The ‘World Geological Science Conference,’ attended by more than 7,000 geologists from around the world, was held in Busan, Korea. The conference, organized by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and co-hosted by the city of Busan, the Geological Society of Korea, and the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, features academic presentations, exhibitions, and various academic events. Held every four years, it is considered a grand festival for geologists worldwide. This year’s conference is the largest ever, with over 7,000 participants.
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, this conference, held for the first time in East Asia in 28 years since China in 1996, has garnered attention from the global geological community. It is a culmination of 8 years of preparation since Busan was selected in 2016. In addition to academic events, various side events have been organized to offer a comprehensive experience to participants.
The conference theme, “Great Voyagers: Navigating Earth’s Integration,” involves over 3,000 academic presentations and 200 exhibitions exploring various geological aspects of the Earth. In addition to academic events, there will be side events catered to the public to promote interest and understanding of geoscience. Noteworthy sessions include discussions on mineral resources, nuclear energy safety, planetary geology, carbon neutrality, and more.
Special sessions like a symposium on the Ulleung Basin deep-sea exploration by the Korea National Oil Corporation and sessions on space geology and planetary exploration have attracted significant attention from the academic community. The conference also features the Geological Film Festival and exhibitions at the Busan Cinema Center, where films like “Ashfall,” “Haeundae,” “Concrete Utopia,” and “The Tunnel” will be screened for free.
Various activities such as geological excursions to major geological sites in Korea have been organized for participants, both during and after the conference period. A closing ceremony on August 30 at BEXCO will see the adoption of the “Busan Declaration,” promising cooperation in researching global environmental changes and future challenges, positioning Busan as a global hub leading research on future environmental changes on Earth.