The rapid expansion of GENERAL GEOLOGY's international partner network has led the company to elevate its business to a new level: managing global digital platforms projects.
The primary focus of GENERAL GEOLOGY's activities is the management of projects on a global digital platform. These platforms embody the ideas of New Geology and are cross-sectoral partnership projects of its stakeholders in the global digital realm.
Recognizing the significant role geology plays in advancing nearly all of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, GENERAL GEOLOGY monitors all major trends in the development of geological and related industries, as well as mechanisms for market players' interaction in this field.
GENERAL GEOLOGY views digital platforms as a promising and efficient model for multi-stakeholder industry interaction. In this model, there are no territorial borders, politics, bureaucracy, ranking, or dominance. The platform is a self-regulated environment that requires unobtrusive technical support. The platform model provides its participants – stakeholders – with equal and independent opportunities to shape individual and collective information fields, resulting in extremely powerful synergistic effects. Only platform mechanisms enable effective interaction among a large number of market participants and prevent intermediation, fostering the exchange of created values.
The advantages of platforms are clear: the ability to engage in dialogue with other stakeholders 24/7 (exchange of experience, information sharing, coordination of joint actions, search of partners and experts, etc.); integration of stakeholders' efforts in response to the global challenges of the 21st century and the synergistic effect of development resulting from interaction in a unified information environment; increasing civil society awareness of stakeholder activities, particularly regarding climate change, natural disasters, geological hazards, environmental protection and conservation, resource issues, surface geology, groundwater, etc.
The goal of GENERAL GEOLOGY's activities within these platforms is to create a positive, comprehensive, forward-thinking concept that enables people to engage in transformations and embrace comprehensive technological innovations, promote interaction between the state and the private sector on issues related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, change the social paradigm, and leverage its multifaceted achievements.
The first project of the GENERAL GEOLOGY global digital ecosystem is the ONEGEO.COM platform, designed to bring attention of the worldwide audience to the 21st century's global social and environmental challenges, mobilize humanity's efforts to overcome them, and foster the creation of a green future for the Earth.
To achieve this, the platform provides a space for professional institutions — its stakeholders — to showcase their projects, developments, and initiatives to the global community. By offering accurate information, the platform motivates the broader public – its visitors – to support professional institutions and engage in their projects.
ONEGEO.COM invitates political parties, national parliaments, governmental bodies, regional and international intergovernmental organizations, educational institutions, research centres, both public and private industrial enterprises and associations, financial institutions, professional civil society organizations, and digital internet communities — everyone involved in green projects — to join the platform and contribute their content to the news feed and relevant sections of the platform.
The network of stakeholders plays a crucial role in the platform's activities, represented by local, regional, and global green movements, associations, and civil organizations. Precisely through involvement in these civic associations, the global community gains opportunities to support green projects and initiatives, participate actively in electoral campaigns in their countries, and exercise oversight over the implementation of intergovernmental green agreements, among other things.
Currently, the majority of humanity is poorly informed about the challenges of the 21st century and their destructive consequences, as mass media pay little attention to these issues and often disseminate unreliable information. Hence, the platform's mission is to initiate a new era of green enlightenment.
Humanity needs to focus on its higher purpose and be guided by the highest human values and intellect, which continues to evolve through digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
The higher human purpose is closely linked to overcoming the challenges of the 21st century, including profound social crises, climate catastrophes, the state of the planet's ecology, loss of biodiversity, depletion of resource potential, and the total pollution of the planet. The period of globalization has shifted to processes of fragmentation and regionalization of interstate unions and the growth of selfish attitudes in some countries. The confrontation between states with democratic and authoritarian forms of governance has intensified.
Each of the global challenges poses a serious threat to humanity. However, the main issue lies in the accumulation and layering of interconnected crises that simultaneously or sequentially affect various aspects of our lives. The interrelated consequences of these crises create a complex network of problems and trigger cascades of effects that extend far beyond the impacts of individual crises. This cumulative effect creates a feedback loop, exacerbating problems, slowing down the recovery process, and stimulating negative changes in the global macrosystem. Major factors contributing to poly-crises include catastrophic climate change, sustainable energy deficit, pandemic storms, economic turbulence, acute geopolitical tensions, devastating wars, and so on.
However, periods of numerous crises and threats in world history have always led to positive changes and innovations, with challenges serving as a stimulus for further development. In such times, society has been forced to reassess its values, approaches, and priorities, mobilizing collective efforts to seek new solutions that change the world for the better. During a crisis, the search for and implementation of breakthrough ideas for building a better future world order become extremely important. The key to success lies in engaging professional institutions and as wide a range of the global community as possible in addressing these issues.
The rapid advancement of digital technologies during the Fourth Industrial Revolution presents vast opportunities for uniting and mobilizing contemporary society towards the common achievement of global development objectives.
GENERAL GEOLOGY has identified five key challenges of the 21st century. By overcoming these challenges, humanity can progress to the next stage of its civilizational development and pave the way for a greener future for Earth.
Each civilization that emerges on the historical stage brings its own message to the world, rooted in the values and developmental ideas that reflect the spirit and needs of its era. It leaves behind a legacy that becomes the foundation for the further progress of humanity.
The 21st-century society is coming together to tackle numerous social and environmental challenges, harnessing collective potential across five main directions for the evolutionary development of humanity and the establishment of a sustainable future for all: Enlightening and creating green humanity; Creating Earth’s green future by tackling challenges; Creating new industry: digital and green transition; Creating and operating sustainable human habitats; Conservating and creating sustainable areas of wild nature.
The focus area "Enlightening and creating green humanity" addresses the issues of humanity's green evolution. The united humanity of the third millennium has the potential to become a mighty and invincible force due to access to boundless information, the rapid spread of new ideas, the development of disruptive technologies, dynamic international cooperation, the establishment of effective partnerships and communication platforms, the exchange of information and experience, and the mobilization of the community to achieve common global goals. An insatiable thirst for knowledge, excellence, and a better life, belief in the strength of the human spirit, and unity will enable us, guided by the highest human values, to collectively improve the world and create the green future we aspire to.
The "Enlightening and creating green humanity" focus area includes the sections Guiding by the highest human good, Taking individual actions, Taking civil actions.
One of civil society's primary objectives is tackling the social challenges confronting humanity in the 21st century. This imperative is encompassing a broad spectrum of pressing issues, ranging from inequality, demographic crises, and the persistent threat of hunger to urging concerns such as healthcare and pandemic risks. Additionally, there is a crucial need for a profound transformation of the education system to equip humanity for life in an increasingly volatile world. This includes navigating intricate and unpredictable economic conditions that often lead to crises, as well as addressing military-political threats and the imperative to end wars and conflicts. Preventing a Third World War, which poses a threat to all of humanity, is paramount.
Unfortunately, well before the start of the 21st century, humanity had already caused significant degradation of the planet's natural capital, paving the way for the current triple planetary crisis. Its components comprise three main interconnected issues: climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss. Neglecting nature disrupts the delicate balance, resulting in the destruction of ecosystems, pollution, and depletion of natural resources. Much of these consequences stem from industrialization, the irrational utilization of natural wealth, and excessive consumption.
The focus area "Creating Earth’s green future by tackling challenges" is dedicated to improving our understanding Earth as an integrated physical, geographic, economic, and political system, and to addressing current challenges. It includes the sections Earth, the green home of humanity, Planetary challenges, Humanity’s challenges.
The state of the planet's natural capital is worsening, and the climate catastrophe is escalating, partly due to outdated industries. Fortunately, global society is currently embracing the principles of green transformation and the green transition within the framework of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This comprehensive set of issues is being addressed within the Focus area “Creating new industry: digital and green transition”. This focus area includes sections: Forward to Industry 4.0 and New landscape of green industry.
Active civil society should address anthropogenic pressures on living, working, commuting, and production environments, as well as the exploitation of abiotic and biotic resources and the uncontrolled accumulation of waste. Human-made ecosystems should seamlessly integrate into the planet's authentic natural ecosystems.
The focus area "Creating and operating sustainable human habitats" is dedicated to addressing these challenges.
The "Creating and operating sustainable human habitats" focus area includes sections: Civil and industrial infrastructure and Human occupied areas.
The detrimental impact of humanity on wilderness areas leads to the destruction or degradation of natural landscapes, irreversible changes to natural ecosystems, as well as disrupts the planet's water balance, which specifically results in plants losing access to "green water" due to extensive changes in the soils of the root zone. The global community must take decisive and urgent action to conserve natural heritage and protect wilderness areas.
Global civil society must collaborate to conserve and restore wildlife in reserves, national parks, other protected areas, and ensure the sustainable management of these natural habitats. Human-made ecosystems should seamlessly integrate into the planet's authentic natural ecosystems. It is equally important to protect and expand natural protected areas themselves. However, in addition to the need to create new protected areas, there is a pressing issue of these lands being appropriated for construction, resource extraction, or agriculture. Addressing this requires striking a balance between the demands of human development and the conservation of natural resources, as well as employing technologies that facilitate this harmony.
The dissemination of information about the importance of protected areas in preserving the planet's regenerative potential, using them as living laboratories for pioneering research, raising awareness among the general public about the significance of the environment, and fostering green enlightening, scientific, and recreational tourism, along with developing associated infrastructure around protected areas, is of paramount importance.
This section places special emphasis on the sustainable non-industrial use of wildlife. This concept encompasses a broad spectrum of practices aimed at the careful and environmentally friendly utilization of natural resources, supporting the long-term health and productivity of ecosystems, conserving biodiversity, minimizing pollution, reducing waste, preventing habitat degradation, and promoting the well-being of local communities. These sustainable practices are implemented through educational programs, scientific research, green recreational tourism, outdoor sports, the study and preservation of cultural landscapes, authorized plant gathering, hunting, and fishing. Each of these activities contributes to the conservation of nature, cultural and historical heritage, promotes the development of local economies, while preserving the integrity of wildlife and its ecosystems. The implementation of practices for sustainable non-industrial use of wildlife is a key element in creating a future where humans and nature coexist harmoniously, benefiting from the adoption of sustainable and responsible practices.
Fosus area "Conservating and creating sustainable areas of wild nature" centers on conserving and establishing sustainable habitats for wildlife, crucial for preserving global biodiversity and the functionality of natural ecosystems. It contains sections Limiting use of wild natural resources, Protected wildlands, Green non-industrial use of wild nature.