Professor plays leading role in greatest ‘GeoShow’ on Earth

The IYPE is being initiated officially on 12 and 13 February 2008 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris at the Global Launch Event (GLE), during which an official book entitled ‘Planet Earth’, which was edited by Professor Derbyshire, will be distributed.

Professor Derbyshire has a wealth of experience throughout his career in Quaternary research: He served as the Chair of the Scientific Programme Committee of the IYPE from 2002 until the end of 2007 and was a member of the Management Committee/Board throughout. In November 2007 he received the Varnes Silver Medal, the premier award of UNESCO’s International Consortium on Landslides, in recognition of his 30 years of work in North China and related research on collapsible soils.

The book ‘Planet Earth’ will work in conjunction with the celebrations to promote the IYPE slogan ‘Earth Science for Society’, as a wide-ranging and colourful compilation of articles on the fundamental importance of the Earth to our life and livelihood. Written by popular science writers as well as established Earth science experts, it brings to the general reader Earth science topics that are of vital importance to our everyday lives, highlighting many current challenges and how best to deal with them.

′The book, while thought-provoking and informative, is engagingly written in a way that everyone will be able to understand and enjoy′ says Professor Derbyshire.

The aim of the launch event is to make it clear why and how the public and governments worldwide can and should make better use of Earth science when framing planning and management decisions, and by using Earth science to inform the sustainable use of Earth resources, to make the world a healthier, wealthier and safer place.

Professor Derbyshire says, ′This is the greatest ‘geoshow’ on Earth. Rarely, if ever, has such a distinguished and diverse collection of experts with both knowledge of and concern for the solid Earth and its contribution to life, livelihood and economic development gathered together to demonstrate to the people and governments of the Earth how much they owe to and are dependent upon the planet and how much of that gift might be lost by casual management.′

′In this way, the International Year, which will continue through 2009 and beyond, will make a signal contribution to the United Nations’ targets for development of sustainability by means of its promotion of wise and sustainable use of Earth materials, as well as improved planning and management with a view to minimising risks for all the people of the world.′

Source: By Royal Halloway University Of London