In order to ensure the quality of UNESCO Global Geoparks, they are subject to a thorough revalidation every four years to examine their functioning and quality.

As part of the revalidation process, the UNESCO Global Geopark under review has to prepare:

• a one-page summary of the UNESCO Global Geopark to be submitted to the UNESCO Secretariat one year prior to the revalidation;
• a progress report following a template, self-evaluation and progress evaluation form to be submitted through the official channel three months prior to the field inspection.

A field mission will be undertaken by two evaluators to revalidate the quality of the UNESCO Global Geopark. If, on the basis of the field evaluation report, the UNESCO Global Geopark:

• continues to fulfill the criteria the area will continue as a UNESCO Global Geopark for a further four-year period (so-called “green card”);
• no longer fulfills the criteria, the management body will be informed to take appropriate steps within a two-year period (so-called “yellow card”);
• no longer fulfills the criteria within two years after receiving a “yellow card”, the area will lose its status as a UNESCO Global Geopark (so-called “red card”).

Related documents

• One-page summary template, 1 year prior to revalidation
• Progress report template
• Self-evaluation form
• Progress evaluation form
• 5.6 Revalidation process (in the Operational Guidelines for UNESCO Global Geoparks) (pdf)