When searching for the word “geoethics” in Greek on the internet, the results are scarce and refer mostly to general concepts, typically without any references. These results focus mainly on the first two decades of the 21st century, especially after 2012. Greece is a national section of the IAPG network, which, as is known, has a mission “to coordinate efforts in promoting Geoethics and enlarging the IAPG network in the country, by encouraging the participation of geoscientists in their activities on the basis of equal opportunities and favoring the exchange of information among its members through newsletters, publications or other suitable tools such as a website and social networks” ^[1][20]. Therefore, the Cape Town Statement on Geoethics is available in Greek. Furthermore, The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens-Applied Philosophy Research Laboratory (NKUA-APRL), which was established with a purpose to facilitate research in the area of applied philosophy and to conduct empirical and/or theoretical research in all areas of philosophy, signed with the International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG), Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (2019), with the aim of cooperation in developing empirical and/or theoretical research in the areas of geoethics and bioethics and to coordinate activities aimed at promoting the discussion on the ethical, social, and cultural implications of geosciences and biosciences ^[2][3][21,22]. However, the concept of geoethics has not yet gained widespread acceptance within the Greek educational system or among the scientific community in Greece ^[4][10].

The conducted survey revealed that, unfortunately, there are no specific programs or courses on geoethics offered in Greek higher education institutions. However, Greek universities and research centers may have professors and researchers who specialize in environmental ethics and sustainable development, who may also be interested in geoethics. It is worth noting that, while it is not a common subject, there are some universities in Greece that have a Department of Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering, and other related fields, where environmental ethics and sustainable development are being taught, and these departments could also be a good starting point for students who are interested in pursuing studies in geoethics.

It is also important to note that, as an interdisciplinary field, it is often taught through collaboration between different departments, such as geology, environmental science, ethics, and philosophy. Therefore, while it may not be a common subject in Greek higher education, there are opportunities for students interested in geoethics to explore the field through various disciplines and through international events. Moreover, it should be noted that, until now, in the Greek higher education community, there does not seem to be a particular reflection, equivalent to the international one, as to whether geoethics should be established in the field of environmental ethics or as something clearly different based on the foundations of the professional ethics of applied geosciences, although it seems that the most promising interface of geoethics with adjacent fields is likely the relation to the field of environmental ethics ^[5][23].

As far as the primary or secondary education in Greece is concerned, as in higher education, there are no specific curriculum or programs on geoethics offered. However, environmental education and sustainable development are often included in the primary and secondary education curriculum in Greece, and these subjects may include some aspects of geoethics. It is important to note that, while it is not a common subject, environmental education and sustainable development constitute a good starting point for students to be exposed to the ethics and societal implications of the Earth sciences and their applications.

However, it should be claimed that the education of students in geosciences is incomplete in the curricula of the geology–geography subject of the lower secondary education (Gymnasium) and the concept of the geoenvironment, as a witness of geological phenomena, is absent and rarely consists of a subject matter of the educational programs of environmental education. As a result, students are unable to perceive values of the geological heritage. In contrast to Greek geosciences curricula programs, in other countries, the didactics of geosciences studies aims to students’ knowledge of the principles of geoethics ^[6][24].

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) has developed a geoethics initiative that aims to promote the integration of geoethics in geoscience education and research across Europe, which includes didactics of geosciences. Additionally, some universities in European countries, such as the UK, have started to offer courses or modules on geoethics, and some professional societies, such as the American Geological Institute, have also developed resources and guidelines for incorporating geoethics into education and training programs.

From the results of recent research concerning the new curriculum on environment and education for sustainable development, it is arguable whether the concepts will lead to the development of values in the field of geoethics since the basic concepts are mainly biodiversity, protection of nature and land, the environment in general, ethical behavior, and, secondarily, geological and geomorphological knowledge, geodiversity, and geoheritage ^[7][19].

Geoethical research aims to understand and address the ethical dimensions of environmental and Earth science issues. Current geoethical research encompasses a wide range of topics, including sustainable development, climate change, environmental justice (meaning the research on the distribution of environmental burdens and benefits among different communities and the ethical implications of these disparities), biodiversity conservation, resource management, and research on the ethical dimensions of the relationship between science and society, such as the responsibilities of scientists and policymakers and the communication of scientific information to the public.

Overall, geoethical research is an interdisciplinary field that uses philosophical, sociological, legal, and other perspectives to understand and address ethical issues related to the Earth and the environment.

In terms of geoethical research in Greece, it is a relatively new field with limited information available. The survey, however, revealed that the amount of geoethical research being conducted in Greece today is still small, but growing.

The scientific and research activity of the last few years at the level of postgraduate and doctoral theses reflects the current research being conducted in the field of geoethics in Greece and the interest in promoting geoethical thinking primarily in the Greek scientific community. A common theme of these research contributions is the recognition of the importance of geoethics concerning the relationship of the earth sciences to society and the Earth.

The master’s research paper, “Geoethics and Environment Management”, highlights the contribution of geoethics in the management of natural hazards and disasters in the context of sustainable development and in communication among the scientific community, citizens, and the media. Aside from postgraduate theses, four doctoral theses are currently being written at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA) Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, covering a wide range of geoethical research.

The contribution of the doctoral dissertation research titled “Man and geoenvironment: an interdisciplinary approach to environmental ethics and geoethics” lies in the connection of geoethics with the field of environmental ethics, the possibility of using traditional natural resources management practices, traditional indigenous and local populations environmental knowledge and their perceptions on environmental risks, as well as the integration of the traditional knowledge and value system in the field of geoethics. The research titled “Geoenvironmental education and its geoethical dimension at national, European and international level” outlines the current state of geoeducation and geoethics in Greece, Europe, and worldwide as well. It focuses on exploring the geoethical dimensions in the educational system, which as a miniature society, prepares future responsible citizens for the environmental challenges, and presents the reasons and the need for the integration of geoenvironmental education not only in the curricula of the educational system but also in the actions and activities of non-formal education for the benefit of society. The Ph.D. thesis, “The importance of geoenvironmental education in the understanding of geological heritage and geoethical awareness. The case of the Dodecanese barren line islands”, highlights the importance of geoenvironmental education in the understanding of geological heritage and geoethical awareness. Finally, the thesis, “Geoethics as a factor of environment-friendly behaviour through a geo-environmental education programme for primary and secondary schools”, aims to show that geoethics in the context of geoeducation contributes to raising awareness and fostering values and responsibility and that geocultural heritage and geoethics can strengthen the links between people and their place and between their places of origin and their memories.

Various articles in peer-reviewed international journals address a range of topics surrounding the concept of ethics in geosciences (Table 1) and provide a much-needed basis for discussion to promote geoethical thinking in education. All the efforts are isolated but promising and should be enriched with the ultimate goal of integrating geoethics as a central part of all geoscience courses.

In recent years, there have been several international conferences and workshops on geoethics held around the world, with a focus on topics such as the ethical considerations related to natural resource management, the protection of geological heritage, and the integration of geoethics into education. As such, researchers mention, indicatively International Geoethics Day, an event that is celebrated worldwide every year, GOAL workshops, and IAPG’s participation in the annual General Assembly of EGU. These events have brought together experts from various fields, including geology, sociology, philosophy, law, and education, to discuss and share their perspectives on the field of geoethics. In Greece, the 16th International Congress of the Geological Society of Greece in 2022 marked the first instance of such an event where a sub-session regarding geoethics (Sub-session 1: Geoheritage, geoconservation, geoeducation, geoethics of the special session: Geological heritage for education and sustainable development) was included. Unfortunately, the number of presentations on geoethics was quite limited.

In the frame of the events organized by IAPG–Greece, a lecture titled Modern Geoethical Issues was presented by Dr. Gerassimos Papadopoulos (IAPG–Greece coordinator) on 6 March 2019, at the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment of the University of Athens. Additionally, on 8 November 2022, IAPG–Greece and SafeGreece organized an online event on the topic “Public communication of seismic hazard issues and geoethical dilemmas”. It is likely that there will be similar conferences and workshops on geoethics in Greece in the future.

As far as research funding is concerned, at the moment there are no funding opportunities and eventually no research centers and groups that focus on geoethical issues, except for the research conducted through environmental education programs.