Message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, for the International Geodiversity Day

教科文组织总干事奥德蕾·阿祖莱地质多样性国际日致辞

6 October 2022

2022年10月6日

Geodiversity is the part of nature that is not alive – minerals, fossils, soils, mountains – as well as the geological processes that shape these features. It is the silent partner to biodiversity, helping us to understand the complex connections between the living and nonliving worlds.

地质多样性，是由矿物、化石、土壤、山脉等自然界中的非生物部分以及打造这些形貌的地质过程构成的。它是生物多样性的无声伙伴，助力我们了解生物界与非生物界之间错综复杂的联系。

As such, geodiversity underpins food production, water management and energy production. It is also central to the ‘green’ transition: when used wisely, mineral resources can create wealth and jobs while decarbonizing development, all prerequisites for a sustainable future.

就此而论，地质多样性可谓是粮食生产、水管理和能源生产的基础，并且对于实现“绿色”转型同样至关重要：如果使用得当，矿产资源可以创造财富和就业机会，同时使发展脱碳，而所有这些都是迈向可持续未来的先决条件。

Understanding geological processes is therefore essential to explore the past, enjoy the present and prepare for an unpredictable future. Geodiversity can teach us about the impact of climate change at different periods of the Earth’s history, as well as cataclysmic events like the asteroid strike that led to the demise of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

因此，了解地质过程，对于探索过去、畅享今朝和绸缪不可预测的未来必不可少。地质多样性可以帮助我们了解地球历史上不同时期气候变化的影响，以及诸如6500万年前导致恐龙灭绝的小行星撞击之类的灾难性事件。

This is why UNESCO is dedicated to promoting and protecting the diversity of our geological heritage – through the unique landscapes in our 177 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 46 countries, but also our many Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites. These UNESCO protected areas now cover 6% of the Earth’s surface.

也正因为如此，教科文组织通过遍布46个国家的177个教科文组织世界地质公园的独特景观，以及我们众多的生物圈保护区和世界遗产地，致力于宣传和保护我们地质遗产的多样性。目前，这些教科文组织保护区覆盖地球6%的面积。

As the only United Nations body with a mandate for the Earth sciences, UNESCO has spent the past 50 years fostering international cooperation to encourage better – and more equitable – use of the planet’s mineral resources, through its International Geoscience Programme.

作为唯一负有地球科学任务的联合国机构，教科文组织在过去50年里，通过其国际地球科学计划促进国际合作，以推动更好且更公平地利用地球上的矿产资源。

This year, the Geoscience Programme is supporting over 60 collaborative projects, with 379 project leaders across 92 countries. Sixty-one project leaders are from 23 African countries, and 42% of project leaders are women – for more accessible and inclusive science worldwide.

今年，地球科学计划正在支持的合作项目有60余个，所涉项目负责人共计379名，来自92个国家。其中61名项目负责人来自23个非洲国家，42%的项目负责人为女性——以此促进在全世界范围内增强科学的可及性和包容性。

Now UNESCO is stepping up these efforts, with the celebration of International Geodiversity Day every year on 6 October. In line with the decision taken by our 193 Member States at our 2021 General Conference, this new event will celebrate the close relationship between biodiversity, geodiversity, culture and history, raising awareness of “nature’s stage”.

当前，教科文组织正在加强这些努力，包括在每年的10月6日庆祝“地质多样性国际日”。根据我们193个会员国在2021年大会上所作出的决定，这一新活动将彰明生物多样性、地质多样性、文化和历史之间的密切关系，提高对“自然舞台”的认识。

Indeed, geodiversity plays a fundamental role in human well-being, sustainability and the preservation of world heritage, issues affecting the whole planet. On this International Day, UNESCO calls on the international community to galvanize the potential of geological sciences – and view familiar landscapes through fresh eyes.

实际上，地质多样性在人类福祉、可持续性和保护世界遗产方面发挥着重要作用，而所有这些问题又关乎整个地球。值此国际日之际，教科文组织呼吁国际社会激发地质科学的潜能，并以新的眼光审视熟悉的景观。

来源：UNESCO