Digital geological information on the composition, properties and dynamics of the subsurface is important for tackling many urgent social and economic challenges facing Europe and the rest of the world. Such challenges include sustainable supply of energy, water, and (rare) mineral resources; mitigation of natural hazards for the health and safety of citizens, storage of hazardous substances (e.g. radioactive waste, contaminants); mitigation of climate change by exploiting renewable energy and storage of greenhouse gases; and addressing conflicting claims on the use of subsurface space.
The objective of this session is to provide a forum to advance collaboration, and facilitate exchange of methods and ideas between those working in different disciplines to discuss the integration and harmonisation of geological information and services to inform ongoing European and global initiatives. There are also links to existing and developing Infrastructures and research infrastructures. In this context international examples are encouraged so best practice and experience can be shared including for example the implementation of INSPIRE specifications. Many of the end-users of geoinformation and services are not from the geoscience domain or are non-scientists so we also encourage papers from other domains and those with real requirements from the geoscience community.
On national, regional and local levels the acquisition, management and delivery of geological data and information is often the responsibility of geological surveys. The increasing importance of geological information for policy and industry at European and international level has recently been recognized by the European Parliament and the European Commission, who have called for the development of a common European geological knowledge base. The EGDI-Scope project responds to this, aiming to prepare for a pan-European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI), under the umbrella of the FP7 Infrastructures program. This session is promoted by EuroGeoSurveys and welcomes submissions from complimentary disciplines.