By: John Thompson, P.Geo., RFG2018 Conference Chair and Oliver Bonham, P.Geo., CEO, Geoscientists Canada
Earth’s growing population requires resources for the basics of life and increasing standards of living.
EEnergy from many sources, numerous minerals and water are critical for human existence and are increasingly linked in the context of sustainability. For future generations, resources must be discovered and cleanly exploited, even as efforts to improve efficiency and increase recycling continue. To succeed, we must fully understand the Earth, from the critical processes that concentrate resources to the surficial and atmospheric conditions that must be conserved. Simultaneously, we must engage broadly with people to fully understand needs and concerns, inform effective policy and provide the knowledge to support future generations.
Between June 16 and 21, Vancouver will host the first international conference dedicated to the availability of resources needed to sustain future generations. The geoscience profession is heavily involved and both Geoscientists Canada and Engineers & Geoscientists BC – as national and provincial hosts, respectively – are assisting and supporting the event as technical partners.
The conference is relevant to all geoscientists and many engineers – those directly involved in the three resources sectors – minerals, energy and water, those who provide vital underlying Earth science and environmental knowledge and those who interface with society and communities around resources, policies and key decision making.
This is a first-of-a-kind conference developed through the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and will be delivered by local Canadian hosts – the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES), the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), the Geological Association of Canada (GAC) and the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC). The IUGS is geoscience’s global body with 121 member countries. RFG2018 is the first IUGS event to be held between quadrennial IUGS International Geological Congresses and the first focused on a specific topic, a topic that is of major interest to Canada.
The conference will examine the critical natural resources that led to the development of the human race over the last 10,000 years and which remain fundamental to our existence – energy, minerals and water. These themes will be looked at from the perspective of the Earth and the knowledge that underpins the future availability and responsible use of resources. Sessions will focus on the interplay among earth science, human ingenuity, new technologies and environmental and human challenges, in the context of a world that is changing dramatically and unpredictably. This is a unique opportunity to participate in a conference with implications for a sustainable future.
The call for abstracts is under way. You are invited to become involved and submit an abstract for a talk or poster, or more than one! Bring your expertise into the discussion on the many opportunities and challenges related to resources. There are over 200 different technical sessions to choose from, divided among the key themes – the Earth, Energy, Minerals, Water, Resources and Society and Education. In addition, there will be plenary, debate and keynote sessions where invited speakers will discuss some of the major challenges that are important to all themes.
We expect to attract 4,000-5,000 attendees, focused broadly on resource issues representing earth science and engineering research and practice, industry, governments and civil society and First Nations and Indigenous people. In addition to technical and non-technical sessions, the conference will include 15 field trips and 25 short courses, educational workshops, roundtable discussions and the usual list of social and local tourist events.
Vancouver is a magnificent city in which to host the world for such an important future-looking event. As professional communities, Canada’s geoscientists and engineers are integral to this country’s reputation for international leadership in all aspects of the three resources sectors – so it is important that we are well represented. We also especially welcome young professionals, researchers and students and will have dedicated events for them – the Future Generation.
Please plan to attend and help us host the world for a truly successful event in BC this June. Full conference information, including registration details here at www.rfg2018.org.