GfGD 2020 Annual Review
We are pleased to announce the release of our Annual Report for 2020. The document outlines how we continued our efforts in championing the role of geology in sustainable development during the last year. The full report is available as a pdf, and we’ve provided some highlights below.
Highlights from 2020
Our focus in the last year, while needing to respond to the pressures of COVID-19, was to continue our work to mobilise and reshape the geoscience community to help deliver sustainable and resilient communities, as expressed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We continued to invest in our network of University Groups, developed a set of open access learning resources for higher education contexts, responded to global development consultations, and initiated research on geoscience education for sustainable development in the Global South.
We also welcomed the Action Plan set out in the Anti-Racism Plan for The Geosciences, and the constructive way it guides organisations such as ours to do things differently and better.
Through 2021, we are reviewing our structures, activities, and policies, and evaluating what we need to do to be a strong and effective ally to those affected by injustices, including racism. We will report back on this work in future Annual Reports to ensure accountability to our stakeholders.
Support makes our work possible
Our work through 2020 was made possible through the hard work of a volunteer team, the generous support of donors, and valued collaborations with partner organisations. We are particularly grateful to the International Union of Geological Sciences and the UNESCO/IGCP International Geoscience Program for supporting our activities, and to the many individuals who donated to support our work during the Responsible Raw Materials conference.
From our Trustees
GfGD’s trustees have been deeply impressed at how the whole GfGD community has responded to these rapidly changing circumstances [of 2020] – from the executive team to the wider network of students and other volunteers who put their time, expertise, and passion into our activities.
This was exemplified by an excellent new suite of online educational resources, conceived and developed over the summer and completed in time for the new academic year, thanks to agile redeployment of time and funds from planned activities that had to be shelved, and the inspiring commitment of all the team members involved.
The core GfGD team has continued to grow and develop. We welcomed Sarah Gordon and Natasha Dowey as new trustees in 2020, while Joel Gill stepped down from the board of trustees to focus on his role as Director, leading and developing the executive team.
There are great opportunities ahead, as well as challenges, if the geoscience community is truly to help build a more sustainable and equitable global future. We hope that GfGD’s ambitious new strategy will inspire excitement about these opportunities.
The 2020 Annual Report is available for download now. Previous GfGD Annual Reports, dating back to 2016, are also available for review and download on our website.