Geological Surveys: Informing Sustainable Development and Global Conservation

1. 33rd IGC | International Consortium of Geological Surveys An Integrated Strategy for Government-Sponsored ScienceMark Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey11 August 2008 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

2. Night light produced largely from fossil fuels An index of population and human power in the environment NASA Night light produced largely from fossil fuels Lots of Us Using Lots of Stuff!

3. Human-induced changes on a global scale • Rising demand for resources • Approaching thresholds of ecosystems • Scientific knowledge is essential for a sustainable society

4. Ecosystem Services Goods and services of value to humans that come from natural systems Not well integrated into decision making Not fully valued in economic discussions, societal decisions Markets are insufficient to convey benefits of ecosystems

5. Finding balance - environment and people

6. Evangelical Leaders Join Global Warming Initiative - New York Times February 8, 2006 By LAURIE GOODSTEIN Despite opposition from some of their colleagues, 86 evangelical Christian leaders have decided to back a major initiative to fight global warming, saying "millions of people could die in this century Copper prices set another recordBy Dale Funk, Contributing EditorApr 1, 2006 12:00 PMWhile most wire and cable industry veterans and commodity analysts expected 2006 to be a year of moderation for copper prices, when copper jumped 9.45 cents to nearly $2.36 a pound on March 17 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, it set another record. A British experts report on climate change warns that failure to curb global warming could trigger worldwide economic devastation, with poor countries hit first and hardest.  Prime Minister Tony Blair called for urgent international action. Science – a bridge to rational solutions

7. The Relevance of National Surveys Authoritative, unbiased Accessible Extensive national and global observation networks and databases require a national commitment Historical perspective essential for information continuity and archival Decision support tools Partnerships optimize science resources, build consensus

8. Understanding Ecosystems and Predicting Ecosystem Change Climate Variability and Change Energy and Minerals for America’s Future A National Hazards, Risk, and Resilience Assessment Program The Role of Environment and Wildlife in Human Health A Water Census of the United States Data Integration and Beyond USGS Science Strategy

9. Circum-Arctic Resources Assessment First publicly available petroleum resource estimate of the entire area north of the Arctic Circle; released 23 July Conducted with international partners • Geological Survey of Canada • Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland • U.S. Minerals Management Service • Norwegian Petroleum Directorate • USGS World Energy Consortium • Cambridge Arctic Shelves Programme

10. Polar bears and a changing Arctic USGS science findings contributed to the DOI decision to list polar bears as a threatened species 1. Sea ice is vital to polar bear survival 2. Sea ice habitat has dramatically melted in recent decades 3. Models suggest sea is ice likely to further recede in the future USGS studies other impacts of changing Arctic conditions • Other Arctic species • Recoverability of energy resources • Law Of The Sea issues

11. Great Southern California Shakeout

12. Toward future geological surveys New frontiers for Geological Surveys Beyond traditional categories of natural resources Assess energy alternatives Consider societal resilience Expand as vital sources for science information