During the mid 19th century, the necessity of holding an international congress was strongly felt among the community of geologists in Europe and North America. On occasion of the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science held in Buffalo, New York, USA, in 1875, a committee was formed to consider the organization of an international congress on geology. This committee, composed of leading geoscientists of the time, was later called the Founding Committee of Philadelphia by the French Organizing Committee of the First Session in Paris. The Founding Committee inquired the Geological Society of France on the possibility of organizing an international geological convention on the occasion of the Paris Exposition in 1878. The French Geological Society, under President Tournouër, accepted the request and formed an Organizing Committee chaired by Professor E. Hébert. The Committee persuaded the French Government to provide support for convening an international gathering, and succeeded to host the First International Geological Congress, as one of 32 congresses held by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce in the Trocadero Palace during the Paris Exposition, with 310 members from 23 countries in attendance.
Since then, 35 congresses have been hosted by more than 21 countries throughout the world at 3-to 5-year intervals.
The International Geological Congress (IGC) is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization whose meetings are held in collaboration with, and under sponsorship of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). IUGS holds its General Assemblies in conjunction with Sessions of the IGC. The main purpose of the Congress is to encourage the advancement of fundamental and applied research in the Earth sciences world-wide.​