Geoparks and UNESCO

The initiative of the geo-parks is under the auspices of UNESCO. In 2001 The European Geo-park Network signed a first formal agreement with the Division of Earth Sciences in UNESCO, by reason of which the institution gave its support to the Network. The success of the initiative of the geo-parks and the constant growth of the European and Global Networks of Geo-parks, UNESCO and the geo-parks worked together to achieve greater acknowledgement and integration. In November 2011, therefore, the General Assembly of UNESCO agreed to forward a proposal that analysed the feasibility of the Geo-Parks depending directly on UNESCO as one of their own programmes or initiative. This meant a new international form of recognition for the figure of the geo-park of unquestionable prestige and foreseeable improvements in financing.

For further information on UNESCO and the geo-parks: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/earth-sciences/geoparks/