Mount Rinjani and Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu declared Unesco global geoparks

A view of Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. — Jakarta Globe picJAKARTA, April 17 — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation announced on its website on Sunday that it has accepted Mount Rinjani in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, and Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu in Sukabumi, West Java, as part of its Global Geoparks Network.

The network was established in 1998 to promote geodiversity through community-led initiatives, such as tourism, to enhance regional sustainable development.

According to Unesco, global geoparks also help monitor and promote awareness of climate change and natural disasters.

The two Indonesian sites, along with 11 others situated in Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, China, Spain, Canada, Belgium, France and Tanzania, are included in the agency’s 2018 list of global geoparks.

“Uneso’s executive board today gave the Unesco Global Geopark label to 13 sites demonstrating the diversity of the planet’s geology,” the agency said.

The announcement sees Mount Rinjani and Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark joining a list of nearly 130 geoparks in 35 countries.

Indonesia’s Mount Batur in north-eastern Bali and Mount Sewu Geopark in East Java were designated as Unesco Global Geoparks in 2015.

“I have just received news that Mount Rinjani has been selected as a Unesco Global Geopark during a Unesco executive board meeting,” Mount Rinjani Geopark general manager Chairul Mahsul said on Saturday, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.

The selection of Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark was confirmed by West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, who said the process usually takes around 10 years after a park is submitted for Unesco’s consideration.

Read more...