Raising Awareness About Geoheritage at Risk in Portugal: the GeoXplora as a Case Study

This work reports an innovative event developed at the University of Coimbra (Portugal) and organized by undergraduate students of geology during the academic year 2020/2021 regarding geological heritage at risk outcropping in the Lusitanian Basin. Inspired by the current situation of vulnerability of two well-known geosites classified as Natural Monuments (Carenque and Cabo Mondego), the GeoXplora initiative targeted the general public, decision-makers and politicians. It aimed at stimulating curiosity and interest about geoconservation, raising awareness about the need to protect the physical integrity of both geosites and requiring the implementation of appropriate valuing and monitoring actions as provided by the Portuguese legislation. Based on a webinar format, the event was free of charge and took an entire day (April, 16th, 2021). It included four thematic sessions led by 21 experts from different sectors of the society. The social impact of this initiative was analyzed through data collected from two applications: Meta Business Suite© of the Facebook event page, and a survey included in the event registration form using the Google Forms©. Results show that more than 10,000 participants affiliated to different organizations attended the initiative, numbers that would hardly have been achieved with a traditional face-to-face seminar. They accessed from several countries around the world, with significant participation of people from the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries. The results relate to a study case, but the event design and implementation may be useful for inspiring other students, teachers and communities to develop similar interventions aiming at raising awareness about the role of geosciences in promoting sustainable development, and taking the 2030 Agenda goals into account.