EMODnet Geology – towards new standards on harmonizing marine geological data of the European seas - and beyond

High-quality maritime spatial planning, coastal zone management, management of marine resources, environmental assessments and forecasting require comprehensive understanding of the seabed. Already in 2008 and in response to these needs the European Commission established the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). The EMODnet concept is to assemble existing but often fragmented and partly inaccessible marine information into harmonized, interoperable, and publicly freely available data layers encompassing whole marine basins. As the data products are free of restrictions on use, the program is supporting any European maritime activities in promotion of sustainable use and management of the European seas.

Now in its fourth phase, the EMODnet-Geology project is delivering integrated geological data products that include seabed substrates, sediment accumulation and seabed erosion rates, seafloor geology including lithology and stratigraphy, Quaternary geology and geomorphology, coastal behavior, geological events such as submarine landslides and earthquakes, marine mineral resources, as well as submerged landscapes of the European continental shelf at various time-frames. All new map products are presented at a scale of 1:100,000 all over or finer but also at coarser scales to ensure maximum areal coverage. Thus partner updates of single-scale products at 1:250,000 and 1:1,000,000 were encouraged and these data products have been uploaded when available. A multi-scale approach is adopted whenever possible.

The EMODnet Geology project is executed by a consortium of 39 partners and subcontractors which core is made up by 23 members of European geological surveys (Eurogeosurveys) backed up by 16 other partner organizations with valuable expertise and data.

The EMODnet concept is, however, not restricted to the European seas only, as also the Caspian and the Caribbean Seas are included in the geographical scope of the EMODnet Geology project, and selected methods were shared with the EMODnet PArtnership for China and Europe (EMOD-PACE) project (2019-2022).

Discover Europe’s seabed geology at: https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/geology