Submitted by
casierr
on Fri, 10/09/2026 - 12:22
General Information
Resolution
52774
Period covered
Resolution implementation status
31-60% - Moderate
Comments
The resolution requests setting up a new programme of work which would require an annual work cycle (and funding), which comes with substantial challenges. Although an important commitment has been made by the Korea Heritage Service, the financial resources for this initiative have not yet been secured and the initiative has not yet started, which is why the Resolution implementation status is assessed as moderate. Substantial preparatory work did take place, including a workshop in Korea in May 2026 to start finetuning the technical details for the working modalities once the initiative would take off as well as continued follow up by the WCPA GSG, fundraising efforts led by the Secretariat with both private partners in the geosciences and State Members, and continued promotion of the initiative throughout the work of IUCN (Secretariat, Members, Commissions) on World Heritage and geodiversity.
Activities to implement this Resolution from Activity Reports
| Relevant operative para(s) of Res/Rec | Activities Overview | Description | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3 | Scientific/technical activities | 1. The working group on the IUCN Key Geoheritage Area Initiative has now discussed and finalised: - Detailed guidelines for the submission and evaluation of KGAs; - Forms for the submission of KGA applications; - Conceptualisation of the structure for the web platform that will support the submission, evaluation and all information about KGAs. 2. Production and approval of the official KGA logo. |
Completed | Full activity report |
| 1, 2, 3 | Fundraising | A search for KGA sponsors is underway. | On-going | Full activity report |
| 2, 3 | Policy influencing/advocacy | KGA (Key Geoheritage Areas) Korea Declaration - For the Global Advancement of Geoheritage Conservation and the Implementation of KGA. This declaration was approved during the International Conference on KGA Conservation Program Strategy, organised by the Korea Heritage Service in May 2026 in which members of the IUCN WCPA GSG expert group and IUCN representatives participated. | Completed | Full activity report |
| 1, 2, 3 | Education/Communication/Raising awareness | Update of the WCPA Geoheritage Specialist Group webpage on the KGA developments, publication of the supporting documentation (IUCN WCPA Issues Paper #6, Key Geoheritage Areas Scoping Study and Guidelines, regular newsletters with KGA progress shared with GSG members. - https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-wcpa-geoheritage-specialist-group - https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-wcpa-geoheritage-specialist-group/key-geoheritage-areas-advancing - https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/kga-issues-paper_6_red.pdf Webinars and presentations in congresses about KGAs. |
Completed | Full activity report |
| 1, 2, 3 | Scientific/technical activities | 1. Production of guidance texts regarding the submission and evaluation procedures for each one of the 13 geological themes. 2. Formal review of the submission and evaluation guidelines by external experts. 3. Implementation of pilot tests to verify the adequacy of the submission and evaluation forms and corresponding procedures. 4. Development of the web platform that will support the submission, evaluation and all information about KGAs. 5. Launch an open a call for experts covering the 13 geological themes of the KGA’s to support the assessment of IUCN KGA applications. |
Planned | Full activity report |
| 2, 3 | Fundraising | Conclusion of the agreement between IUCN and the Korea Heritage Service regarding the official support of the Korea Government to the KGA initiative. | Planned | Full activity report |
| 1, 2, 3 | Education/Communication/Raising awareness | Promotion of the IUCN KGA Initiative at the IUCN World Protected and Conserved Areas Congress 2027, Conference of the Global Geoparks Network 2027; International Geological Congress 2028, etc. | Planned | Full activity report |
Actors involved from Activity Reports
| IUCN Members | IUCN Commissions | IUCN Secretariat | Other non-IUCN related organisations |
|---|---|---|---|
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Challenges / lessons learned from Activity Reports
| Challenges / lessons learned | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Other (please specify) | The challenge is to establish a new IUCN initiative from the ground up in a field (geoheritage and geoconservation) that is still not fully understood or recognised, both by society at large and within the IUCN community. |
Full activity report |
External link(s)
Report status
Published