Engaging with geodiversity : why it matters

The Conference, ‘Engaging with Geodiversity—Why it Matters’, December 2010, addressed the wider relevance of geodiversity in Scotland. A key challenge is to integrate geodiversity within existing policy relating to the way we work and live, and therefore to inform better the decisions we make about a sustainable future for our environment. This will require partnership working among the geoscience, geoconservation and voluntary sectors at both national and local levels, not only to demonstrate convincingly the economic, social, cultural and environmental values and benefits of geodiversity, but also to deliver real outcomes for both people and nature. The key drivers that provide particular opportunities, as well as challenges, for the integration of geodiversity are the development of an ecosystem approach and how society responds to climate change. Addressing these will be crucial from a geoconservation perspective to develop a wider understanding of the essential environmental role played by geodiversity and for the protection of key sites, both from a policy perspective in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits, and from an academic perspective in ensuring support for geoscience. The key message – that geodiversity matters – must be communicated strongly to the highest levels of government, among key interest groups and at a local community level.