EUROPE IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT: EUROGEO AND THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY AND EUROPEAN GEOGRAPHERS

Abstract

EUROGEO is the European Association of Geographers created in 1979, so in 2019 we have celebrated its 40th anniversary. In 2020 geographers celebrate the bicentennial of the foundation of the first Chair of Geography at the University of Berlin. In 2021, the bicentennialcreation of the first geographical society in Paris, and in 2022 the centennial of the establishment of the International Geographical Union. Geography is a relative young scientific discipline. For a long a time, there has been a discussion about its scientific status, the diversity of paradigms or national research schools. Despite several voices arguing the end of geography
or burring the lines of the discipline, among other reasons because of the revolution of geospatial information, this paper claims that geography is more important today than ever and geography is fashionable. Geography is essential for education and for environment, but also for society, economics and politics: globalization, sustainable development, climate change and technology are at the forefront of the world and European challenges. So, geographer’s international contributions –like EUROGEO does- are also essential to have the better understanding of the present context and to help problem solving and decision-making.