UNESCO International Geoscience Programme for South America and Caribbean
Monday, April 20, 2026
The 11th session of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Council has announced a new dedicated special call for the South America and the Caribbean (SAC) region to strengthen geoscience research and capacity-building in the region.
Jointly administered and funded by UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), the Council approved its project portfolio for 2026 and launched a new dedicated call for the South America and Caribbean region, backed by USD 150,000 in funding. During the open session, highlights from 2025 and key decisions made in the closed session were presented together with the 2025 Annual Report. Contd
From Africa to Latin America and the Caribbean - A strategic shift
The new Special Call for Latin America and the Caribbean reflects a broader strategic shift toward regionally focused large-scale initiatives, building on the remarkable success of the IGCP Special Call for Africa, launched in 2025.
Designed to strengthen geoscience research and capacity-building across the continent, the Africa call attracted over 300 expressions of interest from 45 countries, involving more than 1,000 researchers in collaborative teams.
Following a highly competitive evaluation process, three projects were selected, each receiving dedicated funding of up to USD 50,000 per year between 2025 and 2028 for three years. These projects address critical regional challenges, including groundwater management, mineral resources, and climate change impacts, while embedding strong capacity-building components in UNESCO Global Geoparks in Africa.
Beyond the selected projects, the scale and quality of submissions demonstrated a substantial and previously under-supported demand for geoscience research in Africa. This response confirmed the effectiveness of targeted regional calls as a mechanism to mobilise scientific communities and address region-specific challenges.
