Pan-European geological data, information, and knowledge for a resilient, sustainable, and collaborative future

Abstract

Many fields of research relevant to climate-change-related policy are grounded in geological sciences – far more than is generally recognised by the public or policy makers. These fields include management of marine environments, urban development, groundwater, landslide risk, understanding the geochemistry of soils and water, and securing raw materials. Through the concerted collaborative efforts, over many years, of EuroGeoSurveys – the Geological Surveys of Europe – national datasets bearing on these and other areas have been harmonised at European scale and delivered through an online digital platform, the European Geological Data Infrastructure. This vast store of baseline data, information, and knowledge is crucial for informed pan-European decision making and is considered the core of a future Geological Service for Europe.

Keywords

• data infrastructure
• climate change mitigation and adaptation
• resources
• digital subsurface data
• science–policy interfacing