Geopark - to promote the cause of the earth’s heritage, support local sustainable development

 

The Global Geopark network: Based on the geological landscape to promote the conservation of geosites, research and sustainable development

 

Preface

 

Geological and natural landscapes have a profound impact on human society, civilization and cultural diversity. Although the "World Heritage Convention" recognized the geosites of universal value, but has not yet formed a national or regional significance of the geosites of the international identity system. Many of the important  geosites have not reached the criteria of the world heritage list. In view of the strong demand in many countries, the United Nations Education Educational, scientific and Cultural Organization (hereinafter referred to as: UNESCO) support motion of geopark, and the establishment of the international network framework, protection and promotion of the earth’s history important witness, the value of earth heritage, natural landscape and geological structure of price.

 

In June 2001, teaching, scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO executive board decision (161 EX/Decisions and 3.3.1, education, scientific and Cultural Organization "with Member States with appropriate support the specific work", to promote with the development of unique geological features of the area or natural parks. To seek the support of UNESCO national geopark should be the important geosites conservation into the regional social and economic sustainable development and cultural progress of the strategic objectives, while achieving the purpose of environmental protection.

 

This document is for UNESCO supports the National Geopark to join the "Global Geoparks Network", namely, GGN. This guide lists the standards for the active and progressive geopark to join the GGN. To apply to join the GGN of the national geopark should comply with the provisions of this guide. UNESCO and independent advisory panel will be based on the guidelines for the assessment of the application of the membership of the GGN.

 

Geopark initiative to promote the protection and sustainable development of geosites and geological diversity, in order to achieve the "twenty-first Century agenda" set goals to contribute. "21 century agenda" in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro held a "United Nations Environment and Development Conference (UNCED) through, and held in Johannesburg in 2002" sustainable development world summit "to be reiterated. The motion of the geopark emphasizes the potential of the interaction between social economic and cultural development and the protection of natural environment. Another layer of content is added to the Convention on the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage, which was passed in 1972.

 

The global network of geoparks and the World Heritage Convention ", programme on man and the biosphere (mAb) the world network of biosphere reserves and actively participate in the protection of geosites of national institutions, international organizations, non governmental organizations and action plans go hand in hand. For the European National Geopark, UNESCO in 2001 with the European Geoparks Network (EGN) to establish a cooperative relationship. As a result, the European geo park network is responsible for managing the coordination of members of the GGN in europe. UNESCO recommends the establishment of similar regional geo Park networks in other parts of the world to reflect regional characteristics. The interactive relationship between the geoparks is an important part of the GGN. UNESCO encourages cooperation in various forms, especially in the field of education, management, tourism, sustainable development and regional planning among the members of the GGN.

 

The first part of the standard

 

1 scale and background

 

Apply to join the GGN should have a clear boundary line, and there is enough to make it available for the local economic and cultural development of the surface area of the service (especially for the tourism economy). Every geopark should display the geological history of the area and the geological events and functions of these sites through a series of geosites with international, regional and / or national significance. These relics should have important scientific, rare, educational and (or) aesthetic value.

 

"Geopark" is a geographical area, where the geosites is a set of protection, education and sustainable development in one of the components of the concept. Geopark construction should consider the whole geographical environment of the region, should not only consider the geological significance of the relics. Considering the geological diversity, biological diversity, culture and material and non-material cultural heritage combined with good effect, must be non geological topics as each Geopark are an integral part of the emphasized, in non geological topics for the importance of geological landscape and can show to the visitors, especially. In view of this, the geopark is necessary to cover and highlight the geopark with ecological, archaeological, historical and cultural value of geosites. In many countries, nature, culture, and social history are closely linked.

 

If a geopark area and a registered area (such as has been selected for the world heritage list or has become the United Nations education, scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO Man and biosphere program biosphere reserve) exactly the same, overlapped partially or completely overlap, the park before submitting the application, prior where members responsible for licensing management the plan of national institutions. The geopark area is not limited to the territory of a country.

 

2 management and local participation

 

A prerequisite for the application of the geopark is to establish an effective management system and implementation plan. The application conditions of the Geopark cannot be met if the region is only able to show an impressive and internationally significant geological outcrop. Under appropriate conditions, the geopark

 

Address:1, rue Miollis, 75732 Paris Cedex 15, France

 

 

Telephone:+ 33 (0) 1 45 68 41 18

 

 

Fax:+ 33 (0) 1 45 68 58 22

 

 

Email:m.patzak@unesco.org

 

website： www.unesco.org/science/earth

 

Division of educational, scientific and Cultural Organization Geopark secretary will verify application documents and supporting materials, such as the contents of the file is not complete, it will make the documents returned to the applicant, its complement information requirements, at the same time, the need to strengthen the give feedback. Documents must be submitted in October 1 to 12 January day submitted, January 1 to 4 month 30 day of desk audit, and from 5 January to Shen Park project in the field evaluation. Desk evaluation and field assessment by independent geopark expert responsible for carrying out, at the end of the assessment, will be prepared a copy of the appraisal report on global geoparks network executive board. Prior to the start of the field assessment, the assessment experts will be in contact with the Shanghai Global Geopark, agreed to study plans and itinerary. The assessment report of the application documents and field visits to the experts will be reviewed by the independent Global Geopark network. Executive Board meetings are held at least once a year, usually in the second half of the year. If the application is positive, it will be invited to join the GGN in the application. UNESCO will through the official letter of notice of the application, the Geopark is situated in the UNESCO Committee and the relevant government agencies, and awarded a certificate.

 

Responsible for consulting and field evaluation expert of international travel, accommodation and local transportation costs usually by Shen Global Geopark in your country or region in bear, or by other official involved in the park for the work of the organization or entity bear.

 

If in the Global Geopark Shen host country has set up a "National Geopark ", the before submitted an application to join the World Geopark network file must first became the country’s national geoparks network members. When successfully applying to join the National Geo park network, the evaluation of the national organization responsible for the assessment of the park will be a valuable part of the application documents of the global geopark.

 

As part of the preparatory work, any of the global geoparks in the world can be invited to consult the park from the GGN, all costs incurred shall be borne by the party.

 

Application documents in English or French. The applicant shall submit the electronic version of the document and send a copy of the paper version (soft cover). If possible, in order to facilitate the application documents will be distributed to the desk expert assessment, geopark can provide expert can download link set of materials from the Internet.

 

In order to ensure that member countries will be able to fully understand the special support of to apply for a job situation (for example education, scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Geopark), should ensure that in Shen Global Geopark in the country where the UNESCO Committee and (or) the country with UNESCO related government agencies timely informed, support letter issued by the government agencies required as part of the application documents also be submitted.

 

2 application file format

 

Electronic version of the application file format:

 

File size is not more than 10 MB

 

Paper application file format:

 

The body length of the application file is not more than 50 pages.

 

Appendix 1 - self evaluation of the geopark

 

Appendix 2 - part of the B in the body of the application, that is, the "geosites" section is taken separately as an annex 2 and supplemented with no more than 150 words.

 

Appendix 3 - support letter issued by the national and educational, scientific and Cultural Organization in the country of the Global Geopark

 

In the application for the preparation of the following outline, the application for the preparation of the Global Geopark. The application documents must be prepared in accordance with the following format and content, and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the park. The independent expert group through desk research materials for application evaluation. According to the outline written application materials will reflect the application area has become a reached world standards for park network members and in fact running Geopark, according to the desk assessment results to decide whether to respond park to carry out on-site assessment. If the Global Geopark network Executive Council believes that the application documents are complete and mature, will be approved to the area to conduct on-site assessment of the application.

 

A - dependency identification

 

1 name of the Global Geopark in Shanghai

 

2 in the surface area of the Global Geopark, the park’s natural and human and geographical features

 

3 the competent authorities and management structure (description, function and organization chart) of the Global Geopark in Shanghai

 

4 contact (name, office, telephone, fax and email)

 

B - Geosites

 

1 the location of the Global Geopark in the world (please provide the geographical location map and geographic coordinates)

 

2 general geological description of the Global Geopark

 

3 the list and description of the geosites in the Global Geopark

 

4 the international, national, regional or local values of geosites in the area of science, education, aesthetics, etc.

 

C - geological protection

 

1 current or potential pressure in the Global Geopark

 

2 geosites protection in the Global Geopark

 

3 data on the management and maintenance of geosites

 

4 non geosites list and description, and how to integrate into the geopark

 

D - economic activity and business plan (including detailed financial information)

 

1 economic activities in the Global Geopark

 

2 in the application of the Global Geopark and planned facilities in the construction (such as geological education facilities, geological tourism facilities, tourism infrastructure, etc.)

 

3 the analysis of the geological tourism potential in Shanghai Global Geopark

 

4 general situation and policy of sustainable development:

 

Geological tourism and economy

 

Geology Education

 

Geosites

 

Please give an example to illustrate the activities in the above areas.

 

Address: BP 156, F-04005 Digne-les-Bains cedex, France

Telephone: + 33 (0) 4 92 36 70 72

Fax: + 33 (0) 4 92 36 70 71

Contacts:  Sylvie Giraud

Email: sy.giraud@free.fr

website： www.europeangeoparks.org