New approaches and insights on the environment and climate change at the 37th International Geological Congress 2024

□ Overview

○ Event: The 37th International Geological Congress 2024 (IGC 2024)

○ Date/Venue:: 25 Aug (Sun) – 31 Aug (Sat) 2024, 7 days / BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea ※ Hosted in a 4-year cycle across continents

○ Scale: Over 7,000 participants from 121 countries (more than 3,000 scientipic programs, 250 exhibition booths)

○ Theme: The Great Travelers: Voyages to the Unifying Earth

○ Host: International Union of Geologcial Sciences (IUGS)

○ Organizer: IGC 2024 Organizing Committee (The Geological Society Of Korea, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Busan Metropolitan City)

○ Program: Scientific Program, Workshops, Exhibitions (GeoExpo), Field Trip (Korea and Mongolia), GeoFilm Festival etc

□ Significance of IGC 2024

○ First IGC held in East Asia in 28 years since China 1996, and the first time in Korea

○ Expected participation of over 7,000 people (largest ever) after an 8-year hiatus due to COVID-19

○ Discussion on key national science and technology policies strategic minerals, nuclear power/waste management, space planetary geology, and carbon neutrality

○ Support for future scientists by opening the international academic conference to both academia and the general public

□ Expected Outcomes

○ Demonstration of Korea’s status as a leading nation in geological sciences in East Asia

○ Establishment of a global system for scientific and technological cooperation on key national projects such as planetary exploration, carbon neutrality, stablity in the nuclear power industry, and strategic mineral resource acquisition and management.

○ Recognition of Busan as a global hub city leading future earth environment change research through the adoption of the Busan Declaration

○ Injection of an estimated 70 billion KRW through the hosting of a mega event

○ Promotion of Korea’s 2.5 billion-year geological heritage and creation of tourism and cultural industries through the use of geoparks

###

The ‘International Geological Congress (IGC),’ also referred to as the Geological Olympics, stands as the foremost international academic event in the realm of geological science. The quadrennial congress, initiated with the inaugural general meeting in Paris, France on July 1878, operates on a rotating basis, maintaining its stature as the largest gathering in the field.