Linking geological heritage and geoethics with a particular emphasis on palaeontological heritage: the new concept of ‘palaeontoethics’

Geoconservation and geoethics are two emergent domains in geosciences. During the last decade, both topics have increasingly gained the attention of geoscientists and the society, but the main geoethical dilemmas related to the conservation and management of geoheritage are not clearly identified yet. This work aims at providing an overview on the meaning and scope of geoethics and how it intersects geoheritage and the practice of geoconservation. Some case studies—many of which are under current debate and have a high potential as geoeducational resources—are presented for addressing ethical, social and cultural settings as well as dilemmas affecting geoheritage. We find that there are particular cases (mostly concerning the trade of fossils, and in particular the growing concern about activities that rely on amber from Myanmar) for which a clear dichotomy of views makes them much more problematic and complex. These cases deserve more suitable legal frameworks that help implement more balanced ethical standards and practice guidelines for geoconservation, guarantee human rights and needs in relation to that heritage and contribute to the advancement of geosciences. Particular attention is given to palaeontological heritage, as fossils are among the most threatened elements of the Earth’s diversity and are in need of more effective and statutory protection measures. In the context of geoethics applied to palaeontological heritage, and given the need of a clear understanding of what ethics in palaeontology means, a new concept—palaeontoethics—is proposed and formally defined.

Heritage Outreach, Fossils, Dinosaurs and Sites: How Locals’ Perception Changes After 10 Years of Actions in Historic Urban Villages (Cuenca, Spain)

Cuenca, a small city with a rich historical and palaeontological heritage, is the ideal location to explore how the scientific knowledge of its inhabitants has changed over the years. In 2010 and 2019, two surveys were conducted on the streets of Cuenca to characterise their scientific profiles and how they perceive heritage outreach initiatives in palaeontology (i.e. visits and non-formal education in museums, research dissemination and mass media). For the present study, 320 responses were analysed through multivariate techniques (multiple correspondence analysis or MCA), using simple binary states and multiple nominal states. The results showed a significant disparity in the age demographic category: on the one hand, young people (< 18 years old) retained more scientific information linked to educational activities than older people in 2010; on the other hand, older Cuenca natives (> 55 and 35–55 years old) were the most informed and influenced by outreach and media in 2019, some of them even forming a particular group of palaeontology and dinosaur enthusiasts, herein named ‘paleo-geeks’. In general, it was found that the majority of answers were congruent within the same year and corresponded with the sociocultural changes that Cuenca had experienced, from a rural to a more urban and diverse culture. Lastly, it was concluded that heritage outreach initiatives do influence the scientific profiles of Cuenca’s inhabitants.

Crocodiles, sharks and turtles: the urban geo-palaeontological heritage of Cagliari (Italy)

In this paper, we report on the first project on the promotion of urban geoheritage in Cagliari, the capital of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy). We briefly address the history of geo-palaeontological research in the city area and outline the main phases of development in the history of Cagliari’s geo-palaeontological museum. Geotourism is an efficient method of bringing geosciences to a wider audience. For this project, we compiled a geoitinerary of the main lithotypes and fossils present within the urban territory. Miocene lithotypes are the most important materials in the edification of the Cagliari’s old town, and in the past, the quarrying activity favoured the geology knowledge of the area. The presence of abandoned quarries and natural outcrops in parks, public gardens, on the nearby coastline, and also of fossils exposed in ashlars of historic buildings, made Cagliari an excellent example to valorise the geo-palaeontological heritage using geotourism. This project showcases the importance of knowledge transfer and non-technical communication methods by converting highly technical aspects into accessible and engaging information dissemination to a wide range of audience types, including non-specialised ones.

Best practices in cooperation between authorities and geoscientists to serve society and ensure adequate protection of our palaeontological heritage

&lt;p&gt;The geosciences have experimented recently the urgent necessity to count on practitioners who possess an ethical conscience and the desire to act responsibly and serve the society. This is especially necessary in the case of our paleontological heritage. Fossils are natural objects resulting from natural processes that connect us with our natural environments and, also importantly, with our origins and past. The paleontological heritage is therefore strongly linked with our natural, social and cultural heritage, and cannot be interpreted or studied without this synergetic perspective. Transmitting paleontological knowledge to geoscientists (including educators) and authorities, especially based on the findings from the fossil record, must be pivotal in order to ensure adequate protection and conservation of the paleontological heritage, promote responsible research practices and attract attention by society.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;An ethical and correct management of the paleontological heritage often raise key ethical concerns. There are a range of useful examples concerning i) the increasing use of technological advances and an ambitious development of infrastructures (e.g., mining activities and exploitation of georesources, railroad, highway and residential projects, etc.) often initiated, funded, and influenced by government agencies or public and/or private organizations; ii) individual actions to collect the most spectacular, relevant fossils related to both commercial or collecting, or simple vandalism; and iii) the increasing use of fossils in paleontological research, didactic and touristic activities and exhibitions&amp;#8212;and its profound impact on sites and fossils, that relate to our paleontological heritage and can thus foster personal growth, enrich citizens&amp;#180; knowledge and promote (and improve) interaction between society and this field of geosciences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;More specifically, in Spain there are examples and case studies in the field of geoscience that illustrate how to gain awareness and knowledge about geoethical conflicts between works of infrastructures, and the geoconservation of paleontological sites and the discovery of new fossils, with benefits for society, the administration, and the scientific community.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Identifying and considering ethical issues and dilemmas associated to these topics in paleontology are important for both ethical (adhering to general principles or conceptions of what is right and wrong) and practical reasons. As such, geoscientists who are more aware of their ethical and social responsibilities concerning our paleontological heritage will be better able to put their knowledge at the service of society and to help increase public trust in geosciences.&lt;/p&gt;