[O-06] The connection between earth sciences and society by Geoparks -Results and issues in the past decade-

[O06-P15] UNESCO global geoparks and Japanese issues learnt from UGGp field evaluation mission

Makoto Takahashi¹, *Katsuhiko Asahi¹, Yusuke Suzuki¹ (1.Izu Peninsula Geopark Promotion Council)

Keywords:UNESCO, geopark, sustainable development, Izu Peninsula, SDGs, community development

Global geopark has been adopted as an UNESCO official program since 2015. The Izu Peninsula Geopark applied to be designated as a UGGp. November 2016, we submitted the application dossier and invited the field evaluation mission in July 2017. This application process is the first case in Japan after the adoption of the UNESCO official program. Basically, their concepts and activities of GGN initiatives stay unchanged, however new concepts are introduced such as SDGs or international geological significance. Here the UN’s policies are brought in and placed considerable emphasis in their process. Also, for example, UGGp is required to add value in synergy with UNESCO’s site designation program, such as World Heritage Sites.

Evaluators of field evaluation mission dispatched from UNESCO emphasized during their mission that the necessity of recognition that the geopark is not geology but sustaining local communities in connection with all aspects of the area’s natural, cultural, and intangible heritages. In terms of regional promotions or local policies in Japan, it is able to implement these concepts while some difficulties are arisen. In this paper we would like to address the priority issues to be solved in Japanese geoparks which learn from the field evaluation and the Izu Peninsula Geopark adopted strategy of which emphasized on international geological significance.