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United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's
Office in Nairobi, Kenya
Earth
Sciences
General objective
of the Nairobi Field Office of Earth Sciences is the promotion of resource
development, environmental protection and land-use planning, including waste
disposal and natural disaster reduction. The International Geological Correlation
Programme (IGCP) is the major instrument of UNESCO`s contribution to comparative
studies in earth sciences, including the history and evolution of the earth
and its geological heritage.
Activities implemented in co-operation with the International Union of Geological
Sciences (IUGS) and other international geoscientific programmes have resulted
in the production of thematic geological maps, postgraduate training in
the earth sciences, and applications in remote sensing and geodata handling,
climate change and industrial pollution. Unfortunately, currently only four
of altogether about 50 IGCP projects are directly concerned with geoscientific
demands and problems of subsaharan Africa. It is aimed to increase the number
of IGCP projects with an African component to ensure that the knowledge
achieved through these projects can be transferred to various user groups.
Geoscience
in Africa
Although there is an urgent need for geoscientific work to be done in Africa,
there is also a general lack of infrastructure in most African countries
to accommodate geologists. Engineering geology, environmental geology, hydrogeology,
medical geology (geomedicine), geological hazards, energy and mineral resources
are some of the areas that are seen by the UNESCO Nairobi Office to be significant
for the development of the region and which require consideration for the
achievement of sustainable results. On the other hand there is a need for
comprehensive evaluation of the physical environment and of the economic
implications before undertaking any development. It is generally emphasized
to continue with existing projects that have proved to contribute to sustainability,
for instance PANGIS (Pan African Geological Information System), in which
more than 20 African countries participate, by using UNESCO software and
personal computers to reorganize their bibliographical and factual geodata
handling, in order to preserve data in better conditions and make it more
easily accessible for scientists and engineers of other disciplines as well
as for managers and policy makers.
Women in Geoscience
Despite the fact that women today are working in all spheres of society,
there is no doubt that sex-stereotyping and discrimination still exists
in the geoscientific community, especially in developing countries. In May
2000 during a workshop on "Gender and Environmental Concerns for Female
Geoscientists in Africa", being held in Dar es Salaam and sponsored by the
UNESCO Nairobi Office, the "Association of African Women Geoscientists (AAWG)" was founded, with the aim in leading the fight to rid the geosciences community
of discrimination. It is quite clear which vital role the geosciences have
to play in underpinning the social, economic and industrial infrastructure
of nations, especially if we are to have the mineral and energy resources
to sustain a global population of 10 billion or more; if we are to manage
the fragile environment we cohabit, mitigate against the effects of severe
natural hazards, and come to terms with global warming; if we are to maintain
fertile soils for crops and adequate supplies for clean drinking water for
all. However, though much of the edifice of sustainable development stands
on the backs of women, they comprise the most vulnerable segment of the
human society. The achievement of sustainable development is inextricably
bound up with the establishment of women's equality.
UNESCO`s role continues to include coordination and implementation
of cosponsored geoscientific projects in Africa, as well as to act as a
forum for discussions and exchange of ideas in this field. To improve the
public assessment of the geoscientific work to be done in Africa, more emphasis
shall be put on the identification and promotion of applied research themes
of interest to the international scientific community in view of fostering
regional collaboration. However, projects devoted to pure science cannot
be totally neglected, as for instance often demonstrated by the results
achieved through the IGCP projects.
The UNESCO Nairobi Office of Earth Sciences has acted as the centre
for the execution of programmes to develop capacity building among African
geoscientists. Additionally to these goals it is a major aim of this office
in future to increase the efforts that lead to local and international geoconservation
schemes in subsaharan Africa, including the nomination of the most significant
geoscientific monuments in this region, to preserve their natural and cultural
heritage.
The 53 independent nations and six other territories of Africa are in 2007 home for almost 900 million people. For many of these countries, mineral exploration and production constitutes significant parts of their economies and remain key to future economic growth. Although Africa has attracted large investment in mineral development, particularly in the gas and oil sector, widespread civil wars, internal ethnic or political conflicts and refugee displacements continue to distabilize a number of African countries and constrained investment in mineral exploration and development in many areas. The UNESCO Earth Sciences Programme carries out activities related to the management of HIV/AIDS in the African mining sector and strengthens the institutional and individual capacities of earth scientists at African universities. It is also forseen to complete an inventory of potential geosites of Africa and to implement measures for the protection of recognized sites.
More information about Thomas Schlueter (Programme specialist in Earth Sciences) |
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