[O-05] Geoparks and Sustainability

[O05-02] Report from the JGN WG on Communication to Reduce Geological Material Collection and Sales
Learn about the bad situations with mining in the world

★Invited Papers

*Nire KAGAYA¹, Satomi KATO², DeVonna Lauritzen², Takeo KOBAYASHI³, Takahiko OGAWARA³, Theodore Brown³, Tatsumi KOBAYASHI⁴, Noritaka MATSUBARA⁴, Yoshifumi MATSUMURA⁵, Takuya HARADA⁶, Takahiro KOENUMA⁷, Takeyoshi SADAKANE⁸, Akiko KINOSHITA⁸, Seiya FUKUMURA⁹, Hiroko SHIBASAKI¹⁰, Hokuto OBARA¹¹, Joanna Wilson¹¹, Atsushi MORI¹², Tsuyoshi KICHISE¹³, Kaori WADA¹³, Hikari SHIBA¹³, Mitsuru SATO (1.Toya-Usu UGGp Council, 2.Mt. Apoi UGGp Promotion Council, 3.Itoigawa UGGp Council, 4.San'in Kaigan UGGp Promotion Council, 5.Shirataki Geopark Promotion Council, 6.Mt. Kurikoma Area Geopark Promotion Committee, 7.Chichibu Geopark Promotion Council, 8.Sado Island Geopark Promotion Council, 9.Nanki Kumano Geopark Promotion Council, 10.Nanki Kumano Geopark guides association, 11.Miné-Akiyoshidai Karst Plateau Geopark Promotion Council, 12.Oita Bungoono Geopark Promotion Council, 13.Sakurajima-Kinkowan Geopark Promotion Council)

Keywords:Geopark, Sustanability, Geological objects, Unsustainable trade

The operational guidelines for UNESCO Global Geoparks state that "the management body must not participate directly in the sale of geological objects such as fossils, minerals, polished rocks and ornamental rocks of the type normally found in so-called 'rock-shops' within the UGGp (regardless of their origin) and should actively discourage unsustainable trade in geological materials as a whole". The oldest Geopark's guidelines (2004) also includes a discourage sales as "the management body should take the moral decision not to sell minerals and fossils", indicating that the Geopark has expressed a stance of NO to the unsustainable trade of geological objects since its inception.

Geological objects currently in circulation are accompanied by various problems that threaten the sustainability of the international society. In many mines and quarries that are not licensed by the governments over the world, in addition to the destructive extraction of minerals and fossils, there are serious environmental problems (burden on the ecosystem/living environment), labor problems (dangerous working conditions, health hazards to workers/their families) and problems concerning human rights/conflicts. By selling (purchasing) geological objects derived from mining sites with unsustainable problem, you are taking a part in the problem, even if you are not aware of it.

We, Geoparks trying to create a sustainable society through geopark activities, should recognize that the trades of geological objects encompass global issues that indirectly involve our communities. And we need to think carefully about what actions we should take. This is also necessary work for us to deep-understand the intent of the Geopark guidelines.