The world is changing at an accelerating pace because of the increased human pressure on the earth’s resources and the consequent climate crises. The 2019 IPBES report indicated that 14 of the 18 categories of nature’s contributions to people had declined globally since 1970. The 2021 UN report on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) noted that the world had deviated its track to achieve the 17 SDGs in 2030, and the COVID-19 pandemic further magnified the challenge. The significant challenges of sustainable development highlight an urgent need to understand the mechanisms linking the human and nature systems systematically. Geography is a transdisciplinary discipline studying the coupled human and nature systems and their interactions. The integrative characteristics of geography and its sub- disciplines cover both human and nature dimensions and provide important theories, methodologies, models, data that can better fit sustainability science’s research needs and address real-world sustainability issues.

This workshop brings together researchers around the world, in collaboration with IGU commissions, to identify common challenges and discuss solutions to promote sustainable development through an integrated geographic perspective.

The workshop will present the latest research progress on geography and sustainability and is expected to provide a valuable contribution to transforming our world for sustainable development.

Specific objectives are: to identify critical research areas on geography and sustainability; and present the geographical case studies on transforming our world for sustainable development.

Workshop Theme:

Geography of the Anthropocene: Transforming our world for sustainable development

Primary Topics:

(1) Land degradation and sustainable development

(2) Disaster risk reduction for sustainable development

(3) Scientific session on geography and sustainability for young and early-career researchers (Best Speaker Award will be voted)

(4) Water resources for sustainable development

(5) Agricultural geography and sustainable development

(6) Geographic modeling and big data for sustainable development

(7) Land use change and sustainable development

(8) Urban and sustainable development

(9) Heritage Park and sustainable development

(10) Geography education and sustainable development

The 2^nd International Geography and Sustainability Workshop (online) will be held via zoom on 23-24 November, 2021.

English is the working language throughout the workshop.