The 35th International Geological Congress was hosted last week in Cape Town South Africa and several AGI member organizations were involved hosting sessions, town halls and providing speakers. By far, the biggest story was the recommendation of the Working Group on the Anthropocene to formally designate the Anthropocene as an official geological epoch. This story was picked up globally by many news outlets including the Economist, Science Magazine, the Guardian, the BBC, and the Japan Times among many others. 

The American Geophysical Union publication EOS also highlighted panel discussions on the role of data in groundwater management and the data sets that are informing geoscientists about continental roots. Additionally, EOS covered the current International Union of Geological Sciences "Resourcing the Future" initiative where a panel discussed the need for mineral and resource infrastructure and sustainability as the planet's population grows. At the end of the meeting, it was announced that the 37th IGC will be held in Busan, South Korea in 2024. If you weren't able to make it, check out Twitter and Instagram for posts from the meeting.