Under the patronage of the PanAfGeo Project “Geoscientific Knowledge and Skills in African Geological Surveys” and after previous consensus among the participants of the Geological Surveys of Africa present at the training of Work Package 6 on “Geological Heritage” which took place from June 3 to 8, 2019 in Antananarivo (Madagascar), we, the representatives of PanAfGeo, OAGS, ProGEO, AAWG and AGN, wish to express through this declaration certain statements and recommendations concerning geological heritage and its conservation in Africa.
We acknowledge:
- The intrinsic value of geodiversity and geological heritage in Africa, and its importance for science, education, culture, economy, tourism and ecosystem support;
- The need to protect this geological heritage and geodiversity, which are respectively part of natural heritage and natural diversity, in order to better conserve nature;
- The fundamental links of geodiversity and geological heritage with biodiversity, cultural heritage and landscapes;
- The contributions of geodiversity and geological heritage to people, local communities and society in general;
- The need for a proper management of geological heritage in order to better meet the challenges faced by of our society, such as climate change, natural hazards, the responsible use of natural resources, and the degradation of biodiversity and the environment;
- The duty and responsibility of the governments of IUCN member states of the African continent to commit themselves to respect the IUCN resolutions related to geological heritage and geodiversity1.
We recommend that:
- The geological heritage is preserved for its own value;
- Geodiversity and geological heritage are taken into account as part of the management of all natural protected areas;
- African countries have a legislative framework to carry out an inventory of the geological heritage and to ensure its proper conservation;
- The value of African geological heritage is brought to the attention of the greatest number of persons by adopting the necessary and adapted means;
- Geoscientists are more involved in geoconservation for local and sustainable socio-economic development in Africa;
- Development policies take into consideration geodiversity and geological heritage and its conservation in land management and planning, land use, as well as social and environmental impact studies;
- The concepts of geoconservation are integrated into the educational system, and its recognition as a geoscience in its own right is accepted in the academic field.
1– Including IUCN Resolution 4.040 (Conservation of Geodiversity and Geological Heritage), IUCN Resolution 5.048 (Enhancing and Conserving Geological Heritage in the IUCN Program 2013-2016), and IUCN Resolution 6.083 (Conservation of Moveable Geological Heritage).
Signed at Antananarivo, the 8th of June, 2019.
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