Environmental geology:advances and prospects

The greatest difference between environmental geology and other branches of geological sciences lies in that environmental geology studies human activities as a geological agent, which has never been considered before. By orienting itself toward the national economic development, major construction projects and urbanization, environmental geology has developed rapidly. The relationships of climatic change, development of coastal zones, urbanization and groundwater resources with the geoenvironment are of vital importance. Attention should be paid to the study of the regularities of formation and development of geological hazards, especially the study of the interrelation between human engineering activities and natural geological processes. The prevention and control and mass monitoring and prevention of geological hazards will be still the focus of study in a rather long period of time. Only when we continuously serve the society, public and government, raise the role and position of geosciences in environmental protection and assist the public in having a better understanding of envirohmental geology, can we take joint action and make contributions to sustainable development.