Activties and plans in Mexico - International Year of Planet Earth

International Year of Planet Earth – Activitiesand Plans in MexicoJaime Urrutia FucugauchiMexico IYPE National Committee

SummaryThe International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) started as a joint initiative byUNESCO and IUGS with the participation of several geosciences organizations,and has developed into a major program in geosciences with the inclusion andparticipation of national committees. In this presentation we focus on currentactivities and plans in our country, and participation in the international activities.The Mexican community has been a part of the international programs startingwith the International Geophysical Year in 1957-1958 and continuing through itsparticipation in the Upper Mantle, Geodynamics and Lithosphere Projects. IYPEactivities this year have concentrated in publications and organization ofconferences and meetings. A book series on Earth Science Experiments forChildren has been defined, with the first books published on “AtmosphericPressure and Free Fall of Objects” and “Light and Colors”. Following books are on“Standing on Archimedes” and “Foucault and the Climate”. Books are distributed toschool children, with more than 10,000 copies given free of first volumes. Otherpublications include the special issues of El Faro science magazine edited by theNational University, with last issue published and distributed electronically and inhard copies this August. Special events include the Conference of IYPE ExecutiveDirector on the IYPE initiative presented during the International Day of ScienceMuseums in late May in the Science Museum Universum. This was followed by aPlanet Earth Week in the University. In late May we had the AGU Joint Assembly,with strong international participation from US, Canada, Europe, Latin America andelsewhere.

Activities in 2008Plans for 2008 include an inaugural event in Mexico City and at otherlocalities in the country (Morelia, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Ensenada,Merida, and Pachuca), and participation in the international activities inparticular at the launching IYPE event in Paris, France.Current plans include an electronic e-newsletter in Spanish and English andan open-access outreach publication, additional publications of the PlanetEarth Chlidren Book Series, articles and special issues in journals andmagazines in the science and outreach programs, and events on selectedthemes from the IYPE science program, particularly on Megacities, Hazards,Mineral and Energy Resources and Life (Biodiversity in Mexico).In 2008, special events are planned on the Megacities program. Themetropolitan area of Mexico City, with around 20-24 million inhabitantspresents special challenges, being at high altitude within an active tectonicand volcanic area requiring major efforts in water supply, water control, rainsand waste disposal and management.Involvement in international activities includes translation into Spanish ofIYPE publications and the participation in programs and activities. In additionto activities in the different countries, we consider that IYPE should result ininitiatives for enhancing international cooperation and to ensure increasedeffective use by society of Earth Sciences

The country has a long tradition in geosciencestradition that goes back to the indigenous culturesMining was a major activity in pre-hispanic and colonial timesExploration for energy and mineral resources continue as major activitiesThe International Year of Planet Earthinitative has been well received inMexico, partly related to the rich heritagein the geosciences, the occurrence ofmineral and energy resources and theactive geophysical and geologicalphenomena, and partly because of theneed to promote education, research andouthreach activities

Active Land – Natural HazardsEarthquakes and Volcanoes

The geosciences community in Mexico is smallThere are relatively few Earth Science Departmentsfor the size of the country. There are just a fewgeosciences research centersFew State Universities offer degrees in geophysics,geology, geological engineering, mining and relatedFields. There are some four postgraduate programsoffering PhD and MSc degreesGeoscience's curricula in primary and secondaryschools is non existentThere are about 1400 geophysicists in a countrywith some 120 million habitantsAlthough more than 60 % of the FederalGovernment fiscal income comes from oil, gasand minerals, government officials, politicians,and citizens know little about geosciences

Meeting of National Committeewith IYPE Executive DirectorIYPE activitiesstarted in 2005and in 2006 Mexico joinedthe programConferenceUniversumScience MuseumMexico CityMay 18, 2007

PublicationsEl Faro (January 2006)

El Faro (June 2007) Interview with IYPE Executive Director Ed de Mulder

El Faro (August 2007)Special Thematic Volume onPlanet Earth

Megacities IYPE ProgramMetropolitan areaaround 20-22 millioninhabitantsMexico City presents specialchallenges, being at highaltitude within an activetectonic and volcanic arearequiring major efforts in watersupply, water control, rains,land use and waste disposaland management.

Science Priority ProgramsNatural HazardsSeismicityActive VolcanoesHurricansTropical StormsFloodsLand slidesDroughts

Science Priority ProgramsDeep Earth Geophysics

Planet EarthWeb SiteMexico NationalCommitteehttp://www.geociencias.unam.mx/geociencias/iype_cgeo/index.html

Special Activities for ChildrenWorkshop on Climate Change and Greenhouse EffectsScience Museum for Children“El Papalote”

Children Book SeriesSimple Experiments fora Complex Earth20,000 copies havebeen distributed free inSchools2nd Edition is in progress

Books in the Planet Earth Series are availableelecronically for use by other National CommitteesThe first four books in thePlanet Earth Serieshave been edited.

The IYPE Student Contest in Mexico

2008 Planet Earth Conference CyclesPosters and Printed Material

Year of Planet Earth in MexicoPlans include:-A Planet Earth e-Newsletter (Englishand Spanish), which could be used inother countries-Special volumes in peer-reviewedjournals on the science programs(megacities, hazards, etc)-Calendar and Printed MaterialAvailable for Free Distribution anduse by other National committeesCalendars, Book Markers, …

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