Draft version 1.2 beta — Revised March 14, 2026

A Geoethics Primer for Geoscientists

Part 1. Introduction

1.1 Geoscience, Society, and You

Becoming a geoscientist involves significant personal effort and dedication, whether you are a geologist, geophysicist, geochemist, engineering geologist, hydrogeologist, or in a related field. These disciplines require advanced education and hands-on experience to develop expert knowledge and skills.

We who earn the title of geoscientist can be justly proud of our achievement; however, we should not forget that it was made possible through the work and investments of many others. To paraphrase Isaac Newton,¹ you become a geoscientist by standing on the shoulders of giants — your teachers and mentors, pioneers in your field, the institutions dedicated to research and education, the groups and governments that support these institutions, professional and scientific organizations, and society as a whole. All made an investment in the future, and you have taken advantage of that investment.

Society made this investment so that it could benefit from the expertise of geoscientists. It planted the seeds so it could harvest the crop. So, whether you're working independently on geoscience research or applying geoscience to a practical problem for a client or employer, you're also serving the interests of society. You are working in the public interest.

You might describe the goal of your geoscience career as pursuing a profession that allows you to focus on aspects of nature that fascinate you, such as minerals, glaciers, earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, plate tectonics, or (of course) dinosaurs. Perhaps the goal is simply to earn a living — providing the essentials for your family and yourself — while doing something useful. Or you might be focused on gaining wealth, prestige, or power through work as a geoscientist. No matter how you frame your reason for being a geoscientist, you also have an inherent responsibility toward society.

1.2 About This Primer

This brief geoethics primer is a work in progress, subject to further refinement. The primer is meant to augment whatever ethical training you receive in your university education or training from an employer or geoscience society.² It is designed to provide a bit of structure and content to help you develop your understanding of the ethical norms, standards, and constraints that are essential to the practice of geoscience.

This primer has several parts.

1. This introduction.
2. An introduction to common morality as explained by philosopher Bernard Gert. The ancient idea of the common good will also be introduced.
3. Content focusing on the basics of science ethics, including ideas about research misconduct.
4. An overview of ethical codes of conduct established by professional and scientific organizations, academic departments, employers, and governments through their licensing regulations.
   Geoscientists play a crucial role in the extractive industries (oil, gas, coal, uranium, rare earths and other economic minerals, building materials, surface and ground water) and in infrastructure development (for example, helping engineers build dams, drainage systems, roads, tunnels, coastal facilities, and foundations). The high value of these projects and products increases the risk of business pressures that could distort the related geoscience processes. Understanding the ethical norms, standards, and obligations of the geoscience profession, as outlined in published codes of science ethics and geoethics, can strengthen our ability to work ethically in commercial or industrial geoscience.
5. Other issues, including: incompetence; negligence; standards of care and practice; dilemmas arising from conflicting obligations; and the ethical use of AI in geoscience work. 
6. References cited in this web document and a selected bibliography of other published resources that can be useful to you as you develop your ethical knowledge and skills.
7. A glossary comprised of written documents and animated video resources to help you understand the meaning of key concepts and terms.

Studying this Primer and returning to its resources as you progress through your career should be helpful to you in establishing your place in the geosciences community. The focus of this resource is on you. Your focus should be on developing your potential to be a good, competent, and reliable geoscientist. I make this point because it is common for people to learn a few things about ethics and then use that knowledge to judge others harshly. Being humble and focusing on self-improvement is more productive than wasting time judging others.

Judgmentalism tends to alienate you from your community. Ethical behavior strengthens your bond with your community.

1.3 Paramount Obligations

In our professional scientific work, geoscientists have a paramount obligation to act with integrity to...

1. Safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
2. Adhere to the ethical principles, standards, and norms of science to seek and report faithfully on reliable information — truth — about our world.
3. Promote, protect, and sustain the viability and resilience of Earth's ecosystems.

1.4 Note on the Use of AI Assistance

I used AI assistance from Claude (Anthropic), ChatGPT (OpenAI), and Grammarly as tools, but not as authoritative sources, in developing this Primer. Claude and ChatGPT assisted in developing the HTML and CSS codes of the Primer web documents. ChatGPT was also used to help locate relevant sources and check definitions. I followed any useful suggestions of source material by working from the primary documents. The model did not generate or verify factual claims independently. I created the structure of this web resource, wrote the draft text, and revised the text to its current state. Claude, ChatGPT and Grammarly helped me explore alternative phrasings of the draft text. All decisions about organization, interpretation, and final wording are my own. I take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the material presented here.

1.5 Notes and References