Geoethics

Geoethics is the branch of ethics which relates to the interaction of human activity with our physical world in general, and with the practice of the Earth sciences in particular. It may also have relevance to planetary sciences. It is described as an emerging scientific discipline, consisted of research and reflection on values that serve as the bases of behavior and practice where human activities intersect with the geosphere. It is promoted to encourage the ethical and social roles of geoscientists in conducting research and practice activities. Geoethics is the branch of ethics which relates to the interaction of human activity with our physical world in general, and with the practice of the Earth sciences in particular. It may also have relevance to planetary sciences. It is described as an emerging scientific discipline, consisted of research and reflection on values that serve as the bases of behavior and practice where human activities intersect with the geosphere. It is promoted to encourage the ethical and social roles of geoscientists in conducting research and practice activities. Geoethics first emerged in the early 1990s out of the initiatives that pursued the recognition of mankind's duty and responsibility towards the earth. The term came to deal with the ethical, social, and cultural implications of the behavior and professional activities of geologists. Some scholars also cited that it provides a point of intersection for geosciences, sociology, and philosophy. There are two international geoethics organizations, the International Association for Promoting Geoethics and the International Association for Geoethics.