The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization established in Brussels on July 28, 1919. IUGG is dedicated to the promotion and coordination of scientific studies of the Earth (physical, chemical, and mathematical) and its environment in space. These studies include the shape of the Earth, its gravitational and magnetic fields, the dynamics of the Earth as a whole and of its component parts, the Earth's surface, internal structure, composition and tectonics, the generation of magmas, volcanism and rock formation, the hydrological cycle including snow and ice, all aspects of the oceans, the atmosphere, and the cryosphere including climate dynamics, the ionosphere, the magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial relations, and analogous problems associated with the Moon and other planets. The Union encourages the application of this knowledge to societal needs, such as the development of mineral resources, mitigation of natural hazards, climate change, and environmental preservation.
IUGG consists of 8 Scientific Associations:
and 4 Union Commissions: - Commission on Data and Information (UCDI) - Commission on Geophysical Risk and Sustainability (GRC) - Commission on Mathematical Geophysics (CMG) - Commission on Structure of the Earth and Deep Interior (SEDI) Through these Associations and Union Commissions, IUGG promotes and enables research in the Earth system by providing a framework for collaborative research and information exchange. Scientific meetings allow geophysicists from all countries of the world to discuss their respective methodologies, results, and hypotheses and to plan collaborative research projects. Publications, schools, and videos instruct researchers, students, technicians, and the public on issues such as environmental protection and human safety. Standards work provides rules of scientific definition, procedure, and practice, international reference systems, and free exchange of data. And finally, resolutions passed by General Assemblies of IUGG promote issues of science policy on which members agree. For more information about the Union, please visit the IUGG homepage.
