2008: Ano Internacional do Planeta Terra

The General Assembly of United Nations has proclaimed officially the International Year of Planet Earth for 2008, in its Plenary Session on the 22nd of December 2005. In October 2005, UNESCO´s General Conference adopted a similar Resolution. The organisation of this celebration plan two main lines of activity: a Scientific Programme and an Outreach Programme of geosciences towards Society.

In the resolution adopted by the General Assembly is highlighted ´that the wealth of scientific information available on planet Earth remains largely untapped and hardly known to the public or to policymakers and decision makers´, and also that ´education in Earth sciences provides humankind with tools for the sustainable use of natural resources and for building the scientific infrastructure essential for sustainable development´. The aim of the International Year of Planet Earth is to demonstrate new and exciting ways in which Earth sciences can help future generations meet the challenges involved in ensuring a safer and more prosperous world. The initiative will seek to raise the awareness of the contribution to, and role of the Earth sciences in society in the minds of politicians, decision-makers, the media and the general public. So, United Nations invite governments to pay greater attention to the Earth sciences as affecting many aspects of the everyday lives of their citizens, with particular reference to applications in educational systems, governmental legislation and civil regulations, as to take full advantage of this extensive source of expertise and experience. For these purposes were selected by the Committee Organizing of the International Year of Planet Earth 10 broad theme:

- Groundwater – reservoir for a thirsty planet
- Hazards – minimising risk, maximizing awareness
- Earth & Health – building a safer environment
- Climate – the ‘stone tape’
- Resources – sustainable power for sustainable development
- Megacities – going deeper, building safer
- Deep Earth – from crust to core
- Ocean – abyss of time
- Earth & Life – The origins of diversity
- Soil – Earth’s living skin

To know more:http://www.yearofplanetearth.org/