Since 2013, Geology for Global Development (GfGD) has organised an annual conference exploring the role of geologists in fighting poverty and sustainable development. Each event has gathered 100-150 participants (with >80% being students and early-career geoscientists) to engage with experts from academia, the private sector, the public sector and civil society. Our annual conference is a highlight of the GfGD calendar, and we’re very excited to announce the theme of our next, and 5th, annual conference.
Urbanisation is a development mega-trend, associated with both major challenges but also significant opportunities for delivering the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG 6 – Universal Access to Water and Sanitation).
“More than half of the world’s population now live in urban areas. By 2050, that figure will have risen to 6.5 billion people – two-thirds of all humanity. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces.” [UNDP]
“Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and economically.” [UN]
This conference, aimed at geoscientists at all stages of their careers (from students to experienced professionals), will again seek to draw on the expertise of both geoscience and development professionals working across diverse sectors. We’ll be exploring themes such as the sustainable resourcing of cities and resilient cities, with a particular focus on the Global South.
The 5th GfGD Annual Conference will take place on Friday 3 November, kindly hosted and supported by the Geological Society of London (Burlington House, London). A full programme will be released later this summer, and tickets made available then also. Follow our Facebook and Twitter for further details, and keep an eye on this blog for some additional ‘cities and development’ themed articles.
