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IUGG Bureau Meeting Minutes
July 30, 2001 - Sapporo, Japan
Attendance: M Kono (President), U Shamir (Vice-President), JA Joselyn (Secretary-General),
A Hansen (Treasurer), JY Chen (Member), H Gupta (Member), T Palmer (Assistant
to the Secretary General), B. Schuffert (meeting assistant).
Brief Reports of Activities since August 2000
- The President
- The activities regarding the appointment of T. Beer (Australia) to complete
the term of Bureau Member V. Shannon (South Africa) were reviewed.
- The process resulting in the questionnaires to the Associations and Member
Countries was reviewed, as well as the proposed methods for review of the
results and formulation of potential actions.
- M Kono met with Dr. Ed de Mulder, President of the International Union of
Geological Sciences. IUGG agreed to support several IUGS initiatives, including
an effort to obtain a United Nations declaration for an International Year
of Planet Earth.
- M Kono attended a kick-off meeting in June, 2001, of the World Water Forum
(WWF) which will be held in Kyoto in March 2003. IUGG/IAHS will assist with
planning a scientific symposium for the WWF.
- Letters and messages inviting membership in IUGG were sent to 40 countries.
- Nominations were solicited for the 2003 Nomination Committee and the 2003
Resolutions Committee. ACTION: Appoint Nominations and Resolutions Committees
(President)
- This year, M Kono has attended the Scientific Assemblies of IAMAS and IAHS
and will attend the Assemblies of IAGA/IASPEI, IAG, and IAPSO.
- The Vice-President
- U Shamir took the responsibility to summarize and analyze the results of
the strategic plan questionnaires, and worked with H Gupta to prepare materials
for discussion.
- The Secretary-General
- JA Joselyn obtained funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation for
operation of the office of the secretariat.
- The IUGG archives were successfully transferred to the Niels Bohr Library
of the Center for the History of Physics in College Park, Maryland (U.S.A.)
- The IUGG Yearbook is being revised and a new database is being constructed.
ACTION: Investigate whether IAHS could publish the IUGG Yearbook more efficiently
(Secretariat)
- The monthly IUGG Electronic Journal was initiated to improve communication
with IUGG Adhering Bodies and National Committees. DECISION: Continue the
IUGG E-Journal (Secretariat)
- Grants totaling $15,000 were awarded to support symposia.
- Grants totaling $29,000 were awarded to support inter-Association initiatives
that benefit developing countries.
- JA Joselyn attended the ICSU Unions meeting in Paris (February).
- The Treasurer
- A Hansen reported that the IUGG finances were sound. Since 1999, 12 countries
have been lost because of non-payment of dues, and another has requested a
reduction in member category. Several more are in serious arrears. However,
3 new countries have been added (2 in the Associate category) and there has
not yet been a problematic impact on receipts from dues, which total approximately
$400,000 (USD) annually.
- The Finance Committee is exploring several issues concerning the IUGG budget.
IUGG Membership
- As of August, 2001, there are 66 Adhering Organizations belonging to IUGG.
Of those 45 are in good standing, 2 have recognized Associate status, and
19 are in "observer" status, meaning that dues are not up-to date.
Discussions centered on reaching out to countries that are not yet members,
and improving communications and relationships with the National Committees
of those bodies who are members. ACTION: Seize opportunities to promote IUGG
membership in countries not now adhering. (IUGG Bureau and Executive Committee
members).
- JY Chen asked that sensitivities regarding the Adhering Organization in
Taipei be respected.
- One country has asked for a reduction in their membership category from
3 to 1. This reduction has been approved by the Finance Committee. ACTION:
Prepare a ballot for the Adhering Organizations regarding the requested reduction
in category. (Secretariat)
Matters Arising from IUGG Bodies
- All Associations are active. IAG is revising their structure and several
Associations are considering collecting a membership fee from individuals.
Financial reports are lacking from one Association.
Matters Arising from ICSU and Especially the Unions Meeting
- ICSU would like IUGG advice on global warming and water systems and quality.
IUGG was asked to lead an effort to recognize the 50th anniversary of the
International Geophysical Year in 2007. We were invited to suggest "emerging
scientific issues," and were asked to inform ICSU of our efforts to assist
developing countries and young scientists. ACTION: Seek a Chairperson of the
IGY+50 Task Group (President). ACTION: Convene a group of young scientists
to think about the future structure and activities of IUGG (U Shamir).
- The ICSU grants programme is under review and revision owing to general
level of dissatisfaction with the old programme.
- ICSU is working with UNESCO to convene an "Earth Summit 2002"
meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September 2002
- The tri-annual ICSU Assembly will be in Rio de Janeiro also in September
of 2002.
Matters Concerning Inter-Union Bodies
- IUGG financially supports the Scientific Committee on the Lithosphere (SCL,
also known as the International Lithospheric Programme), WCRP, and the Federation
for Analysis and Geophysical Services (FAGS). Further, we appoint liaisons
to several other ICSU programmes and support travel by these liaisons to meetings.
The Bureau discussed a need to review our list of relationships to be sure
that they are adequate and in balance.
- IUGG could do more to co-sponsor symposia convened by other ICSU Unions.
It was decided that it was in our interest to promote awareness of earth science
issues and IUGG programmes by participating in these symposia as appropriate.
Progress Report and Discussion of IUGG Structure, Goals, and Objectives
for the Quadrennium and Long-term
- Before Sapporo, responses had been received by 5 of the 7 Associations and
from 29 Member Countries. The unedited responses were collated according to
the question numbers by the Secretariat. At the meeting, the replies from
the remaining 2 Associations and 2 additional countries were received.
- H Gupta and U Shamir grouped the questions and the responses in order to
find the common threads and to discern the issues of greatest concern to the
future of IUGG. This analysis was presented at the Executive Committee meeting
on August 2.
Discussion of the Date and Time of the Bureau Meeting in 2002
- At the invitation of Vere Shannon and the National Committee for IUGG of
South Africa, the Bureau will meet in Capetown, South Africa, in September
of 2002.
All Other Business
- A letter indicating an
official expression of interest to bid for the 2007 General Assembly has been
received from the Australian Academy of Science. The proposed venue is Melbourne.
Other bids may be forthcoming (the deadline for bids is the end of this calendar
year).
The Bureau meeting adjourned at 3PM, and joined a tour of the facilities in
Sapporo being considered by the Local Organizing Committee for the 2003 General
Assembly.
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