Geoethics at EGU 2026

EGU - General Assembly 2026

3-8 May 2026

The Call for Abstracts is open (deadline: Thursday, 15 January 2026, 13:00 CET)

EGU financial support and waivers:

https://www.egu26.eu/authors/financial_support_and_waivers.html

The General Assembly 2026 of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) is held at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) in Vienna, Austria, from 3 to 8 May 2026. The assembly is open to the scientists of all nations. The entire congress centre is fully accessible by wheelchairs.

IAPG, IUGS Commission on Geoethics, and the CIPSH Chair on Geoethics co-sponsor the Session EOS4.1 "Geoethics: Linking Geoscience Knowledge, Ethical Responsibility, and Action", the Session EOS2.6 "From crisis to action: Education and communication for climate, ocean, overshoot and geoethics", the Short Course SC1.11 "Grappling with geoethical values and principles: A hands-on, participatory workshop", and the Great Debate GDB2 "The ethics of using Artificial Intelligence in the Geosciences - Opportunities and Risks".

EGU26 website: https://www.egu26.eu/

EOS4.1: Geoethics: Linking Geoscience Knowledge, Ethical Responsibility, and Action

Conveners

Silvia Peppoloni, Giuseppe Di Capua

Session description

Geoscientists play a key role in providing essential information for decision-making processes that consider environmental, social, and economic consequences. Therefore, their responsibilities go beyond scientific analysis. Global challenges such as climate change, resource management, and disaster risk reduction urge geoscientists to extend their role beyond research and ethically engage in public efforts. Geoethics provides a framework to reflect on the ethical, social, and cultural implications of geoscience in both research and practice, guiding responsible action for society and the environment. It also encourages the scientific community to move beyond purely technical solutions, embracing just, inclusive, and transformative approaches to socio-environmental issues.
This session aims to explore, through case studies and discussion, how geoethics can shape responsible behaviors and policies in geosciences. We welcome theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions addressing a wide spectrum of issues, such as:

Ethical and social aspects in geosciences, at the interface between geosciences, society, politics, and decision-making processes
Responsible and sustainable management of georesources (surface and groundwater, soil, rocks, minerals, and energy)
Ethical and social aspects in geo/environmental education and geoscience communication
Geoethics in natural hazards, georisks, and disaster reduction
Ethical and social relevance of geoheritage, geodiversity, geo-conservation, geotourism, and geoparks
The role of geosciences in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Ethical and social issues related to climate change
Ethical aspects in new geoscience frontiers (such as geoengineering and deep-sea mining)
Ethical implications in data lifecycle management, big data, and the use of AI in geosciences
Ethical questions across various geoscience disciplines, including economic geology, engineering geology, hydrogeology, paleontology, forensic geology, medical geology, and planetary geosciences
Integrity in research and practice in geosciences, publication ethics, and professionalism
Issues of inclusivity, diversity, harassment, discrimination, and disability in geosciences
Incorporating Indigenous and local knowledge into geosciences
Geoscience neo-colonialism
Ethical and social issues in international geoscience cooperation
Philosophy of geosciences and the history of geoscientific thought

Abstract submission: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU26/abstractsubmission/56987

Co-organized by CL3.2/ERE1/SM9/SSS12

Session EOS4.1

Session EOS2.6

Short Course SC1.11

Great Debate GDB2

EOS4.1

IAPG sessions at EGU from 2012
(15 years of IAPG sessions on geoethics at the EGU General Assembly)

EOS2.6

EOS2.6: From crisis to action: Education and communication for climate, ocean, overshoot and geoethics

Conveners

David Crookall, Giuseppe Di Capua, Svitlana Krakovska, Pimnutcha Promduangsri, Mario Luiz Mascagni

Session description

Noam Chomsky has said that humanity is approaching its most dangerous period. Earth and its main irresponsible invasive species have reached a state of unprecedented emergency.

This session aims to address the vital space between science and societal change—a space defined by the intertwined challenges of how we educate and communicate:

about the increasingly dangerous human and planetary predicament that we face (individually and as a species),
about devastating global heating (climate change) and ocean degradation, and
about the accelerating destructive impact of humanity on the very resources that it needs to survive.

We believe that climate, ocean and geoethics literacy must become the focus of all education and training, in all subjects, at all levels, accompanied by vital skills, such as long-term critical thinking, science mindset and resisting denial. Also, strategic communication must mobilize public awareness, shape discourse around specific issues like sea-level rise and marine biodiversity, and create the conditions for clear policy formation and immediate political will. All good communication educates, and all good education involves clear communication.

We invite abstracts on a broad range of topics that bridge any of the above issues and that show promise in progressing positively towards viable, realistic, geoethical and science-based solutions. This includes:

Novel and traditional pedagogical approaches for educating about climate change, ocean degradation, ecocide, policy, war and other topics.
The integration of geoethics into climate and ocean curricula.
Strategies for fostering dialogue, developing intercultural understanding and promoting peace.
Geoscience pedagogical and curricular innovations and traditional methods.
Geo-communication and public engagement, such as visualising ocean data, telling compelling stories about climate impacts and using digital outreach.
Education, communication and strategies for: policy and stakeholder-governance dialogue, the lay public, policymakers, coastal communities and industry leaders.

This session invites you to share your research, practice, experience, action and vision for how our local and global communities can build a more conscious and engaged society ready to safeguard our planet's vital resources upon which humanity depends for survival.

Abstract submission: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU26/abstractsubmission/56985

Co-organized by CL3.2/NH14/OS1

SC1.11

SC1.11: Grappling with geoethical values and principles: A hands-on, participatory workshop

Conveners

David Crookall, Giuseppe Di Capua, Berill Blair, Pimnutcha Promduangsri, Sebastián Granados

Session description

Values clarification exercises are often used to enable people together to work through complex issues in which differing, contradictory, unexplicated or hidden values may influence beliefs, principles and behaviours, including decisions. Such exercises allow us to become more aware of the ways in which values relate to our geoethical principles and behaviours. Values include such things as truth, discipline, fairness, integrity and openness.

It is difficult to help people learn about geoethics. This is partly because it concerns such a wide range of circumstances, from specific instances, such as the effect of mining on child labour, through our personal geoscientific behaviour, to the way in which humans treat the Earth’s natural resources. It is also not easy, particularly in schools and universities, because the concepts are so wide-ranging and young people are still exploring and getting to grips with their personal values, values that underlie their principles and behaviours, especially in regard to the Earth.

Practical geoethical values clarification exercises can help people:

to compare their values with others and thus to modify their and others’ values;
to clarify the relationship between geoethical principles and their underlying values; and
to understand how their values and principles influence their behaviours, in regard to fellow geoscientists and to the Earth’s natural resources.

This Short Course will be conducted in a fully participatory, workshop format:
a. starting with short overviews of geoethics and of clarification exercises;
b. followed by a series of hands-on, small-group activities; and
c. ending with a debriefing session and a discussion.

Both experts and novices in geoethics and values/principles are welcome in this Short Course; teachers, researchers and students will benefit. For novices, especially, a little preparation before the course will help.
If possible:

please read: https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/10.1144/SP508-2020-191, or https://presentations.copernicus.org/EGU21/EGU21-604_presentation.pdf
Think about your own personal and professional values.
Please bring some blank paper, a pen and an internet-enabled laptop or telephone (with QR code capability).

Please note that materials will allow up to 12 participants, on a first-come basis. Additional people will be invited to do guided observation in silence during the exercise, and then contribute actively during the debriefing and discussion.

Co-organized by EOS4

GDB2

GDB2: The ethics of using Artificial Intelligence in the Geosciences - Opportunities and Risks

Conveners

Jens Klump, Alice-Agnes Gabriel, Giuseppe Di Capua

Session description

In 2025, the Commission on Geoethics of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) developed recommendations for the ethical application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in geosciences. The report discusses eight themes where ethical concerns surrounding AI are particularly relevant to the geosciences: human responsibility in AI use; transparency and explainability of AI systems; bias and fairness in data, models and algorithms; protection of personal data and informed consent; stakeholder and community participation; environmental protection; scientific integrity in research, publishing and education; and the geopolitical implications of AI deployment. Moving beyond high-level principles, the report makes actionable recommendations.

As AI capabilities and adoption in the geosciences grow, profound questions arise. In this Great Debate, the panellists will address key issues raised by AI applications and the necessary ethical considerations, and will invite the audience to share their views.

IAPG sessions from 2012

IAPG Sessions on Geoethics at EGU General Assemblies from 2012:

EGU 2012

NH9.8/EOS9 - Geoethics and natural hazards: communication, education and the science-policy-practice interface (co-organized).

Conveners: S. Peppoloni, J. Wasowski, P. Reitan, G. Devoli, S.W. Kieffer, E. Lindquist

EGU 2013

NH9.8 - Geoethics and natural hazards: the role and responsibility of the geoscientists.

Conveners: S. Peppoloni, S.W. Kieffer, J. Wasowski

EGU 2014

NH9.8 - Geoethics: Ethical Challenges In Communication, Geoeducation And Management of Natural Hazards.

Conveners: S. Peppoloni, S.W. Kieffer, E. Marone, Y. Kostyuchenko

EGU 2015