Environmental geochemistry at the global scale

Land degradation and pollution caused by population pressure and economic d evelopment pose a threat to the sustainability of the Earth's surface, espe cially in tropical regions where a long history of chemical weathering has made the surface environment particularly fragile. Systematic baseline geochemical data provide a means of monitoring the stat e of the environment and identifying problem areas. Regional surveys have a lready been carried out in some countries, and with increased national and international funding they can be extended to cover the rest of the land su rface of the globe. Preparations have been made, under the auspices of the IUGS, for the establishment of just such an integrated global database.