This general session of the Energy, Resources and the Environment (ERE) division provides an overview of its multi- and interdisciplinarity, which is essential to tackle challenges of the future. Beside others, this is to provide adequate and reliable supplies of affordable energy and other (geo-)resources, obtained in environmentally sustainable ways, which is the basis for economic prosperity, environmental quality and political stability. This session also features contributions of general interest within the ERE community, which are not covered by other ERE sessions. Aim of this session is to provide an overview of topics within the ERE domain, in particular for colleagues affiliated mainly with other divisions, who are interested in topics within ERE.

This session aims to combine two pertinent topics to address the long-term mitigation of climate change through the removal and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while also implementing strategies to conserve the environment and enhance biodiversity.

The first topic focuses on the environmental and socio-economic implications of low-carbon energy transitions.
Over the last decade, the transition towards low-carbon and renewable energy systems has accelerated significantly around the world to meet internationally agreed climate change targets through the reduction of GHG emissions from the energy sector. This has precipitated expansive land use or environmental change, with subsequent impacts on biodiversity and related ecosystem processes and services.
The aim is to pool environmental, technological, or societal research and gather new evidence and insights from around the world on the effects of low-carbon energy transitions on the environment.

The second topic deals with carbon emissions/removals estimates under Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF), with an emphasis on field measurements, remote sensing and modelling.
LULUCF is the only sector in national GHG inventories that accounts for carbon (C) removals. Therefore, it has been recognised as crucial for reaching long-term climate change mitigation objectives.
The aim is to provide an extensive overview of different methodological approaches that can be used for national scale estimates and highlight some of the main issues regarding data integration and model calibration and validation processes.

The conservation, protection, and fruition of cultural heritage are closely related to the environmental setting and its variability. Historical objects, structures, and sites worldwide interact with a broad diversity of environments, on the surface (outdoors or indoors), underground, or underwater. As the characteristics of the Earth’s systems vary in space and time, also in view of climate change, so does the behavior of the materials shaping the cultural assets.
This session addresses the interaction between cultural heritage and the environment from the interdisciplinary perspective of geosciences, which represent a valuable support for investigating the properties and durability of the component materials (e.g., stones, ceramics, mortars, pigments, glasses, and metals); their vulnerability and changes in weathering dynamics; the influence of key environmental variables associated with climate, microclimate, and composition of air, waters, and soils; the impact of global warming, sea level rise, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events; the techniques and products to improve conservation practices; and the adaptation measures for heritage protection. This session welcomes contributions with an explicit and direct connection with environmental issues and questions. The possible research approaches include but are not limited to field and laboratory analysis and testing; damage assessment, observation, and simulation; modeling of decay and risk scenarios; strategies of monitoring and remote investigation; hardware/software design for collecting and processing environmental databases.

Humanity faces the grand challenge of providing an affordable, safe, stable, and nutritious food supply to a growing and more affluent population in a sustainable and resilient manner. In addition, water scarcity is expected to intensify in the coming years threatening the sustainability of food production and water-related systems. Agri-food system actors - including policymakers, corporations, farmers, traders, and consumers - must meet these challenges while considering potentially conflicting priorities, such as environmental sustainability and water shortage, economic viability, nutritional balance and quality, social equity, and adaptation to environmental extremes and other shocks. Especially, the degradation of conventional water resources (surface water and groundwater) are making the water sector look for alternative sources of water supply. Non-conventional techniques are increasingly being used as an integral part of a long-term water resources strategy.
In this session, we welcome submissions that analyse i) food system solutions and their trade-offs or synergies between or within environmental, economic, and health; ii) the role and use of non-conventional water including technological innovations, public perception, and policy and institutional mechanisms; iii) implications of transformations for food system components in the face of the challenge risen by environmental and/or climate change. The session will include studies providing quantitative methods for assessing multiple environmental, economic or social dimensions, and qualitative methods including in-depth interviews, focus groups, case studies.

The importance of resilient ecosystems has been addressed by their diversity and increasing anthropogenic pressures. Under climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants affect ecosystems and material cycles such as energy, water, carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients. These lead to many disasters and conflicts among decision-makers in dealing with the development, restoration, and conservation of ecosystems, resulting in imbalances in the water, food, and energy nexus within agricultural and natural ecosystems. Therefore, we need to understand the mechanisms of current material cycles in ecosystems, promote adaptation to pressures and enhance resilience capacity and ecosystem services to reduce related GHG emissions. This session aims to understand the current capacity of resilient ecosystems, share cutting-edge case studies, and further develop the understanding of systems analysis for ecosystem material cycles. This session also covers all aspects of adaptation of agricultural and natural ecosystems to climate change and pollution, including plant-level, field-level, and ecosystem-level methodologies for adaptation.

Geoscience underpins many aspects of the energy mix that fuels our planet and offers a range of solutions for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions as the world progresses towards net zero. The aim of this session is to explore and develop the contribution of geology, geophysics and petrophysics to the development of sustainable energy resources in the transition to low-carbon energy. The meeting will be a key forum for sharing geoscientific aspects of energy supply as earth scientists grapple with the subsurface challenges of remaking the world’s energy system, balancing competing demands in achieving a low carbon future.
Papers should show the use of any technology that was initially developed for use in conventional oil and gas industries, and show it being applied to either sustainable energy developments or to CCS, subsurface waste disposal or water resources.
Relevant topics include but are not limited to:
1. Exploration & appraisal of the subsurface aspects of geothermal, hydro and wind resources.
2. Appraisal & exploration of developments needed to provide raw materials for solar energy, electric car batteries and other rare earth elements needed for the modern digital society.
3. The use of reservoir modelling, 3D quantification and dynamic simulation for the prediction of subsurface energy storage.
4. The use of reservoir integrity cap-rock studies, reservoir modelling, 3D quantification and dynamic simulation for the development of CCS locations.
5. Quantitative evaluation of porosity, permeability, reactive transport & fracture transport at subsurface radioactive waste disposal sites.
6. The use of petrophysics, geophysics and geology in wind-farm design.
7. The petrophysics and geomechanical aspects of geothermal reservoir characterisation and exploitation including hydraulic fracturing.
Suitable contributions can address, but are not limited to:
A. Field testing and field experimental/explorational approaches aimed at characterizing an energy resource or analogue resources, key characteristics, and behaviours.
B. Laboratory experiments investigating the petrophysics, geophysics, geology as well as fluid-rock-interactions.
C. Risk evaluations and storage capacity estimates.
D. Numerical modelling and dynamic simulation of storage capacity, injectivity, fluid migration, trapping efficiency and pressure responses as well as simulations of geochemical reactions.
E. Hydraulic fracturing studies.
F. Geo-mechanical/well-bore integrity studies.

Geo-electromagnetic methods encompass a diverse range, including natural source magnetotelluric, time-domain, and frequency-domain controlled source EM, as well as DC resistivity and Induced Polarization. Their unique sensitivities to the Earth's electric properties span scales from mere meters near the surface to depths reaching tens or even hundreds of kilometers. These methods effectively characterize the subsurface, revealing information on fluid distribution, mineral presence, tectonic activities, and even man-made structures.

While geo-electromagnetic methods have long been pivotal in resource exploration, the emerging challenges of our time—ranging from energy transitions and climate change to urban resilience—open new avenues for applied geo-electromagnetic research. The ability of geo-electromagnetic methods to detect specific geological units and processes proves crucial in understanding and addressing these contemporary challenges.

This session is envisioned as an annual showcase for the geo-electromagnetic community, highlighting advancements and discoveries in the field. We warmly invite insightful contributions from all areas of geo-electromagnetic research, encompassing methodological innovations, observational discoveries, theoretical perspectives, and case studies. Specifically, we especially welcome submissions that spotlight innovative applications of EM, whether through cutting-edge instrumentation, unique settings, or areas of strategic significance.

Governments increasingly recognize the importance of reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas supply chain as part of a comprehensive climate strategy. Emissions originate from a large variety and number of sources within the supply chain from upstream production, midstream processing and storage or transfer to downstream refining and distribution. Recent advances in emissions detection technology have led scientists to gather spatially and temporally dense data on methane emissions from oil and gas operations along the entire supply chain using various sensors and platforms. This session focuses on methane emissions data collected by innovative methane detection and quantification approaches. Specifically, we are interested in stationary (continuous monitoring systems) and mobile (truck, UAV, plane, and satellite) systems that detect emissions at all stages of the supply chain (production, processing, transmission, and distribution) at varying space and time scales. These studies can focus on improving emissions inventories, demonstrate field performance, analyze the effectiveness of leak detection and repair programs, develop insights on temporal characteristics, or bridge bottom-up top-down gaps in the literature. We are also interested in studies that compare technology performance across platforms and studies that demonstrate practical applications of monitoring and survey methods to mitigate gas migration risks and/or reduce climate impacts.

The effects of climate change highlight the importance of developing a resilient design approach for buildings, both in dense urban areas and rural communities. Nature-based solutions (NBSs) can help in this as an adaptation measure, providing multiple benefits at building scale. Increasing the applications of green walls and green-blue roofs can reduce heat stress, improve rainwater and wastewater management and drive the communities towards the concept of circular economy and self-subsistence.

This session aims to share and discuss the most recent advances in NBSs that increase building resilience and sustainability in the urban environment. Therefore, we aim for a session including researchers from different fields such as engineering and architecture, natural sciences such as microclimatology and meteorology, and social/psychological science. We encourage also those involved in policymaking to submit a contribution, to have an integrated approach to buildings development.

Our focus will primarily be on solutions that not only improve routine building management but also make meaningful contributions to the mitigation s of extreme events, like extreme urban heat stress (UHI/heat events) or extreme precipitation events and local flooding. Submissions may include (but not restricted to) contributions on:

- Laboratory, field measurements and numerical modelling studies (like microclimatic or hydrodynamic simulations) on green walls and green-blue roofs and other NBSs for rainwater management, wastewater treatment, thermal control, edible vegetation production, energy production
- Qualitative research like user- or agent-based approaches that investigate the potentials and effects of NBSs for climate change adaptation and improving thermal comfort, and further challenges of the water-energy nexus on this small/building scale.
- Urban areas mapping (e.g. GIS applications) or modelling for buildings urban management (BIM applications)
- Investment and cost return of NBS application to buildings
- Life-Cycle-Assessment (LCA) analysis
- Quantitative analysis on possible sanitary risks innovative wastewater treatment and reuse solutions at local scale
- Buildings retrofitting projects or real-scale applications
- NBS social acceptance

In essence, our session aims to explore the multifaceted aspects of NBSs in the context of building resilience, with particular emphasis on their impact, feasibility, and sustainability.

Hydroclimatic conditions and availability of water resources in space and time constitute important factors for maintaining adequate food supply, the quality of the environment, and the welfare of citizens and inhabitants, in the context of a post-pandemic sustainable growth and economic development. This session is designed to explore the impacts of hydroclimatic variability, climate change, and temporal and spatial availability of water resources on different factors, such as food production, population health, environment quality, and local ecosystem welfare.
We particularly welcome submissions on the following topics:
• Complex inter-linkages between hydroclimatic conditions, food production, and population health, including: extreme weather events, surface and subsurface water resources, surface temperatures, and their impacts on food security, livelihoods, and water- and food-borne illnesses in urban and rural environments.
• Quantitative assessment of surface-water and groundwater resources, and their contribution to agricultural system and ecosystem statuses.
• Spatiotemporal modeling of the availability of water resources, flooding, droughts, and climate change, in the context of water quality and usage for food production, agricultural irrigation, and health impacts over a wide range of spatiotemporal scales.
• Smart infrastructure for water usage, reduction of water losses, irrigation, environmental and ecological health monitoring, such as development of advanced sensors, remote sensing, data collection, and associated modeling approaches.
• Modelling tools for organizing integrated solutions for water supply, precision agriculture, ecosystem health monitoring, and characterization of environmental conditions.
• Water re-allocation and treatment for agricultural, environmental, and health related purposes.
• Impact assessment of water-related natural disasters, and anthropogenic forcing (e.g. inappropriate agricultural practices, and land usage) on the natural environment (e.g. health impacts from water and air, fragmentation of habitats, etc.)

Chemistry and aerosols play a major role in determining surface air quality, the Earth’s energy budget, and climate change. Conversely, climate change affects atmospheric abundances of trace gases and aerosols through composition-climate interactions. This session focuses on these interactions with a particular emphasis on the impacts of a move to a hydrogen economy.

Hydrogen has been suggested as a promising candidate for decarbonizing various sectors, such as transportation, industry and energy production in a transition to a low-carbon society. A hydrogen economy presents opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change, but it also poses significant challenges and has many associated uncertainties. Although hydrogen is not a greenhouse gas itself, leakages to the atmosphere lead to impacts on other greenhouse gases and aerosols. The atmospheric hydrogen budget is uncertain. This is mainly because of uncertainties in its largest sink, uptake by microbes in soils, but many other source and sink terms are also not well known. This session welcomes contributions to better understand the hydrogen budget and the potential impacts of widening hydrogen use, including through: using observations; quantification of the indirect climate effects from hydrogen emissions on methane, ozone, stratospheric water vapour and aerosols; measurements and quantification of hydrogen leakages; and scenarios of possible future hydrogen economies, including the associated co-benefits of reducing fossil fuel emissions for the climate and environment.

Transitioning our food systems to become more sustainable requires a quantitative and integrative understanding linking agricultural practices and impacts. A further requirement is a capacity to monitor the performance of farms in achieving biodiversity and climate objectives. Agricultural policies require such monitoring to track progress towards their environmental goals, including nature restoration.

In this session, we invite contributions that focus on quantitative evaluation, indicators, and sustainability assessment frameworks for monitoring purposes. This includes novel methods that for example gather in-situ data through citizen science, use farm management information systems, surveys, or use remote sensing to observe changes in farm management and environment including landscape and biodiversity. Modelling approaches that evaluate trade-offs with food production, quantification of agroecosystem services, GHG accounting, and methodologies for carbon farming certification schemes in cropland and grassland are also welcome.

Contributions can be at different levels, from pixels to parcels, from farms to landscapes, and from regions to continents. Linking these levels is relevant in order to relate individual farm measures to (inter)national policy objectives.

Climate change represents one of the defining societal challenges of the 21st century. However, the response to this challenge remains largely inadequate across the board. Adaptation or mitigation measures taken by countries or companies fall short of what is required to ensure a safe and healthy life for populations around the globe, both today and in the future. The shortfall in climate action has led to a sharp increase in climate lawsuits globally, either to receive compensation for suffered climate damages or to force decision makers to commit to the necessary emissions reductions. In this session, we invite contributions that help bridge the communication gap between science and law in the courtroom. Contributions can include outreach or communication efforts, new scientific methods that can support legal efforts, and inter- and transdisciplinary perspectives on how to integrate geoscience insights in litigation. We also welcome contributions that reflect on how questions of climate change and impact attribution, responsibility, human rights, and burden sharing of efforts can be effectively translated across disciplinary boundaries.

Geoscience knowledge and practices are essential for effectively navigating the complexities of the modern world. They play a critical role in addressing urgent global challenges on a planetary scale (including, climate change and its social, humanitarian, and health impacts), informing decision-making processes and guiding education at all levels. However, the response to these challenges remains largely inadequate across the board.
By equipping both citizens and the wider societal stakeholders with the necessary knowledge background, geosciences empower them to engage in meaningful discussions, shape policies, contribute to reduce inequities and injustice, and implement solutions for local, regional, and global social-environmental problems. Within this broad scope, geoethics strives to establish a shared ethical framework that guides geoscientists’ engagement with sensitive and significant issues concerning the interaction between geoscience and society.
This session will cover a variety of topics, including theoretical and practical aspects of geoethics, ethical issues in professional practice, climate and ocean education, geoscience communication, and strategies for bridging the gap between geosciences and society.
This session is co-sponsored by the International Association for Promoting Geoethics, the Commission on Geoethics of the International Union of Geological Sciences and the Chair on Geoethics of the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (www.geoethics.org).

Wind and solar power are the predominant new sources of electrical power in recent years. Several countries or regions regularly exceed 100% of variable renewable energy in their grids. By their very nature, wind and solar power, as well as hydro, tidal, wave and other renewable forms of generation are dependent on weather and climate. Modelling and measurement for resource assessment, site selection, long-term and short term variability analysis and operational forecasting for horizons ranging from minutes to decades are of paramount importance.
The success of wind power means that wind turbines are increasingly put in sites with complex terrain or forests, with towers extending beyond the strict logarithmic profile, and in offshore regions that are difficult to model and measure. Major challenges for solar power are notably accurate measurements and the short-term prediction of the spatiotemporal evolution of the effects of cloud field and aerosols. Planning and meteorology challenges in Smart Cities are common for both.
For both solar and wind power, the integration of large amounts of renewable energy into the grid is another critical research problem due to the uncertainties linked to their forecast and to patterns of their spatio-temporal variabilities.
We invite contributions on all aspects of weather dependent renewable power generation, e.g.:
• Wind conditions (both resources, siting conditions and loads) on short and long time scales for wind power development.
• Long term analysis of inter-annual variability of solar and wind resource
• Typical Meteorological Year and probability of exceedance for wind and solar power development,
• Wind and solar resource and atlases.
• Wake effect models and measurements, especially for large wind farms and offshore.
• Performance and uncertainties of forecasts of renewable power at different time horizons and in different external conditions.
• Forecast of extreme wind events and wind ramps.
• Local, regional and global impacts of renewable energy power plants or of large-scale integration.
• Dedicated wind measurement techniques (SODARS, LIDARS, UAVs etc.).
• Dedicated solar measurement techniques (pyranometric sensors, sun-photometer, ceilometer, fish-eye cameras, etc.) from ground-based and space-borne remote sensing.
• Tools for urban area renewable energy supply strategic planning and control.
Other related topics will be considered by the conveners.

This session addresses spatial and temporal modelling of renewable energy systems, both in a prospective as well as in a retrospective manner. Therefore, contributions which model the characteristics of future renewable energy systems are equally welcome as contributions which assess the characteristics of the past performance of renewable energies. Session contributions may reach from purely climate based assessments of simulated renewable generation time series, over assessments of land use to full energy system models used to better understand energy systems with high shares of renewables.

Studies may for instance:
Show the spatial and temporal variability of renewable energy sources, including resource droughts and complementarity between technologies and locations
Assess the resilience of energy systems to weather and climate extreme events, with a focus on infrastructure and resource adequacy
Derive scenarios for the spatial allocation of renewable energies based on climatic, technical, economic, or social criteria
Assess past spatial deployment patterns of renewables
Assess past impacts on land cover and land-use, including impacts on biodiversity and other environmental indicators
Explore and quantify impacts of wind and solar PV power deployment on the social and natural environment in a spatially explicit way
Derive integrated scenarios of energy systems with high shares of renewables (Including systems from the local scale e.g. in form of local Energy Communities to the national or continental scale).

The objective of the session is to provide an insight into recent advances in the field of renewable energy system modeling. The session welcomes research dedicated to climatic and technical issues, environmental impact assessments, and policy-making, forecasting and real time applications concerning renewable energy systems.

Pumped Hydropower Storage (PHS) already provides significant contributions to flexibly storing excess energy from intermittent renewable sources and the electric grid in the context of the energy transition to renewable sources.
The objective of the PHS sub-session is to determine the potentials for a further development and expansion of PHS applications by:
• Integration and hybridisation of intermittent renewable energy sources with PHS
• Potentials for reusing and modernising existing facilities in the water sector, existing reservoirs and sea water plants, open-pit and underground mines
• Concepts for rural and decentralised PHS implementation
• Environmental and social impacts of PHS resulting from its integration with new conceptual approaches
• Additional social and environmental benefits of PHS, including irrigation and drinking water provision, flood and drought risk management, etc.
• Economic drivers and market-dependent requirements for additional benefits and to increase technology export potentials
• Impacts of climate change on the availability of water and the technological mitigation of reservoir volume losses due to sedimentation and evaporation
• Legal considerations and accelerating approval processes
• Attraction of young professionals to maintain engineering knowledge

Energy system modelling (ESM) is a critical tool for understanding and optimizing the complex interactions within modern energy systems. EMS provides framework and modelling techniques to analyses the intricate interplay between various energy sources, system infrastructure, technologies, and policies.

The ESM sub-session aims to explore the significance of EMS in facilitating sustainable energy transitions by discussing:
- Key components and areas of energy system modelling, including integrating renewable sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric power, and geothermal combined with energy storage, small-scale energy generation technologies, and grid management systems.
- Various modelling techniques, from optimization and simulation to scenario analysis, including forecasting energy demand, evaluating infrastructure requirements, and assessing the effects of policy interventions.
- The role of stakeholders in the energy system modelling process, from modelling framing and data collection to influences on modelling analysis and selection of modelling parameters.

A worldwide transition towards “Net zero” requires electrification of diverse sectors over the coming decades. In addition to replacing existing fossil fuel-fired power plants with low-carbon energy resources, especially wind, solar and hydropower, additional capacity will need to be added. Renewable resources vary at a wide range of time scales, from minute-wise, seasonal, to interannual. Different variabilities and their spatio-temporal distribution can have their specific impacts on renewable energy systems, day-to-day operation, strategic planning and the design of “Net zero” pathways. In a changing climate, the availability patterns of renewable energy resources on various timescales are expected to change. Furthermore, considerable uncertainty underlies prediction of long-term changes in the spatio-temporal patterns of renewable resources. While energy demand often has daily and seasonal patterns that also depends on weather, this is also subject to variability and change. Given that the balance between demand and generation of electricity must always be maintained for grid reliability, there is a critical need for interdisciplinary dialogue between the climate science community and energy modeling research groups to explore renewable resource variability, in present and future scenarios, and resulting challenges for electricity grid management worldwide. It is important to identify critical challenges associated with balancing the demand and renewable generation, as well as identify methods and opportunities to address the challenges in the context of a wide range of uncertainties.

Studies may include (but are not limited to):

• Different ways to address the present seasonality of renewable resources and their expected changes in the future
• Uncertainties associated with future resource availability patterns
• Balancing of demand and supply of energy in present and future using different techniques such as bulk energy storage, maintaining an excess of wind-solar capacity, and demand-side management
• Economics and policy implications of the methods to maintain grid reliability
• Spatio-temporal complementarity between the availability patterns of different renewable energy resources
• Methods to maximize techno-economic synergies between different renewable resources and their hybridisation in the context of variability
• Data needs from climate science based modelling, to advance understanding of renewable energy sources

Clean-Energy Transition is a central concept to energy and climate policies, and in this context the need for geothermal resources utilization is accelerating. Geothermal energy can be extracted from different, often complex, geological settings (e.g., fractured crystalline rock, magmatic systems, or sedimentary basins). Current advancements also target unconventional systems (e.g., enhanced geothermal systems, super-hot, pressurized and co-produced, super-critical systems) besides conventional hydrothermal systems. Optimizing investments leads also to the development of associated resources such as lithium, rare earth elements and hydrogen.

Such a variety of conditions requires a joint effort for understanding and modelling geological systems that are specific to each resource. The ssustainable use of geothermal resources requires an advanced understanding of the properties of the entire system at every stage of geothermal field development. This includes but it is not limited to geophysical properties, thermo-/petro-physical conditions, fluid composition, structural and hydrological features, and engineering considerations. The main challenges faced are, among others, exploration of blind systems, reservoir stimulation, environmental concerns, induced seismicity, multiphase fluid and scaling processes, monitoring.
The integration of analogue field studies with real-life production data, from industrial as well as research sites, and with numerical models, is a hot topic worldwide. We aim to gather field, laboratory and numerical experts who focus their research on geothermal sites, to stimulate discussion in this multidisciplinary applied research field. We encourage contributions from experts from a broad range of disciplines such as (hydro)geologists, geochemists, (geo)physicists, surface and subsurface engineers. The aim of this session is to gather inputs focusing on the interplay between different approaches. We welcome contributions from different research areas ranging from field data collection and analysis to laboratory experiments (e.g., geophysical surveys, structural characterization, geomechanical, geochemical experiments), and from data management and organization to numerical modeling.

The session welcomes contributions about shallow geothermal energy applications, including traditional closed- and open-loop borehole heat exchangers as well as so-called energy geostructures.
Different types of analysis and approaches are relevant to this session aiming to engage discussions on successful and less successful experiences at different scales:
Small scale (system): spanning from the evaluation of ground thermal properties to the mapping of shallow geothermal potential or local thermal interferences, from energy storage and innovative materials to sustainability issues and consequences of the geothermal energy use, from the design of new heat exchangers and installation techniques to the energy and thermo-(hydro-) mechanical performance of energy geostructures (e.g. thermo-active foundations, walls, tunnels).
Large scale (city or larger): the sustainability of subsurface water and energy resources may be jeopardized by human activities as well as by climate change. Relevant studies in densely urbanized areas unraveling the impact on/by groundwater characteristics may include: 1) monitoring evidence of physical-chemical-biological changes associated with subsurface warming, 2) elucidate interactions between shallow geothermal systems (and other heating sources), 3) assessment of the potential and sustainability of shallow geothermal energy at the city scale.
Contributions based on experimental, analytical, numerical modelling and artificial intelligence techniques are welcome as well as interventions about legislative and social-economic aspects.

This session focuses on the investigation of deep geothermal reservoirs in any geological environment including sedimentary basins to crystalline basement rocks. The targets encompass hydrothermal, petrothermal, enhanced geothermal, and close loop systems. We particularly welcome contributions related to reservoir exploration, monitoring and operation in fractured and faulted reservoirs, including the assessment of their sustainable usage as well as of potential hazards such as induced seismicity. This session features multi-disciplinary and cross-scale studies characterizing the reservoir performance and behavior by additional experimental and numerical analysis of related THMC processes.

This session spotlights the innovative intersection of geothermal energy and carbon dioxide utilization, specifically focusing on the emerging concept of using subsurface CO2 for energy extraction in so-called CO2 Plume Geothermal (CPG) systems that are added on to CCS operations.

We invite submissions on a wide range of topics regarding subsurface CO2 energy extraction schemes and in particular CPG technologies, which includes but are not limited to:

Numerical modeling: Presentations exploring numerical modeling of CO2-based geothermal power systems. This encompasses approaches involving reservoir model, wellbore model, and surface facility model, along with integrated surface-subsurface modeling and techno-economics modeling. Case studies and optimization applications using these models are also of interest.

Power Plant Design: Engaging discussions on strategies for designing and operating geothermal power plants with carbon dioxide utilization. This includes heat extraction schemes, the integration of turbines for carbon dioxide, and innovative heat-to-power conversion technologies.

Policy and Regulatory Challenges: Exploration of the policy and regulatory landscape pertaining to geothermal energy coupled with carbon dioxide utilization and sequestration. Analysis of incentives, permits, and environmental considerations will be of particular interest.

Economics: Insights into the economic viability and market trends of geothermal energy projects that incorporate geothermal carbon dioxide utilization. This could involve economic assessments, financial incentives, and potential revenue streams.

We also welcome contributions to carbon-dioxide based Enhanced Geothermal Systems (CO2-EGS) and work at the intersection between CO2-EGS and CPG. Contributions on using CO2 in a secondary power loop (i.e., binary geothermal power system) instead of organic fluids and comparisons to the performance of ORCs are also welcome, i.e., even when water is the subsurface (primary) power loop fluid.

Urban Boundary Layer (UBL) Dynamics is determined by city morphology, latent and sensible heat fluxes (including anthropogenic heat), and interactions with rural surroundings. The physical processes in such UBLs are characterized by great strong spatial and temporal heterogeneity, and have the potential to affect societally relevant issues like human thermal comfort, air quality, aviation operations and energy supply.
The goal of this session is to highlight research work and promote discussions on this often underrepresented aspect of urban meteorology and climatology. Hence, we invite and encourage contributions on the following topics:

- Numerical modeling of urban boundary layer dynamics at all scales (from regional to street level)
- Observational methods in the UBL: field campaigns and remote sensing (e.g., flux towers, LIDAR, drones)
- Wind tunnel experiments
- Interaction between local circulations (e.g., UHIC, thermal circulation in complex terrain, sea/lake breeze) and the built environment
- Role of turbulent fluxes and impact of turbulence on wind flow
- Intra-canopy and canyon ventilation
- Impact of urban vegetation (e.g., street trees) on wind flow
- Urban air quality (e.g., pollutant transport and dispersion)
- Urban wind energy potential

Groundwater's strategic importance for water, energy, and food security is growing in the face of ongoing environmental changes. It is crucial to observe and correctly interpret ongoing subsurface groundwater storage and energy transfers in the currently rapidly changing environment, in order to sustainably manage groundwater resources. For example, time-series of groundwater temperature on decadal timescales observed in piezometers provide a record of subsurface changes that have led to an improved understanding of hydrogeological processes. While such observations can be incidental and provide important insights, dedicated observatories (e.g., LTER sites; https://lternet.edu) of subsurface change (water and energy) do provide more robust, long-term, spatially detailed information on groundwater resources, to enable in-depth studies to be carried out, land-use changes to be taken into account. While observations in ad-hoc settings and at observatories can be used to understand subsurface change on the local to regional scale and over decadal to centennial timescales, a phenomenon like offshore freshened groundwater, increasingly looked as a source for potable fresh water in arid coastal zones, can only be properly understood in the context of continental scale processes over millennial time-scales.
This session aims to illustrate this diversity in subsurface observations of water and energy transport processes in aquifer systems, especially in the context of changing climate and environmental conditions. This includes extreme short-lived events such as heatwaves, floods, and droughts, but also impacts of climate change and glaciation. These events can have a significant impact on aquifer functioning and deserve special attention to understand the resilience of the aquifer. We seek contributions on advances in the characterization of subsurface flow processes based on field observations and on-site experiments possibly combined with modelling approaches. The analysis of groundwater issues related to the consequences of anthropogenic activities is of particular interest. Studies that explore innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to quantify water and energy transfers, are also welcomed. This session is partly organized through a community effort support by the COST action OFFSOURCE (https://off-source.eu/).

Hydropower is a mature and cost-competitive renewable energy source, which helps stabilize fluctuations between energy demand and supply. The structural and operational differences between hydropower systems and renewable energy farms may require changes in the way hydropower facilities operate to provide balancing, reserves or energy storage. Yet, non-power constraints on hydropower systems, such as water supply, flood control, conservation, recreation, and navigation may affect the ability of hydropower to adjust and support the integration of renewables. Holistic approaches that may span a range of spatial and temporal scales are needed to evaluate hydropower opportunities and support a successful integration maintaining a resilient and reliable power grid. In particular, there is a need to better understand and predict spatio-temporal dynamics between climate, hydrology, and power systems.

This session solicits academics and practitioners contributions that explore the use of hydropower and storage technologies to support the transition to low-carbon electricity systems. We specifically encourage interdisciplinary teams of hydrologists, meteorologists, power system engineers, and economists to present case studies and discuss collaboration with environmental and energy policymakers.

Questions of interest include:
- Prediction of water availability and storage capabilities for hydropower production
- Prediction and quantification of the space-time dependences and the positive/negative feedback between wind/solar energies, water cycle and hydropower
- Energy, land use and water supply interactions during transitions
- Policy requirements or climate strategies needed to manage and mitigate risks in the transition
- Energy production impacts on ecosystems such as hydropeaking effects on natural flow regimes.

This session has the support of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) which established the joint program “Hydropower” to facilitate research, promote hydropower and enable sustainable electricity production. Further information can be found here:
https://www.eera-set.eu/eera-joint-programmes-jps/list-of-jps/hydropower/

Storage of energy (e.g., hydrogen, heat) and carbon dioxide in subsurface geological formations is of key importance in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy relying on renewables-based power and heat generation. The suitability of subsurface storage sites depends on hydromechanical properties of the reservoir and its confining units, and integrity of seals due to induced thermal, mechanical, hydraulic and chemical changes. Secure subsurface storage, as well as public acceptance of key enabling technologies, requires abundant geological knowledge, routine monitoring and sound evaluation of potential risks. This session offers a platform for interdisciplinary scientific exchanges between different branches of storage expertise, and aims to address challenges concerning the storage of fluids in geological reservoirs from core- to field-scale. This session invites submissions encompassing theoretical analyses, laboratory experiments, numerical modeling and field testing in advancing understanding of multiple physics involved in subsurface storage. Case studies and operational projects integrating different elements of the storage chain, as well as field projects focusing on geological energy/carbon storage, are particularly welcome.

Relevant topics include:
• Regional and local characterization of storage formations, caprocks, and fault structures, and their short- and long-term physical and chemical behaviour during injection and storage operations
• Evaluation of existing infrastructure and fluid injection strategies for effective subsurface storage
• Geophysical, geomechanical and geochemical monitoring and measurements for safe and cost-efficient storage
• Coupling of different energy storage types in a carbon-neutral power system
• Heat exchange systems, including aquifer thermal energy storage systems
• Techno-economics and public perception of energy storage systems


Suitable contributions can address, but are not limited to:
• Field monitoring techniques and fit-for-purpose testing technologies aimed at characterizing storage sites and behaviour of injected fluids
• Laboratory experiments investigating fluid-rock interactions
• Evaluation of caprock and fault stability and wellbore integrity, and associated leakage potential and induced seismicity
• Numerical modelling of migration, containment and geochemical reactions of injected fluids, and injectivity and pressure response of reservoirs

Geoscience knowledge is essential to investigate safety requirements to construct a geological or surface disposal facility for radioactive waste in a specific selected site. Safety requirements include i) isolation of the nuclear waste from humans and the accessible biosphere, ii) containment by retention and retardation of contaminants, iii) limited water flow to the geo-engineered facility and iv) long-term geological stability of the site. For this reason, in this session, relevant topics included, but not limited, are:
• Constraints on kinetics of rock-water interactions under ambient/elevated temperature, through data-model comparison
• Constraints on flow and transport in host rocks, soils and surrounding aquifers through groundwater dating and tracing of natural study cases
This session is a forum for discussing challenging issues faced by geoscientists including:
• Thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes with implications on radionuclide migration and barrier performance
• Studies related to radionuclides migration through the multi-barrier system and radionuclide-rock interaction
• Water-rock interactions, flow and transport studies in hydro(geo)logical site characterization
• Characterization of natural and repository-induced bio-geo-chemical effects
• Linking hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere in long-term evolution studies, including determining the rate of internal and external geodynamic processes and their effect on various sub-compartments of the disposal system (e.g., permafrost phenomenology, erosion, landscape evolution)
• Studies dealing with the performance of soil covers as (hydraulic) barriers for surface disposal through analyzing natural soil profiles in relevant pedological and hydro(geo)logical settings
• Development of new methodologies for site characterization and monitoring
• Climate change and its effect on groundwater flow and composition
• Data digitalization/management and parameter collection
Contributions on the above topics can include all aspects covering lab-scale experimentation, large-scale experiments in underground research laboratories, observation of natural analogues, physics- and data-driven modelling and code development. In this context, natural analogues are particular relevant in upscaling data (in space and time) obtained on laboratory and/or underground research laboratories (URL’s) and as such test future scenarios of long-term evolution.

The successful implementation of safe deep geological disposal of nuclear waste and other long-lived waste is one of the currently most pressing environmental challenges in several countries worldwide. Site investigation and selection are primarily geoscientific tasks that require interdisciplinary collaboration of different disciplines, like geophysics, hydrogeology, (hydro-)geochemistry, mineralogy, geomechanics, material science, and geological as well as THMC modelling. The geoscientific information will then, together with other lines of evidence, be used in order to investigate performance and safety of disposal facilities.

As is the case for other subsurface technologies, barrier integrity is a crucial aspect for such assessment of nuclear waste disposal. Numerical simulations, in conjunction with experimental studies are an integral part of safety and environmental-impact assessment concepts. Reliable comparative analyses of potential technological options require coupled THMC models capturing the particularities of each rock type and associated repository concept. Structural as well as process complexity are often met by data scarcity and variability, necessitating the treatment of uncertainties and variability.
The session provides a platform for the exchange on the following topics.
- The THMC characterization of materials in natural or engineered barriers in lab- or field-scale experiments
- Hydro-mechanical behaviour of materials with extreme hydraulic properties (e.g. low permeability, high suction) and ranging from ductile viscopolastic salt rocks to quasibrittle fractured rock masses
- Hydraulic and chemical behaviour of geologic and geotechnical barriers
- Computational methods, models and uncertainty quantification for barrier integrity assessment in the multi-barrier system
- Geotechnical aspects of repository construction, operation, and post-closure, such as monitoring methods, excavation and support, retrieval/recovery, etc.
- The minimally invasive characterization of geology and underground installations using geophysical and geohydrological methods
Contributions on the above topics can include all aspects covering lab-scale experimentation, large-scale experiments in underground research laboratories, observation of natural analogues, physics- and data-driven modelling and code development.

This session is organized as part of the DGR series, cf. ERE 3.x and ERE3.X

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is a key component for an efficient energy supply and for achieving a low-carbon energy balance. TES allows flexible storage volumes and periods, and it represents a cross-sector technology as it couples heat, cooling energy, and electricity. This session is dedicated to Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES) technologies, their performance and engineering, as well as new insights into related heat transport processes in the subsurface. In particular, the focus is on Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES), Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES), Mine Thermal Energy Storage (MTES) and related ground-based variants such as pit storage, cavern storage and artificial water-gravel storage basins. The aim of this session is to overcome technical obstacles concerning the design and sustainable operation of TES. We want to improve our understanding of any UTES-related thermal, hydraulic and environmental effects.
In a broader context, we invite contributions that show how to enhance the social acceptance of UTES and how to integrate various renewable energy sources (e.g., geothermal, solar, waste heat) in UTES technologies. Furthermore, the session aims to provide an overview of the current and future research in the field, covering any temporal or spatial scale. Both in research and in practice, accurate characterization of subsurface flow and heat transport based on observations of induced or natural variations of the thermal regime is essential. We invite contributions that deliver new insight into advances in experimental design, reports from new field observations, as well as the demonstration of sequential or coupled modelling concepts. The seasonal and long-term development of thermal and mechanical conditions in aquifers and heat transfer across aquifer boundaries are focus points. This also includes the role of groundwater in the context of UTES and geothermal energy use for predicting the long-term performance of geothermal systems (storage and production of heat), and integration in urban planning. We invite hydrogeological studies that examine heat as a natural or anthropogenic tracer and that aim at improving thermal response testing in aquifers. Such techniques are of great potential for characterizing aquifers, flow conditions, and crucial transport processes such as mechanical dispersion.

Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with a leakage-free geostorage solution for CO2 sequestration is of great importance. Mafic and ultramafic materials (basalts and peridotites) are promising storage rock reservoirs with highly reactive surfaces that provide divalent cations involved in rapid carbonate mineralization reactions occurring within months of injection. Although it is potentially safer than storage in conventional deep sandstone acquirers, the technology of carbon sequestration in mafic and ultramafic rocks is still in its infancy with a few pilot and industrial-scale sites (e.g., Iceland and Washington, USA), and involves many processes at multiple scales, such as reactive fluid flow, weathering, and reaction kinetics.

We invite contributions related to mineral trapping and fracturing in mafic and ultramafic rocks. This session seeks contributions covering multi-scale and various methodologies to broaden our comprehension on CO2 storage, ranging from field observations, microstructural experiments, geochemical analyses to numerical modelling.

Research and innovation in exploration and mining of critical raw materials is increasingly focused on the prospect of developing new technologies and cutting-edge analytical techniques to reduce the environmental footprint of mineral exploration and extraction .
The robotization of exploration/production platforms, such as robotic autonomous explorers and miners, will allow to reconsider “non-economical” deposits (abandoned, small, ultra-depth). Technological advances in the processes, included, but not limited to, X-ray sensors, spectroscopy and hyperspectral techniques, LIBS , electromagnetic, combined with machine learning, AI models, and efficient mechatronic solutions, will pave the way to a green mining industry.

This session aims to bring together geoscientists working on applied or interdisciplinary studies associated with mining exploration, geophysics, petrology, geochemistry, metallurgy, selective mining, and remote sensing. We encourage interdisciplinary studies which use a combination of methods to solve challenges as diverse as, but not limited to:
• Field-based and analytical approaches to understand and map ore bodies at multiple scales, (e.g. geophysical and/or geochemical mapping, isotope dating, samples collection)
• Imaging
• Conceptual modelling and quantification of deposits and mineral systems
• Cost reduction in exploration and production (automated extraction planning, optimization of extraction tools, non-invasive exploration)
• Real-time selective mineralogy.
• Data-driven discovery in mineralogy and geochemistry (e.g. geostatistics)

The transition to net-zero carbon emissions has necessitated a greater focus on energy critical minerals/metals, increased investment in renewable energy (e.g., geothermal, wind, solar), and intensified the focus on technology that can decarbonise industrial processes (e.g., carbon capture and storage, hydrogen). As momentum behind the renewable energy transition builds, it has never been more important to understand the first-order processes that control the distribution of resources on Earth. Resources that are critical to the energy transition include (but are not limited to) base metals (e.g., copper, lead, nickel), precious metals (e.g., gold, silver), rare earth elements and heat flow (e.g., for geothermal energy). In addition, understanding the architecture of sedimentary basins will be important for CCS. This session will explore how large-scale lithospheric, crustal and sedimentary processes influence the formation and present-day distribution of a given resource. By extension, this session will consider how we can enhance our understanding of these processes to improve predictions of resource distribution on a range of scales (i.e., global, regional, prospect scale).

Understanding the spatio-temporal formation of resources and how this influences their present-day distribution relies on the analysis and integration of multiple datasets and methods. We welcome studies that are multidisciplinary in nature, including the incorporation of observational data, numerical models, analogue studies, machine learning approaches and experimental methods. This session will provide an opportunity for attendees to learn from a range of disciplines and methods.

Post-mining issues, such as the surface subsidence, the surface and tailing slide, the damage and contamination to land and soil, the contamination to water, the pollution to local air environment, the damage and disturbance to nearing ecological system, and the utilization of potential resource from surface and subsurface space at Abandoned mines (AMs), etc., presents a challenge and opportunity for us. Efficient control and utilization of Post-mining issues will effectively reduce their impacts on local environment and society community. Post-mining transition will provide an enriched novel whole insight of risk concern and utilization of relevant resources from abandoned coal mines, especially in nowadays with lack of different kinds of resources, such as the shortage of underground space and land resource, the shortage of energy and water resources, etc. This session aims to present and disseminate latest advances in the control and exploitation of Post-mining issues. We sincerely encourage submission of abstracts to address the following scopes:

-Recognizing, monitoring and early warning of safety risk from AMs
-Recognizing, monitoring and early warning of environmental risk from AMs
-Control of Post-mining issues from AMs
-Utilization of resources from AMs
-Others

The closed mines present several challenges for scientific and mines regions. Post-mining activities in the field of geosciences often involve addressing various geology, geotechnical environmental concerns and challenges in the research and application fields. Here are some key aspects related to post-mining and geosciences in the context of environmental considerations:
1. Hazards Evaluation: Ground Movement
o Subsidence can occur during and after mining operations, and the overlying strata collapse or settle into these voids, causing surface depressions. Geoscientists play a crucial role in assessing the potential for subsidence and its impact on the environment and infrastructure.
2. Hazards Mitigation Methods
o Reclamation Geoscientists work on reclamation plans to restore mined areas to their natural state or to suitable post-mining land uses.
o Geotechnical Engineering: Geoscientists and geotechnical engineers collaborate to develop stability assessments and engineering solutions to prevent or minimize ground movement hazards. Techniques such as backfilling, soil stabilization, and structural supports can be employed.
3. Energy and Post-Mine Challenges
o Mine Water Management: Geoscientists help design and implement water management strategies, including the treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) and the utilization of mine water for geothermal heating or cooling.
o Renewable Energy development: Converting former mining sites into renewable energy facilities, such as solar or wind farms, is a sustainable post-mining option.
4. Storage energy and CO2 and Post-Mine
o Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): Evaluating the geological and hydrogeological characteristics of potential storage sites is crucial for ensuring the safe and permanent sequestration of CO2.
o Post-Mine Site Selection: Post-mining sites that are no longer suitable for mining operations may be repurposed for CCS or other forms of carbon sequestration.
5. Development of open-pit lake: Geoscientists and hydrogeologists work define the long-term stability of the slope stability, define the reshaping of the land, replanting vegetation, and ensuring proper drainage to mitigate hazards like erosion and water quality degradation.
6. Revalorization of mining tailing storage facilities: The dumps can be both an environmental hazard and an asset for further reprocessing of tailings materials to further extract metals and elements.
7. Sustainable mine waste management strategies
8. Innovative tools and enhanced methodologies for mine waste sampling, characterization, and environmental assessment
9. Transformation of mine waste into energy
10. Reactivation and transition of post-mining repositories and new societal and economical perspectives

The widespread pollution stemming from the disposal of industrial solid waste has altered soil geochemistry and disrupted ecosystem functions. This crisis has manifested in many detrimental consequences, including acidification, trace metal contamination, and soil degradation. In light of the imperative to align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensure the sustainability of contemporary industrial practices, responsible and careful stewardship of solid waste management is paramount. Over recent decades, diverse disposal options have been proposed and critically evaluated by scientific organizations, which range from conventional landfill/dumping methods to more sustainable treatments such as solidification/stabilization, biological remediation, electrokinetic processes, and phytoremediation. It is noteworthy, however, that certain strategies may inflict more detrimental impacts on the environment when considering their entire life cycles than simply taking no action. Furthermore, factors such as the depletion of traditional disposal sites, increasingly stringent environmental regulations on waste disposal, and the increase in the volume of industrial solid wastes, particularly in industrialized nations, have led to a rapid increase in the cost of waste disposal services. Thus, the blueprint for future waste management plans should revolve around a profound understanding of the enduring resilience of these systems and a resource-efficient paradigm for waste control. This will involve a wide range of scientific issues, such as the long-term resilience of the immobilized product over time when entering local biogeochemical processes and ecosystem dynamics, how to use quantitative and/or qualitative simulations to demonstrate the safety of disposal, how to assess the carbon footprint of the entire system, etc.
In this session, we will discuss the following scopes, but not limited to:
-In-depth analysis and characterization of industrial solid waste
-Innovative tools and methodologies in active and legacy sites for risk monitoring
-Identification of potential secondary resources for rare earth elements recovery
-Contaminant leaching and environmental impact assessment
-Advanced recycling processes (e.g., carbonation, solidification/stabilization, and chemical processing)
-Interaction of surrounding environment with waste constituents
-Geochemical and reactive transport modeling for industrial solid waste disposal

Pyrite is the most common sulphide in the Earth’s crust and occurs in many different types of rock. Following many decades of research, the morphology, trace element and isotopic composition of pyrite can be used to reconstruct a range of bio- and geological processes across a broad spectrum of scales.
In the oceans, pyrite is the dominant sink for reduced sulphur and is intimately connected to biological pathways of sulphate reduction, meaning the formation and isotopic composition of pyrite can be used to reconstruct the redox architecture of ancient marine environments. As a major gangue mineral phase in hydrothermal ore deposits, the formation and geochemistry of pyrite can be used to investigate and potentially detect ore forming processes. At the other end of the life-cycle, the weathering of pyrite during acid mine drainage and subsurface geological storage is a major environmental concern.
This session will bring together scientists investigating pyrite across a range of physico-chemical conditions in various earth science disciplines e.g. nuclear waste, ore deposits or acid mine drainage. Our aim is to foster intradisciplinary knowledge transfer of experiences between different research areas. We invite contributions presenting geochemical field studies, in-situ and laboratory investigations of rocks and formations as well as numerical simulation studies within the given context.

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) plays a vital role in recognizing the importance of certain stones in global architecture and culture trends. These stones may include marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and others that have been used extensively in iconic monuments. Collaborations between geologists, archaeologists, architects, and historians are essential to comprehensively study the stones used in monuments. This interdisciplinary approach ensures a holistic understanding of their significance. The knowledge gained from studying historical stone use can also inform contemporary architecture and construction practices, promoting sustainable and culturally sensitive designs. Stone monuments require ongoing preservation efforts due to weathering, pollution, and other factors. Stone science helps identify appropriate conservation methods to protect these historical treasures.
In nutshell, the study of stones in stone-built monuments, their geological properties, and their impact on culture and architecture is a rich and multidisciplinary field that helps us appreciate the heritage of different civilizations and provides insights into sustainable resource management and architectural innovation. Encouraging research in stone science is crucial for preserving these valuable cultural and historical treasures for future generations.
The proceedings of the session will be subsequently published in reputed International Journal. The session is being organized under aegis of IUGS - Heritage Stone Subcommission.

The production of minerals and metals is projected to increase by almost 500% by 2050 in order to meet climate targets and the growing demands of society and industry. The extraction and processing of geological resources inevitably generate a significant amount of waste throughout the extraction and processing stages. Waste from quarrying and mining contains substantial quantities of residual minerals, including critical raw materials (CRMs) such as metals and rare earth elements (REE). These waste materials have the potential to be valuable mineral resources.
In the past, the primary focus of mining and mining waste management was on addressing environmental risks and landscape degradation. However, advancements in innovative and technological processes now allow us to reduce, reuse, and recycle these industrial residues, promoting more sustainable exploitation practices. Nevertheless, there are additional challenges associated with the exploration, characterization, recovery, reprocessing, and testing of these recovered materials. Furthermore, it is crucial to develop realistic models for mining waste to accurately assess the prospects for sustainable utilization.
The main topics to be discussed in this session address, but are not limited to:
-Sustainable quarry and mine waste management strategies
-Innovative tools and enhanced methodologies in active and legacy sites for environmental/risk monitoring
-Identification of potential secondary resources (e.g., REEs, CRM)
-Characterisation of geomaterials, their environmental interactions and decay
-Technological developments for waste sampling, characterisation and environmental assessment
-Innovative mineral exploration, extraction, and (re)processing technologies, including geometallurgy
-Mine waste sites rehabilitation and repurposing

Keywords: extractive waste; circular economy; sustainable mining; raw materials and critical raw materials characterization, mine waste management

Numerous cases of induced/triggered seismicity resulting either directly or indirectly from injection/extraction associated with anthropogenic activity related to geo-resources exploration have been reported in the last decades. Induced earthquakes felt by the general public can often negatively affect public perception of geo-energies and may lead to the cancellation of important projects. Furthermore, large earthquakes may jeopardize wellbore stability and damage surface infrastructure. Thus, monitoring and modeling processes leading to fault slip, either seismic or aseismic, are critical to developing effective and reliable forecasting methodologies during deep underground exploitation. The complex interaction between injected fluids, subsurface geology, stress interactions, and resulting fault slip requires an interdisciplinary approach to understand the triggering mechanisms, and may require taking coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical processes into account.
In this session, we invite contributions from research aimed at investigating the interaction of the above processes during exploitation of underground resources, including hydrocarbon extraction, wastewater disposal, geothermal energy exploitation, hydraulic fracturing, gas storage and production, mining, and reservoir impoundment for hydro-energy. We particularly encourage novel contributions based on laboratory and underground near-fault experiments, numerical modeling, the spatio-temporal relationship between seismic properties, injection/extraction parameters, and/or geology, and fieldwork. Contributions covering both theoretical and experimental aspects of induced and triggered seismicity at multiple spatial and temporal scales are welcome.

Faults and fracture zones are fundamental features of geological reservoirs that control the physical properties of the rock. As such, understanding their role in in-situ fluid behaviour and fluid-rock interactions can generate considerable advantages during exploration and management of reservoirs and repositories.

Physical properties such as frictional strength, cohesion and permeability of the rock impact deformation processes, rock failure and fault/fracture (re-)activation. Faults and fractures create fluid pathways for fluid flow and allow for increased fluid-rock interaction.

The presence of fluids circulating within a fault or fracture network can expose the host rocks to significant alterations of the mechanical and transport properties. This in turn can either increase or decrease the transmissibility of a fracture network, which has implications on the viability and suitability of subsurface energy and storage projects. Thus, it is important to understand how fluid-rock interactions within faults and fractures may alter the physical properties of the system during the operation of such projects. This is of particular interest in the case of faults as the injection/ remobilisation of fluids may affect fault/fracture stability, and therefore increase the risk of induced seismicity and leakage.

Fieldwork observations, monitoring and laboratory measurements foster fundamental understanding of relevant properties, parameters and processes, which provide important inputs to numerical models (see session “Faults and fractures in geoenergy applications 1: Numerical modelling and simulation”) in order to simulate processes or upscale to the reservoir scale. A predictive knowledge of fault zone structures and transmissibility can have an enormous impact on the viability of geothermal, carbon capture, energy and waste storage projects.

We encourage researchers on applied or interdisciplinary energy studies associated with low carbon technologies to come forward for this session. We look forward to interdisciplinary studies which use a combination of methods to analyse rock deformation processes and the role of faults and fractures in subsurface energy systems, including but not restricted to outcrop studies, monitoring studies, subsurface data analysis and laboratory measurements. We are also interested in research across several different scales and addressing the knowledge gap between laboratory scale measurements and reservoir scale processes.

Naturally fractured reservoirs are of great importance in various disciplines such as hydrogeology, hydrocarbon reservoir management, nuclear waste repositories, CO2 storage and geothermal reservoir engineering. This session addresses novel ideas as well as established concepts for the representation and numerical simulation of discontinuities and processes in fractured media.
The presence of fractures modifies the bulk physical properties of the original media by many orders of magnitudes and often introduces strongly nonlinear behaviour. Fractures also provide the main flow and transport pathways in the rock mass, dominating over the permeability of the rock matrix and creating anisotropic flow fields and transport.
Numerical modelling of such systems is especially challenging and often requires creative new ideas and solutions, for example the use of stochastic models. Understanding the hydraulic and mechanical properties of fractures and fracture networks thus is crucial for predicting the movement of any fluid such as water, air, hydrocarbons, or CO2.
The geologist toolboxes for modelling fractured rocks and simulating processes in fractured media experiences constant extension and improvement. Contributions are especially welcome from the following topics:

• Deterministic or stochastic approaches for structural construction of fractured media
• Continuous or discontinuous (DFN) modelling methods representing static hydraulic and/or mechanical characteristics of fractured media
• Simulation of dynamic processes, hydraulic and/or mechanical behaviour and THMC coupling in fractured media
• Deterministic and stochastic inversion methods for calibrating numerical models of fractured media
• Numerical modelling concepts of accounting for fractured properties specifically in groundwater, petroleum or geothermal management applications

We encourage researchers to elaborate on applied projects on the role of faults and fractures in subsurface energy systems in our session. We are interested in research across different scales and disciplines and welcome ECS warmly.

Geological media are a strategic resource for the forthcoming energy transition and constitute an important ally in the fight to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. Several energy and environmental processes in the subsurface involve fluid circulation into geo-reservoirs, which activates a series of multi-physical interactions in the porous and fractured rock. Changes in pore pressure, stress and temperature, rock deformation and chemical reactions occur simultaneously and impact each other. Forecasts are bounded to the adequate understanding of field data associated with thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes and predictive capabilities heavily rely on the quality of the integration between the input data (laboratory and field evidence) and the mathematical models describing the evolution of the multi-physical systems. The relationship between the observations and the modelled changes is, however, often ubiquitous, which challenges the interpretation of the observations in regard of the physical processes in play within the reservoir. Certain geological settings involve an additional complexity, especially when clay materials are present, which have a versatile role acting as both assets and challenges in energy extraction.
This session is dedicated to studies investigating all or part of these THMC interactions by means of experimental, analytical, numerical, multi-scale, data-driven and artificial intelligence methods. Studies focusing on laboratory characterization and on monitoring and interpreting in-situ geological and geophysical evidence to validate or calibrate the multi-physical behavior of rocks and clays are also welcome. Applications in carbon capture and storage (CCS), radioactive waste storage, gas storage, energy storage, mining, geothermal systems, reservoir monitoring and management and geotechnical applications would be relevant.

Geological storage of energy and carbon dioxide is of great importance in the pathways of carbon neutrality. There is a dramatic increase in interest in studying the multi-physical processes in geo-storage using pore-scale and molecular-scale approaches. The microscopic understanding of flow in porous media, poromechanics, microfracture evolution, and fluid-structure interaction is essential in improving the description and prediction at the continuum-scale. We invite contributions focused on addressing multi-physical processes through pore-scale and molecular-scale approaches for all aspects in relation to carbon sequestration, hydrogen storage, and compressed air storage.
Relevant topics include but are not limited to:
• Simulation of multi-physical processes by pore-scale and molecular-scale methods (molecular simulation, lattice Boltzmann method, pore network model, smooth particle hydrodynamics, and phase-field simulation)
• Advanced experimental approaches for new physical insights (microfluidics, nanofluidics, and nano-indentation)
• Upscaling methods from molecular-scale and pore-scale to continuum-scale

Geological resources are playing a key role in the endeavor of reaching net-zero greenhouse gases emissions. Geo-energy projects, such as geothermal energy, geologic carbon storage and subsurface energy storage, are rapidly growing in number with a tendency that is expected to accelerate. This massive use of the subsurface entails coupled processes which, in some cases, may cause a counterintuitive response of the geological media, such as reverse-water level fluctuations, high-magnitude post-injection induced seismicity and non-uniform ground deformation patterns. To successfully deploy geo-energy applications, we should improve our understanding and forecasting capability of the induced coupled processes.
In this session, we welcome contributions on experimental and numerical studies that tackle with cross-cutting subsurface energy challenges; multiscale investigations of geo-energy applications, such as CO2 sequestration, enhanced geothermal systems, nuclear waste disposal and subsurface energy storage; advances in the state-of-the-art in the understanding of the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes induced by these geo-energy applications; developments in ground deformation measurements using geomatic applications; characterization, prediction and understanding of triggering mechanisms of induced seismicity; experimental activities in dedicated subsurface field facilities that allow for focused in situ studies under controlled conditions at well-characterized locations.

Geophysical methods have great potential for the characterization of subsurface properties and to inform geological reservoirs, hydrological and biogeochemical studies. In these contexts, the classically used geophysical tools only provide indirect information about the characteristics and heterogeneities of subsurface rocks. Petrophysical relationships hence have to be developed to provide links between physical properties (e.g. electrical conductivity, seismic velocity or attenuation) and the intrinsic parameters of interest (e.g. fluid content, hydraulic properties, pressure conditions). With the increase of distributed monitoring technique, geophysical methods are also deployed to study associated processes (e.g. flow, transport, biogeochemical reactions). This reinforce the need to establish petrophysical models with multidisciplinary approaches and diverse theoretical frameworks. While each physical property has its own intrinsic dependence on pore-scale interfacial, geometrical, and biogeochemical properties or on external conditions such as pressure or temperature, each associated geophysical method also has its own specific investigation depth and spatial resolution. Such complexity poses great challenges in combining theoretical developments with laboratory validations and scaling laboratorial observations to field practices. This session consequently invites contributions from various communities to share their models, their experiments, or their field tests and data in order to discuss multidisciplinary ways to advance the petrophysical relationship development and to improve our knowledge of complex processes in the subsurface. In the meantime, a range of low-carbon energy technologies incorporates reservoirs in the subsurface, whether as an energy resource (e.g., diverse types of geothermal energy) or as a storage medium (e.g., hydrogen storage, radioactive waste storage or CO2 sequestration). This session expects state-of-the-art laboratory experiments, focus on georeservoirs studies through geomechanics, geochemistry, petrophysics and materials science. It also welcomes contributions dealing with the development of novel apparatuses, newly developed sensors, or new experimental procedures to simulate geo-reservoir conditions and investigate rock and fluid properties at representative depths.

Multiphase flows are central to a broad range of natural and engineered processes, including nutrient cycles and contaminant remediation in soils, geological storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen in deep reservoirs, and electrochemical applications such as fuel cells. Emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, natural toxins) and climate change pose new challenges to our already fragile ecosystems. The vadose zone is a dynamically-changing heterogeneous system that plays a key role in regulating exchanges between the atmosphere, vegetation, and groundwater and hosts a large portion of subsurface biochemical reactions. Deeper subsurface systems in turn represent potential reservoirs for underground storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Understanding the interrelation between hydrological, physicochemical, and biological processes in multiphase systems across scales is therefore paramount to developing sustainable management strategies for water resources as well as energy and climate concerns.

The presence of multiple fluid phases enhances heterogeneity at the level of flow, mixing, and reaction in structurally heterogeneous media. This impacts the transport of dissolved substances and fundamentally changes mixing patterns and effective reaction rates, posing major challenges for predictive modeling. Recent theoretical, experimental, and numerical advances provide unprecedented insights into the pore-scale mechanisms governing these processes and open new opportunities to tackle these challenges.

This session aims to bring together researchers working on fundamental and applied aspects of hydrobiogeochemical processes in the vadose zone and other multi-phase systems. In particular, we encourage submissions relating to experimental, numerical, and theoretical contributions pertaining to the following topics:

• Monitoring and modeling of flow, transport, and biochemical reactions from the pore to the field scale.
• Influence of static and dynamical medium properties (e.g., soil structure) on water flow and reactive transport.
• Mixing and reaction of emerging contaminants and other substances in variably-saturated porous media.
• Flow, transport, and reaction in the rhizosphere and plants.
• Model appraisal techniques, including calibration, sensitivity analysis, uncertainty assessment, and surrogate-based modeling for partially-saturated systems.
• Deep geological storage.
• Fuel cells and other electrochemical applications.

This session covers all methods and case histories related to measuring, processing and modeling potential field anomalies for geological, environmental and resources purposes. It will concern gravity and magnetic data from satellite missions to airborne and detailed ground-based arrays. Contributions presenting the theoretical, mathematical and computational progress of data modelling techniques as well as new case studies of geophysical and geological interest are welcome. This session will also encourage presentations on compilation methods of heterogenous data sets, multiscale and multidisciplinary approaches for natural resources exploration and geological gas storage purposes, and other environmental applications. Potential field applications in exploration and geological interpretation of magnetic anomalies, jointly with other geodata, are warmly welcome.

Climate change, environmental hazards, and natural disasters present unprecedented challenges. Communities across the globe need tailored tools and solutions that improve their unique capacity to mitigate, respond, and rebuild from devastating events and maintain life with quality. Their success relies on the initiative, collaboration, and input from and with communities and experts across disciplines – including the technical and social sciences. These tools and solutions may be technology driven (e.g., low-cost sensor deployment to assess air and water quality) or policy driven (e.g., climate action plans) – they are by necessity iterative, interconnected, and evolving –, but ultimately reside in community priorities.
Facing escalating climate issues, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have emerged as a holistic approach addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation, steering towards a sustainable future. NbS resonate with global frameworks like the IPCC Climate Change and Land Report, the Paris Agreement, and the European Green Deal’s climate-neutral vision. These initiatives not only address environmental challenges but also enhance social and economic resilience. Integrating community-led science with NbS leads to innovative practices, merging local knowledge and scientific inquiry, and fostering sustainable community livelihoods.
This session aims to showcase how community-led science efforts and NbS can catalyze transformative change and resilience against climate and environmental crises. This interdisciplinary forum will bring together community leaders, scientists, technology developers, and policy professionals and drive discussion on how to best i) identify regional and local environmental priorities, ii) inclusively equip communities with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds with science-based tools, iii) address the implementation of NbS and related tools in varied regional settings, and iv) assess NbS and integrated approaches’ role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The implementation of ambitious system-wide strategies, such as the Sustainable Development Goals or global and regional climate policies, needs to be addressed from a holistic perspective that evaluates the economy, energy, land, and water systems in an integrated manner. The dominant tools to assess these policies and their multisector implications - integrated assessment models (IAMs) - have contributed to ground-breaking science and policymaking, but suffer from limited subnational information. Gender, within-region income distribution, and other social and spatiotemporal heterogeneity are not represented well, even if we know their absence reduces insights on dynamics including the implementation of policies and consumer demand projections, and limits the analysis of equity outcomes. This session highlights subregional distributional and inequality impacts as one of the most crucial aspects in the design and implementation of transformative policies. This includes exploring different variables that are key for human development and welfare, including the implications for the labour market and supply chains, or impacts for human health attributable to air pollution or heat exposure. The connection of different multi-level models to widen the scope of the analysis is one way to provide more comprehensive and robust scientific evidence.
This transdisciplinary session encourages submissions that explore the incorporation of subnational dynamics, such as gender, education, and income inequalities, into global scenario analysis, and potential multimodel or multidisciplinary exercises that move beyond existing research paradigms and develop flexible, multiscale, and multisector frameworks that move the research focus from system-level to include human well-being.

Modelling and exploring forest ecosystems under future climate and management has never been more critical in the face of accelerated climate change and human-induced disturbances. Consequently, understanding the dynamics of forest ecosystems, which not only act as essential carbon sinks but also support biodiversity and a wide range of ecosystem services, and predicting their responses to changing environmental conditions and future management actions has become vital. To this end, this session aims to shed light on the innovations and advancements in forest modelling and assessment of ecosystem services, within the following focus areas:
1. Next-Generation Forest Models and Climate Dynamics: Overview of models designed to dynamically intertwine climate drivers with forest growth patterns, offering a thorough representation of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles to predict forest responses to climate impact.
2. Model-Data Fusion in Forest Modelling: Discussion on how to integrate data from different sources (e.g., remote sensing, forest inventories, eddy-covariance) into forest modelling frameworks. Overview of computational techniques applied for model calibration, evaluation, and averaging and for data assimilation.
3. Large-Scale Forest Modelling for Feedback Mechanisms: Exploration of tools that assess the complex feedback loops among forest adaptive/mitigative strategies, localised climate changes, natural disturbances, and the permanence of forest carbon stocks.
4. Future Climate and Management Driven Forest Structural Modelling: In-depth look at how alternative management practices and climate drivers influence forest architecture, yielding structural indicators pivotal for the evaluation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
5. Framework for Linking Forest Structural Indicators to Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Discussion on innovative methodologies establishing connections between forest structural variables from cutting-edge models and biodiversity and ecosystem service indicators, prioritizing the assessment and economic evaluation of potential synergies and trade-offs in forest management decisions.
This session invites contributions from researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. It seeks to become a vibrant forum for exchanging knowledge, insights, and best practices, furthering our collective goal of ensuring sustainable and resilient forest ecosystems in a rapidly changing world.

This session aims to bring together traditional and non-traditional perspectives on environmental change. It features contributions, collaborations, perspectives and data from geosciences, historiology, humanities, social sciences, academics, science communicators, civil society, indigenous peoples and citizens. Such a broad and interdisciplinary approach is required to address current “anthroposcenic" challenges, in particular the effective communication of research.

One such challenge we focus on is armed conflict. War is resulting in widespread environmental change in different contexts across the world, often compounding climate and biodiversity challenges. Contributions use innovative techniques and perspectives to characterise the environmental and geophysical dimensions of war, based on research methods including: satellite remote sensing, in-situ and lab-based pollution measurements, and machine learning.

We hope for the session to illustrate the role non-traditional perspectives have in geosciences to broaden and deepen our understanding of compound challenges past and present. This will help open up space for discussion and collaboration between different disciplines and actors into the future.

Cities are complex multi-scale systems, composed of multiple sub-components (e.g. for population, energy, transport, climate) that interact with each other on various time scales (e.g. hourly, seasonal, annual). Urban models and digital twins for urban planning applications and policies aimed at shaping healthier and more sustainable urban environments should account for such complex interactions as they regulate the growth and functioning of cities, often resulting in emergent large-scale phenomena. Yet our ability to quantitatively describe city behaviour is still limited due to the variety of processes, scales, and feedbacks involved.
In this session we welcome modelling and monitoring studies that focus on multi-sector dynamics and city-biosphere interactions. These include – but are not limited to – demography, urban transport networks, energy consumption, anthropogenic emissions, urban climate, pollution, urban hydrology and ecology.
The aim is to elucidate complex urban dynamics, identify strategies and methods for the development of models and digital twins of cities, and understand how the form and function of urban environments can improve liveability and well-being of their citizens.
This session welcomes concepts, methodologies and disruptive models to overcome current scientific bottlenecks, to better deal with non-linearities, multi-component systems and extremes over a wide range of scales in geophysical and urban systems.