International Union for Quaternary Research

International Union for Quaternary Research
AbbreviationINQUA
Formation1928 (1928)
TypeINGO
Region served
Worldwide
Official language
English
President
Thijs Van Kolfschoten (Netherlands)
Secretary-General
Eniko Magyari (Hungary)
Parent organization
International Science Council
WebsiteINQUA Official website

The International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA) was founded in 1928. It has members from a number of scientific disciplines who study the environmental changes that occurred during the glacial ages, the last 2.6 million years.[1][2] One goal of these investigators is to document the timing and patterns in past climatic changes to help understand the causes of changing climates.

INQUA is a member of the International Science Council (ISC).[2] INQUA holds an international congress normally every four years. The congresses serve as an educational forum as well as the opportunity for the various commissions, committees, and working groups to conduct business in person. Past congresses have been held in Copenhagen (1928), Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) (1932), Vienna (1936), Rome (1953), Madrid (1957), Warsaw (1961), Boulder (1965), Paris (1969), Christchurch (1973), Birmingham (1977), Moscow (1982), Ottawa (1987), Beijing (1991),[3] Berlin (1995),[4] Durban (1999), Reno (2003), Cairns (2007), Bern (2011) and Nagoya (2015).[5]

The most recent INQUA Congress (XIX) was held in Rome, Italy, in July 2023.[6] In 2027 the INQUA Congress (XXI) will take place in Lucknow, India between January and February.

Climate change

In 2007, the union issued a statement on climate change in which it reiterated the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and urged all nations to take prompt action in line with the UNFCCC principles:[7]

Human activities are now causing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases - including carbon dioxide, methane, tropospheric ozone, and nitrous oxide - to rise well above pre-industrial levels….Increases in greenhouse gasses are causing temperatures to rise…The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action….Minimizing the amount of this carbon dioxide reaching the atmosphere presents a huge challenge but must be a global priority.

INQUA Congress

INQUA Congress & Presidents[8]
Nr. Year Congress Term President Secretary-General
21. 2023 Rome  Italy
20. 2019 Dublin  Ireland 2019-2023 Thijs Van Kolfschoten  Netherlands Eniko Magyari  Hungary
19. 2015 Nagoya  Japan 2015-2019 Allan Ashworth  United States Brian M Chase  France
18. 2011 Bern   Switzerland 2011-2015 Margaret Avery  South Africa Julius Lejju  Uganda
17. 2007 Cairns  Australia
16. 2003 Reno, Nevada  United States
15. 1999 Durban  South Africa
14. 1995 Berlin  Germany
13. 1991 Beijing  China
12. 1987 Ottawa  Canada
11. 1982 Moscow  Soviet Union Boris Sokolov  Soviet Union
10. 1977 Birmingham  United Kingdom
9. 1973 Christchurch  New Zealand
8. 1969 Paris  France
7. 1965 Boulder, Colorado  United States
6. 1961 Warsaw  Poland
5. 1957 Madrid  Spain
4. 1953 Rome  Italy Gian Alberto Blanc  Italy
3. 1936 Vienna  Austria Gustav Götzinger  Austria
2. 1932 Leningrad  Soviet Union Ivan Gubkin  Soviet Union
1. 1928 Copenhagen  Denmark Dmitry Mushketov  Soviet Union

INQUA Medals

Sir Nicholas Shackleton Medal

Since 2007 INQUA has awarded biannually the Sir Nicholas Shackleton Medal to an "outstanding young [early-career] Quaternary scientist ... working in any branch of Quaternary science".[9]

Sir Nicholas Shackleton Medal recipients[9]

Liu Tungsheng Distinguished Career Medal

Since 2011 INQUA has awarded quadrennially the Liu Tungsheng Distinguished Career Medal, awarded to "a senior Quaternary scientist who has made significant and distinguished contributions that have advanced Quaternary science through dedicated service to the international community".[9]

Liu Tungsheng Distinguished Career Medal recipients[9]


INQUA Distinguished Service Medal recipients [9]

  • 2015: Nathaniel W. Rutter
  • 2019: Marie-France Loutre
  • 2023: Norm Catto

See also

References

  1. ^ "U.S. National Committee for INQUA". National Academy of Sciences (United States). Archived from the original on 5 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b "INQUA, INternational Union for QUAternary Research". International Council for Science (ICSU). Archived from the original on 4 February 2013.
  3. ^ James, L. Allen (1992). "International Union for Quaternary Research". The Professional Geographer. 44 (1): 99–99. doi:10.1111/j.0033-0124.1992.00099.x.
  4. ^ Chairman of the Organizing Committee (XIVINQUA) (1994). "International union for Quaternary research". GeoJournal. 34 (1): 121–127. doi:10.1007/BF00813975.
  5. ^ "About INQUA". INQUA. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  6. ^ "XIX INQUA 2019 Congress". XX INQUA 2019 Dublin, Ireland. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  7. ^ "INQUA Statement On Climate Change" (PDF). INQUA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2008.
  8. ^ INQUA Executive. Archived 7 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e Our organisation > Medals INQUA. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
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