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The UNESCO Global Geoparks
Encompassing 177 sites across 46 countries, UNESCO Geoparks are places with outstanding geology and landscape, where there are strong local efforts to make the most of Earth heritage through interpretation, education, conservation and tourism. Utilizing world-class images, the title will highlight the geoparks’ stunning beauty while taking the reader on an entertaining and insightful journey that unravels the mystique behind each site. When did the location become a recognized park? What makes it special? Why is it worth preserving? How might it look 100 years from now when the ravages of climate change and global warming have taken hold? We impart knowledge through fleshed out texts that are both authoritative and digestible for the layman. Fun facts, dos and don'ts, and geotourism guides ensure the content remains agile and engaging throughout, helping lay bare the jaw-dropping scale of each bucket-list destination. From the importance of rocks, minerals and fossils to the study of volcanology, this is a book that sets out to showcase nature in its rawest, most glorious form, doing so in an aesthetically worthy way.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published May 28, 2024
16 people want to read
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January 1, 2026
I don't have a coffee table and I don't even drink coffee. Therefore, I don't really have the required expertise, but I believe The UNESCO Global Geoparks qualifies as a coffee table book. I, however, just read it as an ordinary book in the old-fashioned way from the beginning to the end.
According to UNESCO, the "UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development." They're basically on the same level as the much better known World Heritage Sites or Biosphere Reserves. According to their website, as of July 2024 there are 213 geoparks in 48 countries. This book introduces the majority of them (presumably all UGGps by the end of 2022). Unavoidably, the text becomes a bit repetitive if you read it the way I did.
Some UGGps get only one paragraph of text and a small photo, while many others are spread over 4-6 pages. Thus, the treatment is quite uneven. The text is easy to read and requires no prior knowledge of geosciences. There's a pretty good glossary to help with the majority of the tricky terms. As far as I could tell, the amount of factual and typographical errors was very small, so the editors have done a good job in that sense.
The numerous photos from the geoparks are, of course, wonderful to behold. There are still many amazing and fascinating places on this fragile planet of ours. The paper is not as glossy as it could be (and I personally prefer it that way), but the printing quality is quite good throughout the book.
There's an introduction by Audrey Azoulay, but we're not told who she is. I work for a UGGp, and I had to Google her. It turns out she's UNESCO's director-general. Good to know, but it would have been nice to have been told that on the pages of the book.
However, what is really lacking in the book is an introduction to the whole idea of geoparks. Who came up with the idea and when? And why did UNESCO get involved with the geopark stuff? We're not even told what the exact definition of a UGGp is. Actually, one finds several somewhat differing definitions on various UNESCO websites, so I presume even they don't know. The take-home message is, however, that geoparks are places with very cool geology, beautiful landscapes, diverse wildlife and rich intangible cultural heritage.
The biggest shortcoming of the book is the complete lack of maps. There isn't even a single map showing the global distribution of UGGps. This is a sign of severe laziness, and just plain stupid.
Overall, if you're into geology or geoparks, or just like to look at pretty pictures of intriguing places, The UNESCO Global Geoparks is worth browsing or even reading. It's also worth noting that later this year (2025) much (most?) of the book should become open access.
According to UNESCO, the "UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) are are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development." They're basically on the same level as the much better known World Heritage Sites or Biosphere Reserves. According to their website, as of July 2024 there are 213 geoparks in 48 countries. This book introduces the majority of them (presumably all UGGps by the end of 2022). Unavoidably, the text becomes a bit repetitive if you read it the way I did.
Some UGGps get only one paragraph of text and a small photo, while many others are spread over 4-6 pages. Thus, the treatment is quite uneven. The text is easy to read and requires no prior knowledge of geosciences. There's a pretty good glossary to help with the majority of the tricky terms. As far as I could tell, the amount of factual and typographical errors was very small, so the editors have done a good job in that sense.
The numerous photos from the geoparks are, of course, wonderful to behold. There are still many amazing and fascinating places on this fragile planet of ours. The paper is not as glossy as it could be (and I personally prefer it that way), but the printing quality is quite good throughout the book.
There's an introduction by Audrey Azoulay, but we're not told who she is. I work for a UGGp, and I had to Google her. It turns out she's UNESCO's director-general. Good to know, but it would have been nice to have been told that on the pages of the book.
However, what is really lacking in the book is an introduction to the whole idea of geoparks. Who came up with the idea and when? And why did UNESCO get involved with the geopark stuff? We're not even told what the exact definition of a UGGp is. Actually, one finds several somewhat differing definitions on various UNESCO websites, so I presume even they don't know. The take-home message is, however, that geoparks are places with very cool geology, beautiful landscapes, diverse wildlife and rich intangible cultural heritage.
The biggest shortcoming of the book is the complete lack of maps. There isn't even a single map showing the global distribution of UGGps. This is a sign of severe laziness, and just plain stupid.
Overall, if you're into geology or geoparks, or just like to look at pretty pictures of intriguing places, The UNESCO Global Geoparks is worth browsing or even reading. It's also worth noting that later this year (2025) much (most?) of the book should become open access.
Displaying 1 of 1 review