Background
IGCP provides several thousands of scientists from about 150 countries with a multi-discipline platform to exchange knowledge and methodology on geological problems of global importance. Special focus is given to projects related to a safer environment, the relationship between natural geological factors and health problems, biodiversity, climate change, mineral and groundwater resources extraction. IGCP promotes collaborative projects with a special emphasis on the benefit provided to society, capacity-building and the advancement and sharing of knowledge between developed and developing nations.

IGCP contribution to sustainable development
IGCP improves the interaction and networking between geo-hydro and environmental scientists in solving fundamental geoscientific problems relevant to sustainable development. In line with the medium-term plan and the strategic outlines with the Work plan and budget (C/5) of UNESCO, IGCP is evolving from a programme with focus on fundamental sciences to a programme concentrating on applied geosciences, including mitigation of geo-hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions. IGCP became more interdisciplinary in nature and co-operates very actively with the Division of Water Sciences to strengthen the principal priority of UNESCO in the natural sciences. New projects put a special emphasis to reach out beyond the Earth Science community to the decision-makers, government-planners and policy-makers. The geoscientific research undertaken contributes to the scientific underpinning of the planning of sustainable social-economic development.

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