Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO’s Director-General, will officially launch the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) during ceremonies on 12-13 February 2008 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.

The launching event will bring together top scientists, Chief Executive Officers of leading industries and political decision makers. Discussions at the launch will focus on three themes: Population growth and climate change: challenges for Planet Earth; Earth resources: threat or treat? Geo hazards: minimizing risk, maximizing awareness. A joint initiative of UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Science (IUGS), the International Year of Planet Earth runs from January 2007 to December 2009, with the central year of the triennium, 2008, having been proclaimed the UN year by the UN General Assembly. The Year contributes to the UN’s sustainable development goals by promoting wise use of Earth materials and encouraging better planning and management to reduce risks for the world’s inhabitants. It strives to attract more young people to geosciences, to reach out to the general public by highlighting the central importance of Earth sciences for our future and to encourage political leaders to use available knowledge to shape their national policies. It also calls on scientists to work on ten broad themes particularly relevant to society: health, climate, groundwater, the oceans, soils, deep earth, megacities, hazards, resources and life.
UNESCO Press Release | IYPE | IYPE Status Report |