World Geography / Volcanoes / UNESCO Geoparks — UPSC Mains Model Answer

A UNESCO Global Geopark is a unified geographic area where sites of international geological significance are managed under a holistic framework combining conservation, education, and sustainable tourism. Designation requires demonstrating geological value, a credible management plan, and active community engagement. The programme operates outside the World Heritage Convention, functioning instead as a non-prescriptive partnership between UNESCO and national governments.

Tungurahua is an active stratovolcano located in the Andean highlands of Ecuador, notable for its persistent eruptive activity and its cultural significance to indigenous Kichwa communities who regard it as a living entity. Its designation as a Global Geopark acknowledges both its exceptional geological dynamism and the integrated risk-management and cultural-heritage dimensions that surround it. Ecuador's recognition reinforces Latin America's growing presence in the global geopark network.

Geopark status creates a governance framework that aligns geological conservation with SDG targets on sustainable tourism, biodiversity, and resilient communities. Local authorities gain international visibility and access to capacity-building networks, while the designation imposes revalidation every four years, ensuring accountability. For volcanically active sites, the framework also supports disaster-risk communication and geohazard education.

Translating geopark designation into tangible local benefit requires sustained institutional coordination, adequate funding, and trained geotourism personnel — capacities that developing-country host regions often lack. Balancing tourist inflows against ecological sensitivity, particularly around active volcanic zones, demands adaptive management protocols that many nascent geoparks are still developing.