Joel C. Gill
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, United Kingdom
Geology for Global Development, United Kingdom
Geoscientists have the potential to make a significant contribution to tackling some of the major socio-environmental challenges of today, including ending extreme poverty, transitioning to sustainable development, improving disaster risk reduction and responding to climate change. During 2015–16, the international community agreed the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and a set of associated thematic frameworks (e.g., Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Paris Climate Change Agreement, and the New Urban Agenda). Each framework relates to the intersection of environmental processes with human activities and behaviours. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, for example, aim to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and ensure environmental sustainability by delivering (amongst other things) clean water and sanitation, access to energy, resilient infrastructure, and climate action.
Integrating perspectives from work with the British Geological Survey (BGS), and the work of Geology for Global Development (GfGD, a UK-based development charity), this talk will examine (i) the role of geoscience in successfully achieving these global development frameworks; (ii) the ethical and social understanding that underpins effective engagement by geoscientists in sustainable development, and (iii) what this means for the future of geoscience. Examples will be shared from research and engagement in eastern Africa, Central America, and India, as well as Geoscience for Sustainable Futures, a new BGS programme aiming to enhance the lives and livelihoods of some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. This talk will set out a positive vision of an engaged and equipped discipline, serving society by ensuring access to the geological science required to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals. ___________________________________________________________________
Dr. Joel C. Gill
International Development Geoscientist (British Geological Survey) and Executive Director (Geology for Global Development).
Joel is an interdisciplinary geoscientist, integrating natural and social science methods to address issues relating to sustainable development and disaster risk reduction (DRR). His NERC/ESRC funded PhD developed frameworks to support multi-hazard approaches to DRR, with fieldwork in Guatemala. Joel has a keen interest in improving the application of geology to international development, founding the charity “Geology for Global Development” in 2011. His current role at BGS involves identifying stakeholder-expressed development priorities, helping to develop research to address these, and using Theory of Change approaches to ensure maximum development impact. He has organised conferences, events and workshops on geoscience and sustainable development in the UK, India, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa. Joel has been awarded prizes by the London School of Economics for his teaching skills and an Associate Fellowship of the Royal Commonwealth Society for his development engagement.
Irish Geosciences Early Career Symposium 2018 