The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is an international
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
devoted to global cooperation in the field of
geology
Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth ...
.
As of 2023, it represents more than 1 million geoscientists around the world.
About
Founded in 1961, the IUGS was established to maintain collaboration between the International Geological Congresses, which have taken place every four years since 1875. It is a Scientific Union member of the
International Science Council
The International Science Council (ISC) is an international non-governmental organization that unites scientific bodies at various levels across the social and natural sciences. The ISC was formed with its inaugural general assembly on 4 July 20 ...
(ISC), formerly the
International Council for Science
The International Council for Science (ICSU, after its former name, International Council of Scientific Unions) was an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the advancement of science. Its members ...
(ICSU), which it recognizes as the co-ordinating body for the international organization of science. Currently, geologists from 121 countries (and regions) are represented in the IUGS. A broad range of scientific topics is covered by its commission, task groups, joint programmes and affiliated organizations. IUGS promotes and encourages the study of geological problems, especially those of worldwide significance, and supports and facilitates international and inter-disciplinary co-operation in the earth sciences. The Union's Secretariat is currently located at the
Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS; ) is an institution that engages in geoscience research in the People's Republic of China. The academy was established in 1956 and reorganized in 1999. Administratively it is under the PRC Ministr ...
in Beijing, China.
Activities
IUGS is a joint partner with
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
for the
International Geoscience Programme
The International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGCP) is a cooperative enterprise of UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and the International Union of Geological Sciences
The International Union ...
(IGCP) and also participates in the
Global Geoparks Network
UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are geoparks certified by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council as meeting all the requirements for belonging to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN). The GGN is both a network of geoparks and the agency of the United Nati ...
(GGN). The
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London, known commonly as the Geological Society, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest national geological society in the world and the largest in Europe, with more than 12,000 Fellows.
Fe ...
oversees the production and distribution of IUGS Publications. The Geological Society of India produces and distributes the Union's quarterly journal, entitled
''Episodes'', as well as providing editorial support. Interested parties can download the latest issues of ''Episodes'' free of charge. Other activities include: Resourcing Future Generations (RFG), Young Reporters, Deep-Time Digital Earth (DDE).
Commissions
IUGS runs nine international commissions, covering the following topics:
*
(CGI)
*
Commission for Geoscience Education, Training, and Technology Transfer (COGE)
*
Commission on Geoscience for Environmental Management (GEM)
*
International Commission on Stratigraphy
The International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), sometimes unofficially referred to as the International Stratigraphic Commission, is a daughter or major subcommittee grade scientific organization that concerns itself with stratigraphy, strati ...
(ICS)
*
International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences
The International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO) promotes ongoing research into the history of the earth sciences, particularly the history of geology. It has 20 Honorary Senior Members and 301 members (2018) worldwide.
...
(INHIGEO)
*
Commission on Tectonics and Structural Geology (TECTASK)
*
Commission on Global Geochemical Baselines (CGGB)
*
Commission on Geoethics
In-Commission or commissioning may refer to:
Business and contracting
* Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered
** Commission (art), the purchase or the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of anot ...
(CG)
*
International Commission on Geoheritage
International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations".
International may also refer to:
Music Albums
* ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011
* ''International'' (New Order album), 2002
* ''International'' (The T ...
(ICG)
International Geological Congress

The International Union of Geological Sciences is the main scientific sponsor of the International Geological Congress (IGC), which takes place every four years. The first congress was in France in 1878 where a few geoscientists gathered to share new finds and .tTm was to create a framework and a platform for geoscientists to meet at regular intervals. The event has been growing bigger with each congress.
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
hosted the 34th congress in August 2012 and
Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
the 35th in 2016.
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
was to host the 36th in March 2020 as a collaborative effort by Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Because of Covid, the congress was postponed twice and developed online in 2021. The 37th was held in August 2024 in
Busan
Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
. Canada won the bid to host the 38th IGC in
Calgary
Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
in 2028.
Lists of IUGS geological heritage sites
To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of its establishment, in 2022, IUGS published a list of 100 sites around the world that it holds to be significant in the development of the earth sciences.
In 2024, IUGS published a second list of another 100 geological heritage sites.
Awards
The IUGS Scientific Awards of Excellence:
* IUGS –
Émile Argand
Émile Argand (6 January 1879 – 14 September 1940) was a Swiss geologist. He founded the Geological Institute of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Argand is known for his study of the Alps, and was an early proponent of Alfred Wegener's theory of contin ...
Award
* IUGS –
James M. Harrison Award
* IUGS – Award for Geoscience Information
* IUGS – Award for Structural Geology
*
Vladimir V. Tikhomirov History of Geology Medal by the IUGS Commission on the History of Geology (
INHIGEO).
*
Digby McLaren Medal by the IUGS Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS).
Special Issue on the IUGS Awards
, IUGS Science Excellence Awards for 2016.
See also
*International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG; , UGGI) is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the scientific study of Earth and its space environment using geophysical and geodetic techniques.
The IUGG is a me ...
*International Union for Quaternary Research
The International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) was founded in 1928. It has members from a number of scientific disciplines who study the environmental changes that occurred during the glacial ages, the last 2.6 million years. One g ...
*International Union of Soil Sciences
International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations".
International may also refer to:
Music Albums
* ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011
* ''International'' (New Order album), 2002
* ''International'' (The T ...
*QAPF diagram
A QAPF diagram is a doubled-triangle plot diagram used to classify igneous rocks based on their mineralogy. The acronym QAPF stands for "quartz, alkali feldspar, plagioclase, feldspathoid (foid)", which are the four mineral groups used for clas ...
References
External links
*
International Year of Planet Earth website
International Geoscience Programme website
International Chronostratigraphic Chart
International Stratigraphic Guide
A guide developed by the IUGS-ICS Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification to promote international agreement on principles of stratigraphic classification and to develop an internationally acceptable stratigraphic terminology and rules of stratigraphic procedure.
List of IUGS-affiliated organizations
First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites
Second 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites
IUGS Commission on Geoethics
{{Authority control
Geology organizations
International scientific organizations
Members of the International Council for Science
Scientific organizations established in 1961
Members of the International Science Council