Saudi minister of Hajj and Umrah concludes visit to Morocco

RIYADH: The Saudi Geological Survey organized a technical workshop on the occasion of International Geodiversity Day, celebrated on Oct. 6 annually.

The workshop was presented by SGS’s official spokesperson and head of media and digital communications, Tariq Aba Al-Khail; geological advisor and chairman of the board of directors of Saudi geologists, Abdulaziz bin Laboun; the director of the Saudi Geoloparks program at the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, Hossam bin Zuhair Al-Turki; and SGS’s director of its geological tourism department, Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Mufarreh.

The workshop shed light on geodiversity, geological processes that play essential roles in regulating the environment and scientific knowledge related to how geological and geomorphological processes occur that contribute to reducing the risks associated with earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, floods, and landslides among others. 

It also featured talks on developing smart solutions on land use planning and management.

The workshop concluded by stressing the need to improve environmental policies at the local, regional, and global levels to preserve geodiversity and the continuation of life on Earth while protecting tourist sites and supporting environmental care activity.

The celebration of International Geodiversity Day, which was declared by UNESCO’s General Conference, confirms the importance of geological sciences in confronting the major challenges facing humanity. 

Geodiversity refers to the natural, non-living elements of the planet, whether on its surface or in its interior. It includes the Earth’s minerals, rocks, fossils, soil, sediments, landforms, topography, and hydrological features such as rivers and lakes.