There is an increased need to understand and update our scientific knowledge about geological processes in the recent times. It is going to attract profound importance in the years to come as it involves the earth and various processes in the planet, which directly or indirectly impacts life on the planet.

Increasing importance of earth science

The future challenges for global sustainability and hazard mitigation will have to be dealt with new and innovative ways of technology and research. It is the responsibility of a geologist to save people from natural disasters by developing mechanisms to predict its occurrence. In the present day world the need for various resources is increasing, there is scarcity of raw materials and power and all this is due to the ever increasing population on earth. This is more evident in the developing countries and it is the responsibility of the geologists’ to find out solutions for such problems. Scientists’ in other fields also have role to play in finding solutions, but it is the primary responsibility of geologist. They are the only qualified professionals who are capable of understanding various earth processes better and therefore save our planet. Geologist undertakes different assignments to discover and understand innovative ways to make this planet healthy and sustainable. But, such objectives can only be achieved provided we understand the need for focused applied science. This requires tremendous effort from part of the government and the scientific fraternity.

Earth science was poorly defined over the last century

On a historical context, over the last century, Earth Sciences have been used as a means to exploit natural resources available on the earth. Statistics show that the industrial output has increased 13 times, energy consumption has increased 16 times, while the consumption of water has increased by a factor of 7. This has made it possible for 25 per cent of the population to lead a comfortable life. This was accomplished at the cost of Earth’s environment. The important problem that will haunt human life in the 21st century will be striking a balance between the nature, environment and human comfort. Science in general and Earth Science in general will have an important role to play in achieving this complex objective.

The intervention of the United Nations and sustainable development

In the past century, the need to have a sustainable and healthy earth was grossly ignored by greedy exploitation of natural resources by human beings. But the condition changed when the United Nations introduced the Brundtland Commission to evaluate the earth’s health and its environment, during the 1980’s. The report published after the study introduced the term ‘sustainable development’ for the first time. Soon human beings realized the significant role of geosciences as a means to promote and propagate the knowledge of the earth and its complex interaction with the surroundings and that is ultimately required for a sustainable and healthy planet. The impact of the human actions on the delicate environment and the interwoven and interconnected complex geographical processes were realized lately. According to a recent publication in the Nature magazine, Professor Wolfgang Lucht has warned that the present planetary condition can be destabilized if human activity causes critical Earth-system thresholds to be exceeded. He said that proper warning and insight might help in avoiding or limiting the damaging changes, adapt to them rather than simply facing the consequences. The present lack of progress in fighting the climate change and preserving complex ecosystems is not encouraging.

The need for earth sciences

In order to maintain balanced and healthy planet, scientists are required to determine the problems that the planet faces and find out solutions to these problems. Many natural and man made hazards will present huge threat to the existence of life on earth. So the importance of geoscientists, which has been ignored in the past, cannot be taken for granted in the present scenario.

Natural disasters such as Earthquakes and tsunamis are continuing to present danger to our young civilization. Such natural disasters that occur every year in one or the other part of the world have brought about colossal damage in terms of death and destruction. This calls for the need to understand the basics of earthquake science and to introduce various methods of alleviation and different ways to predict the occurrences of such disasters.

Warnings did not produce desired results

In the case of some of the disasters, warning signs were known to exist; it could not produce the desired effect in terms of saving life and reducing the destruction. In South East Asia, the knowledge aboutearthquakes is still in the initial stages, and this has resulted in colossal damage to life and property. For instance in the case of Kashmir, scientific ignorance and the inability to transform the acquired knowledge into timely planned action clearly demonstrates the challenges earth science still faces.

Similarly, the volcanic eruptions are also posing threat to us. The volcanic eruption in the Iceland, which occurred after 2 centuries, has resulted in the formation of ash clouds that disrupted the airways over the UK. As a result the airspace was shut down for six days.

Earth sciences gaining attention as an area of study

With the recent occurrence of such natural disasters, we became curious to learn about the system and the interconnections with other systems. In India, a country which is prone to all kinds of natural disasters, geosciences education is poorly incorporated in schools. Only students pursuing an undergraduate course in earth science are exposed to the subject. To make the condition worse only few institutions offer course in earth science.

In the near future the need for earth science education will increase, and with the limited resource such as qualified faculty, it will be a difficult mission to be accomplished. A worldwide effort is required to popularize earth science and to make people aware of the importance of the discipline and its basic principles.

Let us hope that the earth science in India will develop in the recent years and will help will minimizing the damages including life and destruction.