Scientists Club) cannot be nominated for the Geoethics Medal.

Website of the Geoethics Medal: 
http://www.geoethics.org/geoethics-medal


IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics: 
http://www.geoethics.org

FORAM 18 pilot event
on raw materials governance

Nancy (France), 27 June 2018

The H2020 EU project Towards a World Forum on Raw Materials (FORAM - http://www.foramproject.net/) is developing and setting up an EU-based platform of international experts and stakeholders that will advance the idea of a World Forum on Raw Materials and enhance the international cooperation on raw material policies and investments.

This platform will work together on making the current complex maze of existing raw material related initiatives more effective. As such, the FORAM project will be the largest collaborative effort for raw materials strategy cooperation on a global level so far.

The objective of FORAM is to improve international resource transparency and governance for a better stability, predictability and resource-efficiency, which lead to better conditions for competitiveness on a sustainable basis.

To achieve this goal, the project has first reviewed the activities of existing national and international initiatives, programmes and policy documents and set up a Stakeholder Network composed of experts from relevant organizations, coming from G20 and other countries active in the non-energy raw materials sector materials. These stakeholders are being engaged in a structured dialogue in order to share experiences, explore partnerships and together search for ways and means for better cooperation.

David Ovadia
(IAPG-UK coordinator)

The FORAM 18 pilot event on raw materials governance, scheduled on 27th June 2018 in Nancy (France), marks an important deliverable and milestone of the EU-funded project. It is a crucial step in this stakeholder process. Its main purpose is to deepen the insights from the dialogue by means of face-to-face discussions, build connections between people and create or strengthen ownership for improving global cooperation. The event will be an excellent opportunity for networking, for information exchange and for reaching out to the media and the public about the sense of urgency for the issues at stake.

The IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics has been invited to join the FORAM 18 pilot event.

David Ovadia (IAPG-UK coordinator) will be representing the IAPG in this event. David is a British geologist with extensive experience in research, academia, geological surveys and the mining industry. He served as the Director of the British Geological Survey’s International Division until 2011.

FORAM 18 pilot event website: http://www.foramproject.net/index.php/pilot-event/

Participation at the FORAM 18 pilot event is by invitation only.

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

Just published:

GEOETHICS IN HOLLYWOOD:
HOW CAN WE PUT MORE REALITY INTO FAULT HAZARD ZONING?

by Eldon M. Gath and Tania González

Citation: Gath E.M. and González T. (2017). Geoethics in Hollywood: How Can We Put More Reality into Fault Hazard Zoning?, doi: 10.4401/ag-7541. In: Peppoloni S., Di Capua G., Bobrowsky P.T., Cronin V. (eds). Geoethics at the heart of all geosciences. Annals of Geophysics, Vol. 60, Fast Track 7.

Abstract: The 15-km-long Hollywood fault extends through some of the most densely developed and expensive areas in southern California. Given that billions of dollars of real estate could be impacted by an earthquake occurring on the fault, and that tens of thousands of people live near it, the seismic hazard posed by the Hollywood fault is concerning. But how much so? The City of West Hollywood has required geological fault investigations and building avoidance of at least 15 meters from the fault’s active trace since the mid-1990s, resulting in numerous site investigations. Geologic studies in support of the Los Angeles Metro subway and subsequent research found as-yet-unconfirmed equivocal evidence of an early Holocene-age (~8 ka) displacement event, and estimated strain rates of 0.3-0.9 mm/yr. In 2014, and following a “not-in-my-backyard” press campaign against the Hollywood Millennium project, the California Geological Survey zoned the eastern Hollywood fault as Holocene-active under their fault zoning program, requiring geological investigations and building setbacks from Holocene-age faults. In the years since the fault was zoned by the City of West Hollywood and the California Geological Survey, millions of dollars have been invested in geological studies of the fault for building projects. All of these dollars have been reluctantly spent by the private sector, and all of this work has been eagerly done by consulting firms. The results? With only four exceptions, two in West Hollywood, and two in the City of Los Angeles, and all having opportunities for alternative interpretations, no Holocene-age fault displacements have been found. Instead, other studies have found definitive evidence that the fault has not ruptured in 10s to 100s of thousands of years. So what is the ethical alternative? Should we ignore the hazard posed by the fault? Are we geo-professionals too enamored of the financial gains such regulatory zoning provides that we are unwilling to suggest changes? Could we move past the “one size fits all” zoning that requires that single-family homes are held to the same standard as 40-story buildings? In the following sections we present several case studies along the Hollywood fault and provide our suggestions for a more progressive program of fault hazard management.

Free download: http://www.geoethics.org/geoethics-ag2017

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

Geoethics at the
AGU Fall Meeting 2018

IAPG-USA and AGI - American Geosciences Institute co-organize the Session ID# 51793:

​Geoethics: Taking a Stand for Ethical Geoscience Research, Education, Communication, and Practice

Convenership:
Cindy Palinkas (primary convener; IAPG-USA co-chair), Vincent S. Cronin (IAPG-USA co-chair), Silvia Peppoloni (IAPG Secretary General), Chris Keane (AGI)

​Description:
There is a clear need to develop ethical frameworks within which geoscientists can conduct their research, professional, education, and outreach activities. Geoethics deals with the ethical, social and cultural implications of geoscience research and practice, and so provides these frameworks in a variety of settings. For example, as scholars and experts in earth sciences, geoscientists are required to conduct research responsibly and to inform society of potential geological hazards and possible sustainable resources. As educators, they should train students in ethical practices. In all activities, they should exemplify ethical behaviors and attitudes as they interact with colleagues and students in the work environment (including offices, classrooms, labs, and the field) and seek to increase diversity and inclusion. The goal of this session is to discuss these frameworks, considering both theoretical and practical aspects. We invite contributions focusing on the ethical aspects of geoscience research, practice and education, including case studies.

Abstract submission will start in June

Website:
https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm18/preliminaryview.cgi/Session51793


Other IAPG events:
http://www.geoethics.org/events

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

Geoethics at the
II Simposio de Paleontologia del Perù

The II Simposio Internacional de Paleontologia del Perù, co-organized by INGEMMET - Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico and SGP - Sociedad Geológica del Perú, will be held at the Auditorium of the SGP - Sociedad Geológica del Perú in Lima, from 27 to 30 November 2018.

César Augusto Chacaltana Budiel (IAPG-Peru) coordinates the "SESIÓN TEMÁTICA (ST6): Geoética Paleontológica, Educación y Sociedad" (Geoethics in Paleontology, Education and Society).

Themes of the session ST6 (in Spanish): 

- La geoética en la divulgación paleontológica (geoethics in the paleontological dissemination)
- La paleontología en la formación y educación de las ciencias (paleontology in science education)
- Paleontología y sociedad (paleontology and society)

Mesa Redonda: “La geoética y la práctica paleontológica para el desarrollo sostenible” (Round Table: "geoethics and paleontological practice for sustainable development").

Juan Carlos Gutiérrez-Marco (IAPG Board of Experts) will give a keynote speech in the session ST6 and will represent IAPG in the Round Table.

Read more about the session ST6 (in Spanish): 
https://app.ingemmet.gob.pe/evento/IIsimposio/paleoperu/sesion-tematica/st6

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org

FCEA AND IAPG
SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION

The FCEA - Forum for Climate Engineering Assessment and the IAPG have signed an Agreement on Cooperation on 21 May 2018. The Agreement expresses a mutual desire to co-operate on a range of issues in the field of geoethics and climate engineering. In particular, IAPG and FCEA will promote the discussion about topics related to social, ethical, political, and legal implications of emerging technologies that fall under the broad rubric of climate engineering (sometimes referred to as "climate geoengineering" or "climate intervention").

FCEA's (http://ceassessment.org/) overarching objective is to assess the social, ethical, political, and legal implications of emerging technologies that fall under the broad rubric of climate engineering (sometimes referred to as "climate geoengineering" or "climate intervention").
FCEA produces policy-relevant research and commentary, and work in a variety of ways ensure that the climate engineering conversation maintains a focus on issues of justice, equity, agency, and inclusion. FCEA is an initiative of the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC.
FCEA was constituted in 2013, out of a recognition that the conversation about climate engineering responses to climate change was growing rapidly in importance, yet was narrowly restricted in terms of the scope of actors and interests.

Read more about IAPG affiliations and agreements: 
http://www.geoethics.org/affiliations-agreements

IAPG - International Association for Promoting Geoethics:
http://www.geoethics.org