Geoethics in Latin America the Latin American Studies Book Series
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The Latin American Studies Book Series Rogelio Daniel Acevedo Jesús Martínez Frías Editors Geoethics In Latin America The Latin American Studies Book Series Series editors Eustógio Wanderley Correia Dantas, Fortaleza, Brazil Jorge Rabassa, Ushuaia, Argentina Andrew Sluyter, Baton Rouge, USA [email protected] The Latin American Studies Book Series promotes quality scientific research focusing on Latin American countries. The series accepts disciplinary and interdisciplinary titles related to geographical, environmental, cultural, economic, political and urban research dedicated to Latin America. The series publishes comprehensive monographs, edited volumes and textbooks refereed by a region or country expert specialized in Latin American studies. The series aims to raise the profile of Latin American studies, showcasing important works developed focusing on the region. It is aimed at researchers, students, and everyone interested in Latin American topics. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15104 [email protected] Rogelio Daniel Acevedo Jesús Martínez Frías Editors Geoethics In Latin America 123 [email protected] Editors Rogelio Daniel Acevedo Jesús Martínez Frías Centro Austral de Investigaciones Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas Científicas (CADIC-CONICET) Instituto de Geociencias IGEO (CSIC-UCM) Ushuaia, Tierra de Fuego Madrid Argentina Spain ISSN 2366-3421 ISSN 2366-343X (electronic) The Latin American Studies Book Series ISBN 978-3-319-75372-0 ISBN 978-3-319-75373-7 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75373-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018931479 © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer International Publishing AG part of Springer Nature The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland [email protected] Foreword Ethics (morals), starting from Greek antic times, was understood as a measure of dominance of human over himself, the indicator of how a person is responsible for himself, for what he does. Geoethics that developed from ethics, and based on its forms of comprehension of general methods of relations of humans to the world, to be understood, primarily, as the responsibility of a human for his actions in relation to the inanimate nature. To my mind, in the triad of “culture, morality and economy” morality indu- bitably takes the first position. It represents the ground zero. All other aspects of human life, their successes in economic and cultural development, their place in the world are determined by those moral attitudes, which are not only proclaimed but also firmly adhered to in the society and at all its levels. In our contemporary world, a special significance is given to general philosophic understanding of the evolving social–economic situation, interrelations between people and entire nations, interrelations of humans with the natural environment, modern views about the natural sue issues, including use of mineral resources and other sites of inanimate nature. A critical analysis of value orientations, deeper understanding not only of eco- nomic but also of moral basics of use of sites of inanimate nature is underway. Combined analysis of economic, legal and moral norms is getting greater impor- tance in development of concepts of long-term development of mineral-raw com- plexes of entire countries, development of strategic approaches to complex use of raw materials and fair distribution of profits earned, and experts’ review of large scale mineral resource use project. As one of the applied branches of philosophy in the set of geological sciences, geoethics takes a special position. Studying the possibility of use of ethical prin- ciples and norms applicable to the activities in the industry of resource supply, resource use and resource consumption, it brings together practically all fields of geological activities into one point and can be considered as one of the most important geological sciences. v [email protected] vi Foreword Development of geoethics and its results were officially acknowledged at the XXX International Geological Congress held in Beijing in 1996. It was in Beijing that for the first time in practice of international geological congresses, a subsection on the issues of geoethics was established within the geological education section. During those days, the notion of “geoethics” was defined in very narrow terms— as a science about ethical principles and norms while using mineral resources—and was based only on essence features of mineral resources (exhaustibility, non-renewability, geographical unevenness of their distribution, belonging not only to existing but also to future generations). By occurrence of new era challenges (boom of non-renewable natural resource use, economic, social–cultural and political globalisation, the necessity in implementation of a strategy of sustainable future, ecological crisis threat, planetary climate changes, terrorism) and significant expansion of the subjects and objects of study and the definition of the term has changed. Now, geoethics is considered as a science, which studies moral basics of relations in the system of “humans-abiotic nature of the planet Earth and other celestial bodies”. By proposing new conceptual approaches of mutual relations in the “humans-abiotic nature”, geoethics is undertaking a real attempt to create a general planetary ethics, which is based on such key factors like justice and responsibility. Currently due to expansion of disciplines and object of study, development of Geoethics has entered into a stage of differentiation of accumulated knowledge and formation of main scientific orientations: general theoretical, methodological, applied, economic, social, ecological, educational, cultural and moral-religious orientations. This book “Geoethics in South America” will familiarise the readers with specific geoethical issues and dilemmas that are characteristic to this continent. Nataliya Nikitina First IAGETH Vice-President [email protected] Contents Part I Introduction 1 Geoethics ............................................. 3 Rogelio Daniel Acevedo and Jesús Martínez Frías 2 Geoethics: Basic Concepts and Its Potential for UNESCO Geoparks............................................. 7 Joan Poch Part II Argentina 3 Towards a Latin American Geoethics? ...................... 23 Cristian Lorenzo 4 The Superior Geology Professional Council and Ethics ......... 31 Claudio Alberto Parica Part III Brazil 5 Ferruginous Geosystems and the Current Situation of Iron in Brazil: Economic Growth or Environmental Regression? ........ 39 Giana Márcia dos Santos Pinheiro 6 Gigantic Cities and the New Challenge of an Old Science: Geoethics, Geoeducation, and Geoknowledge in Porto Alegre, Brazil ............................................... 59 Rualdo Menegat and Rodrigo Cybis Fontana Part IV Chile 7 Meteorites and Craters Found in Chile: A Bridge to Introduce the First Attempt for Geoheritage Legal Protection in the Country ................................ 103 Millarca Valenzuela and José Benado vii [email protected] viii Contents Part V Colombia 8 Geology as a Profession and Geoethics in Colombia ............ 119 Michel Hermelin Arbaux and Orlando Navas 9 The Geoethical Promise and the Incorporation of Disaster Risk Management in the Territorial Ordination of Colombia ......... 127 Jorge Alberto Hernández-Restrepo Part VI Cuba 10 Geodiversity, Heritage, and Geoethics in an Archipelago ........ 141 Reinaldo Rojas Consuegra, Jorge Isaac Mengana, Rolando Cardenas, Kenya E. Núñez Cambra, Noel Pérez-Díaz and Osmel Martín Part VII Ecuador 11 Ethics, Policy, and Risk Assessment of the Cotopaxi Volcanic Crisis in Ecuador—Vulnerable Society Versus Unprepared Volcanic Monitoring Staff and Authorities ............................. 153 Theofilos Toulkeridis, Ana Jacome and Fernando Mato Part VIII Paraguay 12 An Approach to Geoethics in Paraguay ..................... 173 Jaime Leonardo Báez Presser, Gilda Agostino and Sergio Daniel Ríos Part IX Peru 13 Geoethics: The Peruvian Case ............................. 185 H. Saul Pérez-Montaño Part X Venezuela 14 The Epistemological Evolution… The