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.

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.

The preservation, protection, and fruition of cultural heritage are closely related to the scientific knowledge of the component materials, their history and surrounding environment, and how these affect the characteristics and transformation of historical objects, structures, and sites. Geosciences represent a valuable partner for studies in conservation science and archaeometry, providing a solid background for addressing a number of questions revolving around natural and artificial geomaterials (stones, ceramics, mortars, pigments, glasses, metals, etc.), their features and settings. This session welcomes contributions showcasing the application of geosciences to the following topics:
- properties, provenance, production, use, and durability of historical materials;
- weathering processes, simulations, modeling, vulnerability assessment, and risk scenarios;
- field and laboratory methods of analysis and testing, especially by non-destructive and non-invasive techniques;
- novel and sustainable methods and products for conservation and restoration;
- impact of environmental variables (related to microclimate, climate, climate change, and composition of air, waters, and soils) outdoors, indoors, underground, or underwater;
- identification of possible adaptation measures;
- hardware/software design for collecting and processing compositional and environmental databases.

This session examines the environmental impacts and opportunities arising from the global shift to renewable energy systems (RES), including solar, wind, and smart, decentralized energy solutions. As these systems expand, they bring significant shifts in land use and ecosystem dynamics, which pose challenges and opportunities for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and long-term sustainability.
We invite research that examines:
• The environmental effects, trade-offs, and co-benefits of RES, particularly their impacts on hosting ecosystems (e.g., grasslands, arid environments, aquatic ecosystems) and human-made landscapes (e.g., arable land).
• Strategies for conserving biodiversity and enhancing ecological outcomes during the transition to renewable energy systems, including sustainable land use and land management approaches.
• Opportunities provided by RES to improve environmental co-benefits, such as promoting ecosystem services and maximizing techno-ecological synergies that enhance the sustainability of these systems.
• Methodological approaches, including remote sensing, modeling, and empirical field studies, to better understand and manage the impacts of energy transitions on ecosystems.
• The role of RES in promoting long-term sustainability through strategies that integrate technological innovation and ecological preservation.
We encourage abstracts based on empirical evidence, modeling, or framework-based approaches that propose solutions for the sustainable integration of renewable energy systems within local and regional environments.

Nature-based Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies are a vital component in the fight against climate change. As emphasized by the IPCC, large-scale CDR will be essential to achieving the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, especially in offsetting emissions from sectors that are difficult to decarbonize. Nature-based solutions such as reforestation, soil carbon sequestration, and blue carbon ecosystems offer not only a means of removing CO2 but also deliver multiple co-benefits, including biodiversity enhancement, ecosystem restoration, and community resilience.

In addition to their carbon sequestration potential, nature-based CDR initiatives can be integrated into sustainable business models rooted in the principles of the circular economy. These models promote regeneration, restoration, and sustainable resource management, creating value while ensuring ecosystems remain resilient and productive. The co-benefits of these strategies extend beyond carbon capture, supporting ecosystems through improved soil health, water retention, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land-use practices.

We invite contributions focusing on technical innovations for the sustainable implementation of nature-based climate solutions capable of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a gigaton scale. We welcome case studies demonstrating how these implementations have progressed from Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) to the voluntary Carbon Removal Market. Additionally, we encourage submissions exploring the integration of circular economy principles with CDR, as well as research assessing the co-benefits of CDR on ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection, and broader environmental and social impacts. Join us in exploring how advancing nature-based CDR technologies can create a more sustainable, regenerative future while delivering significant climate benefits.

This session aims to present recent advances in the analysis of environmental and soil contaminations using Applied Geophysics, Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence.
Characterizing and understanding the surface and subsurface is a challenge for many scientific areas.
Applied Geophysics investigates underground using a variety of non-invasive, and non-destructive techniques such as ground-penetrating radar, magnetics, electrical resistivity tomography, electromagnetic induction, and seismics. Remote Sensing uses methods such as photogrammetry, LIDAR, GNSS, and satellite hyperspectral data to determine physical properties at a distance. Some remote sensing technologies can also provide information from the subsurface or interior of structures. Artificial Intelligence, namely Machine Learning, can be a useful tool to manage information using as input data provided by different methods, allowing the calculation of new contamination maps, that can help in the analysis of contamination areas.
Knowledge in these fields can be applied to a variety of research topics, in addition to laboratorial chemical analysis procedures, namely, to evaluate environmental pollutants (e.g. potentially toxic metals), and contributing to increasing knowledge about contaminated areas. When combined with other methods, they enable the development of integrated models of environmental management of contaminated areas, allowing the development of environmental risk maps, and contributing to the reduction of sampling and operational costs, as well as the reduction of assessment times in the management of contaminated areas.
The potential for replicability of this approaches is high, and can be applied in mines, landfills, industry and intensive agriculture.
This session will collect the contributions from Applied Geophysics, Remote Sensing, and Artificial Intelligence on the following topics:
- Environmental studies: characterization of the soil contamination by potentially toxic metals.
- Innovations in data acquisition, and processing of Geophysical, Remote Sensing and AI methods.

A wide range of geo-electromagnetic methods, including natural source magnetotelluric, time-domain, and frequency-domain controlled source EM, as well as DC resistivity and induced polarization are uniquely sensitive to the earth’s electrical properties and are capable of probing from shallow depths near the surface to even hundreds of kilometers into the Earth's crust. They are invaluable for revealing subsurface structures, fluid distributions, mineral resources, tectonic features, and even engineered infrastructure. Traditionally essential in resource exploration, geo-electromagnetic methods are now becoming increasingly relevant in addressing new global challenges related to energy systems, the impacts of climate change, environmental problems, and urban development and resilience.

This session serves as an annual platform for showcasing the latest advancements in geo-electromagnetic research. We encourage contributions from a broad range of topics, including methodological breakthroughs, novel field observations, theoretical advancements, and case studies. This year, we particularly welcome submissions that highlight innovative uses of geo-electromagnetic methods in emerging areas—whether through state-of-the-art instrumentation, unconventional applications, or studies with significant societal or environmental relevance.

Energy system modelling and integrated assessment approaches are critical tools for understanding and optimising the complex interactions within modern energy systems. This session will explore the significance of energy system modelling and integrated assessment in facilitating sustainable energy transitions.

The accurate representation of energy production, consumption, and distribution is indispensable. Energy system modelling and integrated assessment provide a holistic framework to analyse the intricate interplay between various energy sources, technologies, and policies. By simulating these interactions, stakeholders can make informed decisions that minimise environmental impact, enhance energy security, and promote economic viability.

In this session, we will discuss key components of energy system modelling and integrated assessments, including the impacts of systems retrofitting and integration of renewable sources like solar, hydrogen, wind and hydroelectric power, and geothermal energy. Additionally, the session will focus on the growing role of hydrogen as a promising key player in achieving net-zero emissions, exploring its potential in energy storage, transportation, and industrial applications. The session will also cover the combination of hydrogen with other renewable sources, small-scale energy generation technologies, and advanced grid management systems. Various modelling techniques can be discussed, including optimisation, simulation, scenario analysis, impact assessment, forecast energy demand, infrastructure requirements evaluation and the effects of policy interventions.

The urgent need for sustainable development strategies has amplified the importance of innovative tools that can evaluate the impact of industrial activities on ecosystems and human health. Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and Industrial Ecology (IE) tools such as Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Input-Output (IO) analysis are crucial for evaluating and mitigating environmental impacts. Despite their importance, the synergistic integration of these tools to provide a comprehensive perspective, in response to emerging research needs, is still relatively unexplored. This special session seeks to address this gap by examining the potential synergies between IAMs and IE tools, thus providing nuanced sustainability insights. Participants will engage in discussions about methodologies, case studies, and future trajectories for merging these analytical frameworks.
This session aims to share new tools and case studies to answer the following questions.
• What recent advancements have been made in the integration of IAMs and IE tools?
• What new insights can these integrated tools provide?
• What are the methodological inconsistencies that affect the accuracy of these tools?
Goal
• To explore the theoretical and practical aspects of integrating IAMs with IE tools
• To showcase successful case studies where integration has led to actionable sustainability insights
• To identify challenges and solutions in the integration process
• To foster a network of practitioners and researchers focused on this interdisciplinary approach
• To discuss policy implications and support mechanisms that enhance the integration of these tools for better decision-making
Scope
MFA, LCA, IO, IAM, prospective modeling

Net zero carbon emission goal has shifted focus from the conventional energy resources that were mainly hydrocarbon (oil and gas) and coal fields. Recently focus of Oil and Gas companies as changed to become a broad energy company. Scientific advances are being tried in the energy industry to commercially produce energy from wind, solar farms along with some of the historically known natural sources like hydro and thermal power. Energy landscape in future will primarily depend on the net zero policies and economically viable solutions for the energy resources.
Careful characterization of conventional oil and gas fields and mining areas with proper monitoring strategy is both required and mandatory for the economical extraction and development of the energy resources with adequate health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements. There are various Geophysical methods for the characterization and monitoring of these resources depending on the fluid fill and surrounding geological conditions.
We invite contributions from Geoscientist community with the case study or innovative research contributions highlighting safe and sustainable extraction of energy from Thermal, Hydro, Wind, and Solar farms. Also, we welcome contributions related to characterization, monitoring and safe abandonment of hydrocarbon fields or coal mines ranging from potential field methods, seismic, well logs, CSEM etc. to enrich and share their findings for the benefit of larger audiences in Geoscience communities. Please note that this session is on Energy, Resources and Environment, so we will be very happy to have diverse contributions related to different kind of energy resources and their effect on environment.

Geoethics is essential for tackling global human-caused changes. It integrates ethical considerations into geoscience, improving policy and decision-making. Geoscientists must provide accurate, transparent, and unbiased data to policymakers, ensuring decisions reflect environmental, social, and economic impacts. In times of rapid climate change, resource overexploitation, increasing risks, and environmental damages, geoethics promotes sustainable, just, and respectful geoscience practices. This framework encourages scientifically sound, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable actions, building trust between scientists, policymakers, and the public through transparency, accountability, and community engagement. In practical terms, integrating geoethics into policymaking and decision-making involves:

a) Building Trust: Highlighting the importance of transparency, accountability, and community engagement in fostering trust between scientists, policymakers, decision-makers, and the public.
b) Transparent Communication: Clearly sharing scientific findings and uncertainties with all stakeholders to support informed and democratic decision-making.
c) Inclusive Practices: Involving local communities, indigenous peoples, and marginalized groups to ensure their voices are heard and their rights respected in geoscientific work.
d) Sustainable Solutions: Focusing on long-term sustainability over short-term gains to ensure resource extraction and land use do not compromise future generations' needs.
e) Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Working with other fields like sociology, economics, and political science to address complex environmental issues holistically.
f) Geoscience Education: Training young people to understand Earth system complexities and prepare the next generation of geoscientists to address global challenges.

By fostering a culture of ethical responsibility, geoscience can guide actions that mitigate adverse effects, promote resilience, and contribute positively to society. Ultimately, geoethics strengthens the capacity of geoscience to inform and influence policy, fostering a more sustainable and equitable future for all.
This session aims to collect and stimulate discussions about ideas, initiatives, project outcomes, tools (including new technologies), and case studies that highlight the positive contributions (as well as exemplify failures) of geoscientists in informing the decision-making and policy-making processes.

Addressing global environmental and societal challenges requires interdisciplinary, data-driven approaches. Today’s research produces unprecedented volumes of complex data and an increasing number of interactive data services, putting traditional information management systems to the test. Collaborative infrastructures are challenged by their dual role of advancing research and scientific assessments while facilitating transparent data and software sharing.

We invite abstracts from all data stakeholders that highlight innovative platforms, frameworks, systems, and initiatives designed to enhance access and usability of data for research on topics such as climate change, natural hazards, sustainable development, etc. We welcome presentations describing collaborations across national and disciplinary boundaries on infrastructure, standards, governance, best practices, and future directions for building trustworthy and interoperable data networks, guided by UNESCO’s Open Science recommendations, the FAIR and CARE data principles, that enable researchers worldwide to address pressing global problems through data.

This session aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry to address the complex challenge of emerging contaminants in the water cycle. By fostering interdisciplinary discussions and intersectorial collaborations, the session will explore sustainable remediation strategies and innovations in the water sector. The session welcomes contributions focusing on circular economy principles, including case studies of water reuse, emerging contaminants removal and recovery from water resources. It seeks to bring together experts from both academia and the industrial sector to share innovative approaches and practical solutions, fostering partnerships that drive progress in the sustainable management of water resources. We seek contributions that can highlight sustainable remediation, emphasizing the need to tackle emerging contaminants with innovative solutions that are scientifically sound, economically viable and sustainable from an environmental viewpoint. The goal is to stimulate a dialogue that not only advances scientific knowledge but also promotes actionable outcomes that benefit society and the environment. Contributions from the academic and industrial sector are welcome, ranging from innovative lab- and pilot-scale studies to computational approaches, innovative remediation case studies, sustainable remediation and water reuse. The session is promoted by the REMEDI project team (Grant ID: 956384), an EU-funded Horizon 2020 ITN focusing on innovative pharmaceutical wastewater treatment methods. REMEDI focuses on X-ray contrast medium agents and trains early stage researchers to address pharmaceutical water contamination, enhancing the topics mentioned above.

Climate study related experiments and observational stations are getting bigger and number of sensors and instruments involved is growing very fast. Large scale experiments like NEON have to deal with hundreds of sensors and instruments. The most effective way to manage such large installations is to incorporate all equipment in to a network. At this session we would like people to share their experience in establishing, maintaining, and managing a fixed environmental sensor networks on or near surface measurements (it does not cover remotely sensed data - satellite imagery, aerial photography, etc.). This session is open for all works about an existing system, planning a completely new network, upgrading an existing system, improving streaming data management, and archiving data.

The integration of geological and archaeological methodologies proves valuable for the study of human activity and landscape evolution, especially as the application of advanced analytical methods becomes more frequent. The formation of archaeological sites is closely coupled with geomorphological processes resulting in the deposition, preservation, reworking and exposure of sediments and remains of human activity. In addition to its anthropogenic record, an archaeological site can be investigated as an archive recording the interaction of fluvial, aeolian and tectonic events that operate on various temporal and spatial scales. However, despite the shared perspectives of archaeological and geomorphological studies, those two fields are not commonly integrated within a unified holistic framework, which limits their impact.

This session is open to a wide range of studies that integrate the study of geomorphological, sedimentological and environmental proxies at archaeological sites, alongside investigations that incorporate geological approaches to address archaeological and geomorphological questions. The goal is set to provide a platform for describing common challenges and achievements that may lead to synergistic outcomes and outline directions for future cooperation and for the establishment of a common language. The session is not restricted to any specific time period or geographical area, but rather wishes to highlight methodological novelties and common challenges shared by both disciplines.

Accurate and precise, long-term measurements of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations were an original cause for concern linking human activities to rapid, and so far, unceasing rise in global GHG concentrations. The resulting increases in global temperatures, sea-level, glacial retreat, and other negative impacts are clear. In response to this evidence, nations, states, and cities, industries and individuals have been accelerating GHG emission reduction and other mitigation efforts while working towards equitable development and environmental justice. Research advances have shown that GHG measurements and analyses are much more than merely harbingers of global warming. The urgency, complexity, and economic implications of the needed GHG emission reductions and other climate action demand strategic investment in science-based information for planning, implementing, and tracking emission reduction policies and actions. Several national and international efforts seek to enhance the capacity of nations, states, cities, and industries to target emissions reduction opportunities and track progress towards their goals. Success depends on the availability of measurements of atmospheric composition, GHG fluxes, and emission activity data in key GHG emission source regions and relies on a multi-tiered observing strategy involving satellite, aircraft, and surface-based measurements, as well as innovative data mining and analysis methods.

Since EGU18, this session has been a showcase for how scientific data and analyses are transformed into actionable information services and successful climate solutions for a wide range of user-communities. These methodologies must have the required temporal and granular details to target and track explicit emission activity where climate action is achievable.

We seek presentations from researchers, inventory compilers, government decision and policy makers, non-government and private sector service providers showing the use and impact of science-based methods of detecting, quantifying, and tracking GHG emissions, and, where possible, the resulting climate mitigation. These methods can involve direct-detection, inverse-modeling, and AI/ML data fusion/mining of statistical and observational activity data, as well as hybrid combinations of all these approaches.

Renewable energy has become new sources of electrical power. By their very nature, wind, solar, 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, forests, or coastal and 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, including, but not limited to:
• Wind conditions (both resources, siting conditions and loads) on short and long time scales for wind power development, in different environments (e.g. mountains, forests, coastal, offshore or urban).
• Offshore wind development: interaction between atmosphere, sea and wind turbine/wind farms, for both bottom-fixed and floating wind, and its impact on marine environment
• 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, Satellite etc.)
• Dedicated solar measurement techniques from ground-based and space-borne remote sensing
• Tools for urban area renewable energy supply strategic planning and control
• AI and Machine Learning approaches for weather forecasting and its applications

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 assessing the characteristics of the past performance of renewable energies. Session contributions may reach from assessments of climate data based simulations of renewable generation, over assessments of land use implications of renewables, to economic assessments linked to spatial and temporal variability of renewables and full energy system model studies applied to 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, and analyze economic incentives to ensure reliable energy systems under current regulatory, market and tariff conditions.
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,including economic valuations of such impacts
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, assessments of environmental impacts, economic analysis of markets, policies and regulations, and forecasting applications , concerning renewable energy systems.

A worldwide transition towards “Net zero” requires decarbonization of diverse sectors including the electricity generation sector over the coming decades. On the supply side, renewable energy resources vary on a wide range of time scales, from minute-wise, seasonal, to interannual. In a changing climate, the patterns of renewable resources as well as their variability can also change. On the demand side, extreme weather and climate change are expected to strongly affect demand for energy, while unabated energy demand pathways can also make climate change mitigation more costly, increase pressure on renewable energy resources, and make navigating policy tradeoffs more challenging.

Furthermore, considerable uncertainty underlies prediction of long-term changes in the spatio-temporal pattern of renewable resources. Given that demand must be balanced by generation from largely renewable sources of electricity, there is a critical need for expanded multidisciplinary dialogue between the climate science and modeling communities and energy modeling and transition research groups. This session invites wide-ranging contributions that range across the strategic aspects of accelerating renewable energy transitions in this context, investigations of just energy transitions under climate change, lessons from climate modeling for demand or supply side challenges, techniques for balancing renewable generation with demand management options on various timescales, and new concepts and methods to address these challenges in the context of wide-ranging uncertainties in projecting the variables and scales driving energy systems impacts.

Studies may include (but are not limited to):

Implications of climate variability and change on the energy system and corresponding uncertainties

Energy system impacts of current and future projected variability of renewable resources, and technical approaches to balance this variability

Climate-related factors affecting energy demand, and effects of managing and reducing demand on managing low carbon energy systems as well as bringing about low-carbon energy transitions

Extreme events and spatio-temporal complementarities on both the demand and the supply-side affecting the energy system

Integrated assessment of supply and demand side approaches to low-carbon energy transitions
Spatio-temporal data needs from climate science and modelling to advance understanding of impacts of renewable energy supply and demand under climate change.

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 sustainable 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 has wide scope, focusing on mine water geothermal systems, including both open and closed-loops (i.e., borehole heat exchangers). Contributions are invited on (but not limited to) resource estimation, geological studies, thermos- and hydro-physical parameter analysis, numerical/analytical static and transient analysis of thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical processes, case studies, experimental data, integration of surface demand and subsurface supply, thermal response testing and shallow geophysical approaches. We also welcome applications in direct heat use, heat pumps, heating and cooling, and underground thermal energy storage.

This session emphasizes on the investigation of deep geothermal reservoirs with targets encompassing petrothermal, enhanced geothermal, hydrothermal, and close loop systems. We particularly welcome contributions on multi-disciplinary and cross-scale analysis, ranging from experimental studies to numerical analysis of the relevant THMC processes. The session additionally features 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.

In the evolving landscape of sensor networks, the demand for energy-efficient and autonomous systems has never been more critical. The ability to power sensors through energy harvesting and off-grid energy production, for example, from hidden and untapped hydro resources, is pivotal for the continuous and autonomous operation of monitoring systems in remote and challenging environments. To push the boundaries of current research and development in this field, we invite the submission of abstracts for research papers that explore innovative solutions, technologies, and methodologies in energy harvesting and off-grid energy production to enhance self-powered sensors.
Topics of Interest:
We are seeking original research contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
1) Energy Harvesting Technologies:
* Hydro, solar, wind, thermal, and kinetic energy harvesters
* Novel materials and devices for efficient energy conversion
* Hybrid energy harvesting systems
* Development of electromagnetic and piezoelectric harvesters
2) Off-Grid Energy Production:
* Micro and nano-scale energy generators
* Autonomous energy systems for remote sensor networks
* Integration of renewable energy sources in sensor networks
3) Self-Sustaining Sensor Networks:
* Design and optimization of energy-autonomous sensors
* Power management strategies for off-grid sensor systems
* Case studies of self-supplying sensor deployments in challenging environments
4) Applications and Case Studies:
* Environmental monitoring in remote areas
* Industrial IoT and smart agriculture applications
* Healthcare monitoring in off-grid settings

This session is an initiative from the H-HOPE Horizon project: https://h-hope.eu/

Water is one of the most essential needs for life but more than one billion people live without an adequate resource of drinking water. This represents an important warning indicating why we should be very sensitive and conscious in using this important source of life. Water is a critical resource, not only for our direct consumption but also for nearly every product we use and consume. As an example, agriculture is the largest consumer of water, with extensive use in irrigation, livestock maintenance, and food processing. On the other hand, the energy sector also has a high water footprint because water resources represent important energy sources not only to produce but also to store thermal energy. To this regard, the geopolitical developments from February 2022 clearly indicated the need to accelerate and increase efforts to make the energy supply more independent and sustainable.
This session aims at developing an interdisciplinary research related to the appraisal and management of water resources. This includes the use of sustainable water not only for domestic and agricultural uses, but also as a source of energy for space heating and cooling as well as for thermal energy storage in aquifers. In this case, sustainability of water resources should be quantitative and qualitative, preserving its thermal and chemical characteristics before and after the energetic use.
Expected contributions may cover recent developments and projects aimed at a more conscious and sustainable use and management of the water resources, focusing on energetic purposes from agriculture to space heating and cooling which include the thermal energy production (e.g., open loop systems) and the underground storage (e.g., ATES, aquifer thermal energy storage.

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, 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 on 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 feedbacks 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 a) Cost Action : Pan-European Network for Sustainable Hydropower (PEN@Hydropower), and b) European Energy Research Alliance (EERA), that established the joint program “Hydropower” to facilitate research, promote hydropower and enable sustainable electricity production. Further information can be found here:
https://www.pen-hydropower.eu/
https://www.eera-set.eu/eera-joint-programmes-jps/list-of-jps/hydropower/

Geophysical fields such as wind, solar power or river discharge are known to exhibit extreme variability across a wide range of space-time scales. Such behaviour significantly affects energy harvesting from all these renewable energy sources. The extreme variability and intermittency are actually intrinsic features of renewable energy that require a better understanding in a context of rapid growth and increasing share in the energy mix at global scale. Scaling laws in general are a powerful tool to better understand, analyse, and simulate the underlying extremely variable processes and their non-linear interactions.

This session will bring together scientists and practitioners who aim to better measure, understand and model the extreme variability of geophysical fields and its impact on renewable energy production. Contributions addressing one or several of the following topics are especially targeted:
- Novel high spatial and/or temporal resolution techniques for measuring geophysical fields that are used as resources for renewable energy production
- Novel modelling or characterization tools of the variability of geophysical fields ranging from mm/ms scale to regional / annual scale using various approaches (e.g. scaling, (multi-)fractal, statistic, deterministic, numerical modelling…)
- Novel approaches to better understand and characterize how extreme variability is transferred to power production.

Geodynamic and tectonic processes play a crucial role in shaping the structural and thermal configuration of the lithosphere, influencing the distribution of magmatic, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Consequently, these processes are also responsible for the heterogeneous distribution of critical subsurface resources, such as metals, rare earth elements, geothermal energy, and natural hydrogen, all essential for the energy transition. Geophysical methods provide us with a present-day snapshot of the long-term geological and structural evolution, as well as insights into short-term deformation, ultimately helping in underpinning large-scale exploration programs to avoid adverse effects on the environment; however, these methods are limited in resolution and can be costly.
Researchers studying the subsurface have identified the natural processes responsible for the formation of these resources, but significant gaps remain in our understanding of when and where the necessary conditions for their formation occurred within the Earth. Furthermore, extracting subsurface resources requires detailed knowledge and understanding of the tectonic evolution and the resulting stress field, whether the rock naturally possesses porosity, permeability, and fractures, or if and how engineering techniques could be used to improve the productivity of these systems.
This session aims to close research gaps between geodynamic processes and the formation of georesources. We invite contributions on observational data analysis, numerical modeling, laboratory experiments, and geological engineering, with a particular emphasis on studies that integrate multiple approaches/datasets.

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

Geoscientific knowledge is essential to investigate safety requirements for the construction of a geological or surface disposal facility for radioactive waste at 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 radionuclides, iii) limited water inflow to the geo-engineered facility and iv) long-term geological stability of the site. For this reason, relevant topics included in this session, but not limited, are:
• Water-rock interactions, flow and transport studies in hydro(geo)logical site characterization
• Constraints on kinetics of water-rock interactions for ambient/elevated temperature, through data-model comparison
• Investigations on flow and transport in host rocks, soils and surrounding aquifers through groundwater dating and tracing of natural study cases
• Thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes with implications on radionuclide migration and multi-barrier system performance, radionuclide-rock interaction
• 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, effects of climate change)
• Development of new methodologies for site characterization and monitoring
• Data digitization/management and parameter collection
Contributions on the above topics can include all aspects covering lab-scale experimentation, large-scale experiments in underground research laboratories, information from site characterization campaigns, observation of natural analogues, physics- and data-driven modeling and code development. In this context, site characterization campaigns and natural analogues are particularly relevant in the up-scaling of data in space and time that were obtained on laboratory and/or in 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 most pressing environmental challenges in several countries worldwide. Site investigation and selection are primarily geoscientific tasks that require collaboration of different disciplines, like geophysics, hydrogeology, geochemistry, mineralogy, geomechanics, material science, and geological as well as THMC modelling. The development of DGRs also involves the integration of technical designs, evolving regulatory frameworks, and social acceptance considerations.

Barrier integrity is a crucial aspect for the assessment of nuclear waste disposal. Numerical simulations, in conjunction with experimental studies are an integral part of safety and environmental-impact assessment. 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 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:
- 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 multi-barrier systems
- Geotechnical aspects of repository construction, operation, and post-closure, e.g. monitoring methods, excavation and support, retrieval/recovery, etc.
- Minimally invasive characterization of geology and underground installations using geophysical and geohydrological methods

Contributions can include lab-scale experimentation, underground research laboratories, observation of natural analogues, physics- and data-driven modelling and code development.
Furthermore, the session invites contributions addressing regulatory challenges, public outreach programs, lessons learned from national and international DGR projects, the need for transparent communication to ensure public confidence, and the relevance of geoscientific fundamentals in ensuring the safety of nuclear waste disposal.

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is crucial for an efficient energy supply and achieving a low-carbon energy balance. TES provides flexible storage capacities and cycles, serving as a cross-sector technology that integrates heating, cooling, and electricity.

This session is dedicated to Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES) technologies, their performance and engineering, and 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. This session aims 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 other environmental effects.

In a broader context, we invite contributions that explore ways to enhance the social acceptance of UTES and integrate various renewable energy sources, such as geothermal, solar, and waste heat, into UTES technologies. This session aims to provide an overview of current and future research in the field, encompassing any temporal or spatial scale. Accurate characterisation of subsurface flow and heat transport, based on observations of induced or natural variations in the thermal regime, is essential in both research and practice. We seek contributions that offer new insights into experimental design advances, reports from novel field observations, and demonstrations of sequential or coupled modelling concepts. Key focus areas include the seasonal and long-term development of thermal and mechanical conditions in aquifers, heat transfer across aquifer boundaries, and the role of groundwater and geothermal energy in UTES. These aspects are crucial for predicting the long-term performance of heat and cold storage and production, as well as for integration into urban planning and policy making. We also invite hydrogeological studies that use heat as a natural or anthropogenic tracer to enhance thermal response testing or improve our understanding of relevant transport processes in aquifers.

Many countries aim to achieve Net Zero emissions by the middle of this century requiring a dramatic increase in renewable energy uptake. However, unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy has challenges with seasonal intermittency, resulting in a lack of supply (when resource is scarce or demand is high) or a waste of excess heat or power (when resource is plentiful, but demand is low). As renewable energy implementation accelerates, there is an urgent need for developing reliable energy storage methodologies that better integrate low-carbon resources, and balance the distribution of energy networks.
Compared with traditional battery storage, underground energy storage has attracted relatively less attention. Underground spaces, including caverns, pores within reservoir rocks and aquifers, legacy mine shafts/workings, and tunnels can be effectively used to store different forms of energy (e.g. thermal, mechanical, and gas). Underground energy storage systems have great potential to provide a stable, green, and low-cost solution to balance energy supply and demand, and enhance renewable energy efficiency and utilisation: strategically contributing towards the green transition of energy sectors. They also provide comparatively large-scale storage capacity for minimal surface land take, so are more secure and face reduced competition from alternative and comparatively valuable land uses.
Underground energy storage (UES) systems include aquifer thermal energy storage, underground hydrogen storage, compressed air energy storage, underground pumped hydro storage, underground gravity energy storage, and other innovative approaches. Considerable progress has been made in these technologies in recent years; however, there are still engineering challenges and scientific questions to be solved in developing reliable and safe UES, such as the evolution of geological, geophysical, and geochemical properties during long-term energy storage and engineering disturbances, integrity and durability of underground energy storage structures, interaction between the engineered system and geological environments, and prediction and prevention of underground dynamic disasters like earthquakes during UES construction and operation.

As the global demand for carbon neutrality intensifies, CO2 geological sequestration has emerged as a key method for mitigating carbon emissions. This process involves the long-term storage of CO2 in deep geological formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline aquifers, and unmineable coal seams. While the core of CO2 sequestration lies in the safe and permanent storage of carbon, recent advancements suggest that its potential extends far beyond carbon management alone. The coupling of CO2 geological sequestration with other subsurface technologies—such as energy storage, brine extraction, geothermal development, and underground waste disposal—offers a multidimensional approach to resource utilization and environmental sustainability. The session on CO2 Geological Sequestration and Beyond aims to delve into the synergies between CO2 sequestration and these emerging technologies. By exploring the possibilities and feasibility of coupling these technologies, the sub-forum seeks to foster discussions on how integrated subsurface solutions can contribute to achieving zero carbon goals while simultaneously addressing global energy and resource challenges.

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.

To achieve climate goals, the subsurface offers great opportunities for the large-scale storage of fuel-based energy carriers (UHS), heat (UTES), mechanical energy (CAES), green-house gases (CCS) and wastewaters. All these activities have a direct impact on the shallow/deep subsurface environment, as they can cause physical, chemical and microbiological changes in the underground reservoirs. Failure to understand, predict, monitor and mitigate its consequences can have significant negative implications for the use of the subsurface for energy transition purposes. Processes such as consumption and contamination of the stored hydrogen by biogeochemical reactions (e.g. dissolution, reprecipitation (clogging), souring) are examples of how the integrity and properties of the reservoir, as well as that of the facilities, can be affected. These processes, in turn, can reduce the storage performance and seriously affect its safety, health, environment and economics. These risks can greatly impact the societal acceptance of these – still developing – technologies, which are otherwise so important for achieving climate goals. One of the greatest difficulties in understanding and studying these processes is the limited availability of knowledge and data.
This session invites studies on the physical, chemical and microbiological processes that might influence subsurface energy transition activities. We encourage not only studies that increase the knowledge about these processes, but also monitoring and mitigation measures or best practices. Modelling, laboratory and (screening) field studies are welcome.

Transitioning towards renewable energy requires innovative energy storage solutions that are crucial in optimizing energy use. Mine Thermal Energy Storage (MTES) is a technology that utilizes abandoned or repurposed mines for storing excess energy (heat and cold). This session aims to bring together researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to discuss recent advances, challenges, and opportunities in the field of MTES.

We invite contributions that explore various aspects of MTES, including, but not limited to:
- Case studies and pilot projects demonstrating the challenges, feasibility, and economic viability.
- Hydrogeological, geochemical, microbiological, geotechnical, and thermal dynamics of mines for energy storage applications.
- Integration with renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal energy, surplus industry heat, heat networks, etc.
- Innovative designs and technological developments in MTES systems.
- Impact on groundwater systems and thermal dynamics, including potential for thermal pollution or water contamination.
- Mine water usage and mine water geothermal energy (MWGE)
- Environmental and socio-economic impacts of MTES implementation in mining regions.
- Policy frameworks, regulatory considerations, and pathways to market.

The session will provide a platform for interdisciplinary discussions that bridge geoscience, engineering, environmental studies, and energy policy. By looking at both theoretical and practical perspectives, we aim to push the boundaries of MTES research and contribute to the global agenda for sustainable energy solutions.

The growing demand for raw material, coupled with the need to reduce the environmental footprint of the resource sector, highlights the importance of accurately characterizing both primary (ore) and secondary (recycled) material streams.

Improved efficiency requires detailed resource data to (1) effectively concentrate and extract valuable materials, (2) minimize and manage waste, and (3) reduce the total energy consumption and CO2 footprint. Advances in digitalisation and automatisation offer solutions to these challenges, through robotic data-collection platforms, data-driven resource, and process modelling tools.

These technologies facilitate real-time, precise decision-making, improving the efficiency of exploration, mining, and recycling processes while contributing to a more sustainable circular economy.

This session will explore cutting-edge mineral exploration and resource characterisation tools, including techniques that integrate multi-scale, multi-source, and multidisciplinary approaches. These include, but are not limited to, X-ray sensors (e.g., XRF, XRT), spectroscopy and hyperspectral techniques, LIBS, electromagnetic, seismic, and potential-field geophysics, combined with machine learning, AI models, and efficient mechatronic solutions.

Topics of interest include:
- Field based and analytical approaches to understand and map resources at multiple scales (e.g. geophysical and/or geochemical mapping, isotopic characterization, digital outcrops and hyperspectral imaging);
- Non-destructive techniques, featuring core scanners, in-line sensor systems, and the use of ground-based and airborne sensors for precise and efficient resource identification and characterisation;
- Automated, real-time data processing that optimize ore sorting, processing, and recycling;
- Data-driven quantification and predictive modelling of mineral systems and contained resources;
- Innovative methods for data integration and visualization from diverse sources to enhance accuracy and efficiency of resource characterization.

By bringing together experts from various disciplines, this session aims to foster collaboration and inspire innovative approaches that will shape the future of sustainable resource exploration and management.

Critical raw materials are crucial for local and global economies in their pursuit of climate goals and societal and industrial needs. The high demand for these materials is set to boost mineral production by nearly 500% by 2050. Meeting these targets necessitates accessing more diffuse and lower-grade deposits, and sourcing materials from a wide variety of sources. To guarantee enough critical raw materials, there is a need for robust strategies for clean and smart exploration and extraction of primary and secondary resources (such as byproducts of other ores, and mine waste). Sourcing critical raw materials from primary ores, byproducts, and mining residues is an environmental subject but also an economic opportunity. Many techniques are developed to reduce the environmental footprint of metal sourcing and add value to mining wastes.
In this session, topics include:
• Exploration and extraction of critical raw materials as primary resources
• Sourcing of critical raw materials as byproducts (secondary resources) from common ores
• Revalorization of mine waste deposits (e.g., stockpiles & tailings) as secondary sources of critical raw materials
• Environmental aspects of extracting critical raw materials from primary resources
• Environmental and geotechnical innovations to address challenges related to mine waste facilities (revalorization and monitoring)
• Technological developments for sampling, characterization routines for ores and mine waste for enhanced resource and environmental assessment
• Innovative approaches for zero-waste mining and re-mining technologies, including geometallurgy and resource recovery
• The role of current regulations in shaping innovative solutions and promoting responsible extraction of critical materials from primary and secondary resources
• Multi-scale exploration of critical raw materials: innovative sensing techniques, automatization, and modeling of primary and secondary sources.
• Societal and economic challenges of opening new mines, and reactivating abandoned mines and waste facilities
• The role of AI and machine learning techniques across the mining life cycle

Critical raw materials are fundamental to supply industrial value chains, strategic sectors and to support the rapidly increasing demand for metals associated with the energy transition. Mineral exploration usually relies on drilling geophysical and, to a lesser degree, geochemical anomalies to identify and delineate ore deposits. This approach results in significant environmental impact and thus high exploration costs. Increasing deposit discovery rates requires a continuous effort to improve our understanding of ore formation processes. Such understanding is fundamental to increase the efficiency of exploration methods and minimize their environmental and social impacts.
In this session we invite the submission of studies that provide advances in the study of mineral deposits of magmatic, hydrothermal or sedimentary origin, as well as application of mineral exploration techniques. We particularly welcome those studies that have employed holistic, knowledge-driven methods such as the Mineral System Approach and that envisage mineral deposits as the successful interplay between a source, a pathway and a sink for metals in difference geological and geodynamic contexts. We further welcome studies that provide advancements in tracing the footprints and fingerprints of mineral deposits, such as geochemical and geophysical methods that enable translating the source-pathway-sink into efficient exploration criteria, or their integration in prospectivity models.

This aim of the proposed session is to explore the complex impacts of climate change on the mining and post-mining industries, focusing on how these sectors are both contributors to and affected by climate change. It will investigate into the challenges posed by extreme weather events, shifting environmental regulations, and the increasing need for sustainable practices in mining operations and rehabilitation of post-mining landscapes. Climate change has become a critical issue for the mining industry, affecting everything from the availability of water resources to the stability of infrastructure and the health and safety of workers. This session will address how mining companies can adapt to these changes, reduce their carbon footprints, and contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change. Additionally, it will cover the long-term environmental and social implications of post-mining activities, emphasizing the need for sustainable land use and community engagement by:
Understanding the vulnerabilities and discussing the specific vulnerabilities of the mining sector to climate change, including physical risks such as flooding, droughts, and temperature extremes.

Exploring adaptation strategies that mining companies can implement to mitigate the impacts of climate change, such as water management practices, energy efficiency improvements, and infrastructure resilience.

Addressing the challenges of post-mining land reclamation and the importance of restoring ecosystems, managing long-term environmental liabilities, and ensuring social and economic benefits for local communities.

Highlighting innovative approaches and technologies that can help the mining industry transition to a more sustainable future, such as renewable energy integration, circular economy principles, and green financing.

The session will encourage the presentation of case studies and lessons learned to improve the practices of mining and post-mining sectors

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 surrounding 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. Defination of concepts, suggestion of strategies, and development of technologies are the basis of efficient control and utilization of Post-mining issues, which will effectively reduce their impacts on local environment and society community. Post-mining transition will provide an enriched novel whole insight of concern and utilization of resources from post-minine sites, especially in nowadays with lack of resources, such as lack of space and land, the lack of energy and water, etc. This session aims to present and disseminate the latest advances in control of Post-mining issues. We sincerely encourage submission of abstracts to address the following scopes:

-Recoganizing, monitoring and early warning of safety risk from post-mining sites
-Recoganizing, monitoring and early warning of environmental risk from post-mining sites
-Control of Post-mining issues
-Utilization of resources from post-mining sites
-Others

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-bio-geochemical 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.

Understanding the pivotal relationship between carbon and life processes is essential to address global issues like climate change, the origin of life or to support planetary exploration. Carbon is the backbone of life on our planet and its cycle is perhaps the most influential in all of science linking natural and anthropic phenomena. Carbon cycle include the transformation of Organic Matter (OM) through geological processes, creating materials such as kerogen, coal, and graphite. The geological expertise acquired in the last decades can now be also used to better understand the synthesis of anthropogenic carbon-based materials (CBM) critical for the energy transition such as pyrogenic OM and/or biomass, like Biochar. This can lead to an advanced in research and an improvement in classification methods across various environmental contexts.
Emerging and traditional tools for OM characterizing including Infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, organic petrology, and experimental geochemistry are key techniques that can provide novel insight to study the transformation of CBM into its more stable forms that is one of the most efficient processes for carbon sequestration.
This session invites contributions leveraging cutting-edge techniques to explore the full potential of OM, focusing on applications in climate change mitigation (including the study of paleoclimates), carbon sequestration, and sustainable material development. By integrating advanced analytical methods, we aim to foster deeper insights into OM and carbon dynamics, advancing both scientific understanding and practical innovations. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive outlook of OM and carbon in geology and beyond through contributions on the characterization and use of OM and its matured forms, including:
- OM characterization employing combinations of novel and traditional analytical tools.
- usage of carbon-based tools to interpret the environment, at whatever scale.
- novel uses of carbon-based materials for climate change mitigation and sustainable development.

The role of natural hydrogen (a.k.a. “geological”, or “white” hydrogen) as a potential major contributor to a decarbonized energy system in the future has sparked significant debate in recent years. Geological helium resources, independent of co-production with fossil fuels, have similarly attracted the attention of both scientists and industry professionals, especially when co-located with hydrogen.

To date, a truly interdisciplinary scientific understanding of the subsurface natural hydrogen/helium system is lacking, with knowledge being fragmented across disciplines, and exploration/assessment workflows in their infancy. This session aims to address key subsurface aspects of geological hydrogen/helium systems, soliciting contributions from a broad range of disciplines, covering solid earth geosciences, geochemistry, hydrology, remote sensing and soil system sciences. In particular, the session aims to address:

- Generation potential and migration/possible accumulation processes and fluid pathways
- Geological history of such systems through the Wilson cycle
- Source rock/origin and conversion kinetics, flux estimates and relation to emplacement/host environment through geological time
- Spatial characteristics of geological hydrogen/helium systems - distribution, 3D geometry and their activity through geological time.
- Measurement and instrumentation aspects to detect, characterize, and quantify source, fluxes, shallow subsurface interactions and surface leakage of H2 and He.
- Natural hydrogen/helium occurrences and recent discoveries

Methane is of utmost importance as a trace gas in the atmosphere and we know that most of the environmental methane is produced - and also consumed in sediments and the water column of marine and lacustrine systems.
But…, understanding methane dynamics in the aquatic realm is still a major scientific challenge because it is governed by a vast diversity of geological, oceanographic/limnological, biological factors and anthropogenic causes.
In this session we will discuss controls on methane dynamics in marine and lacustrine systems at present, in the geological past, and in probable future scenarios. Within this overarching theme we welcome contributions related to the following topics:

- methane formation: from water-rock interactions to petroleum systems and microbial methanogenesis
- methane transport: from subsurface fluid flow to bubble and diffusive transport mechanisms and fluxes.
- methane seepage and mud volcanoes
- anthropogenic factors: from hydrocarbon exploitation to energy infrastructure and hydraulic structures
- methane sinks: from microbes, biogeochemical pathways and kinetics to physicochemical processes and gas hydrate formation
- timescales: variations on diel, seasonal, and geological time scales
- methane-derived carbonates, microbe-mineral interactions, and molecular/micro/macro fossils
- methane releases in the geological past, consequences and climate change

Humans venture into space to explore the unknown, expand scientific knowledge, and harness the unique resources and opportunities it offers for technological innovation, economic growth, and humanity's long-term survival. This session aims to simultaneously address the application of those sustainability principles to the Earth and outer space and raise human productivity to a new level. By addressing sustainability in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial contexts, the session encourages the development of technologies and policies that ensure the long-term survival and prosperity of human society and drive economic growth and productivity. Integrating sustainable practices into space exploration and Earth management represents a forward-thinking strategy aligning with the global sustainability push. It is a critical area for research, teaching, and practical application related to higher education.

This session’s numerous vital topics will include but not be limited to:

Sustainable Space Exploration

Space-Earth Interlinkages

Policy and Ethical Dimensions

Technological Innovations

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

The session proposed is highly relevant to higher education teaching and research. They provide opportunities for curriculum development, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and align with the strategic goals of preparing students for future challenges and opportunities. By integrating these areas into higher education, institutions can contribute to developing sustainable solutions that address terrestrial and extraterrestrial needs, preparing a new generation of leaders equipped to handle the complexities of sustainable development on Earth and beyond. The outcomes of the session have the potential to significantly boost human productivity by promoting innovation, optimizing resource use, and fostering collaboration across various fields.

The transition to sustainable energy is driving unprecedented demand for critical raw materials (CRMs, as lastly defined by the European Union in 2020), which are essential for the operation and stability of numerous key industrial ecosystems, including batteries for electric vehicles and local storage, photovoltaic cells and efficient dynamos in wind turbines. As nations strive to secure these vital resources with the support of global initiatives such as the European Union’s Raw Materials Initiative, understanding their lifecycle, from initial exploration to their end-use, is crucial.

The primary challenges lie in the development of advanced technologies for locating and processing CRMs, as well as in mitigating their environmental and social impacts and securing the supply chain in a tense geopolitical context. This session will thus explore the entire value chain of CRMs, focusing on recent advancements in mineral exploration (including metallogenic models), sustainable production, extraction, and recovery procedures. Geoscientists will discuss interdisciplinary approaches for identifying and assessing mineral deposits across diverse geological settings, while also addressing environmental and ethical issues, including land degradation, water pollution, and community displacement.

We invite contributions that further examine the practical applications of CRMs, with emphasis on the logistics of transportation, processing, and supply chain management. Additionally, discussions on the geopolitical and economic implications of CRM export and supply dependencies are also encouraged. We underscore the importance of experimentation and modelling in optimizing CRM exploration, extraction and use, and the need for transparent communication among industry, policymakers, and the public.

This session therefore aims to equip participants with a holistic understanding of CRMs and their critical role in the global energy transition, while also navigating the complexities of environmental and ethical challenges.

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 fractures are critical components of geological reservoirs, exerting significant control over the physical and mechanical properties of subsurface formations. Their influence on fluid behaviour and fluid-rock interactions plays a crucial role in the success and safety of geoenergy applications, including geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and subsurface energy and waste storage.

Recent advancements in field observations, monitoring technologies, and laboratory experiments have deepened our understanding of how faults and fractures impact deformation processes, rock failure, and fault/fracture (re-)activation. These discontinuities act as conduits or barriers for fluid flow, transport and heat flow, leading to complex interactions that can either enhance or impair reservoir performance. Of particular concern are the changes in the thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) properties due to hydraulic stimulation and fluid circulation within faulted and fractured zones, which can alter transmissibility and influence the stability of these structures.

Understanding these dynamics is crucial for predicting and mitigating risks associated with induced seismicity, leakage, and other subsurface hazards. Furthermore, insights gained from these studies are essential for improving the accuracy of numerical models, which are used to predict fault behaviour at reservoir scales and guide the design and management of geoenergy projects.

We invite contributions from researchers who are exploring the role of faults and fractures in subsurface systems, particularly those involved in applied or interdisciplinary studies related to low-carbon technologies. We are particularly interested in research that bridges the gap between laboratory-scale measurements and field-scale processes, and that employs a diverse range of methods, including but not limited to outcrop studies, in-situ experiments and monitoring, subsurface data analysis, and laboratory investigations. Interdisciplinary approaches that integrate geological, geophysical, and engineering perspectives are especially welcome.

The session aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of faults and fractures on subsurface energy systems, showcasing innovative methods for their characterisation and management.

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 their use for geo-energy technologies is increasing to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. Subsurface engineering applications such as deep geothermal resource exploitation, Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS), natural gas or hydrogen storage, involve multi-physical processes in the porous and fractured rock, including fluid flow, solute and heat transport, rock deformation and geochemical reactions, which occur simultaneously and impact each other. The safe and efficient deployment of such geo-energy technologies is bounded to the adequate understanding of these coupled 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.
This session is dedicated to studies investigating some of these THMC interactions by means of mathematical, experimental, numerical, data-driven and artificial intelligence methods, as well as studies focused on laboratory characterization and on gathering and interpreting in-situ geological and geophysical evidence of the multi-physical behavior of rocks. Welcomed contributions include approaches covering applications of carbon capture and storage (CCS), geothermal systems, gas storage, energy storage, mining, reservoir management, reservoir stimulation, fluid injection-induced seismicity and radioactive waste storage.

Uncertainties influence every phase of a geotechnical system's life cycle, from the initial planning and design ("cradle") through testing, long-term monitoring, and eventual decommissioning ("grave"). This session focuses on the intersectional challenges and opportunities in model prediction, monitoring, and uncertainty management within subsurface processes. Our goal is to foster a comprehensive understanding and effective handling of these uncertainties to enhance the reliability and safety of subsurface engineering solutions throughout their entire life-cycle.

- Model prediction: Reliable predictions are fundamental to the successful design, operation, and long-term performance of engineered systems in the subsurface. However, uncertainties inherent in simulations must be carefully explored, understood, and managed. We invite contributions that aim to improve the reliability of geotechnical behavior predictions and digital twins, encompassing aspects such as model complexity, system couplings, hydrogeological uncertainties, and the impacts of climate change. We also welcome insights into how observational data can be utilized to refine predictions and support system design and long-term monitoring.

- Monitoring: Effective monitoring is crucial for enhancing our understanding of the interaction between an engineering solution and natural phenomena in the subsurface to reduce uncertainties throughout the structure's life-cycle. We explore the latest advancements in geophysical and multi-physical surveys that provide comprehensive data, improve prediction accuracy, and offer early warning capabilities while aiming to showcase methods for preliminary investigations and ongoing monitoring, with a focus on integrating model predictions with real-world observations. Contributions highlighting approaches for minimizing uncertainty "from cradle to grave" are particularly encouraged.

- Uncertainty Management: Managing uncertainty is essential for building reliable decision-making processes. Selected topics will discuss how modeling and monitoring can be unified into a comprehensive workflow using various uncertainty and data management tools. We invite contributions exploring integrated, "cradle to grave" approaches to improve transparency, reliability, and trust in decision-making. Discussions on techniques, conceptual principles, and methodologies for transparent data collection (open-data, open-source software) and processing workflows are highly welcome.

In many instances, geoscientific applications face with sharp interfaces, such as fractures, faults, bedding-planes, mineral dissolution/formation or phase-changes. These sharp interfaces often pose challenges in numerical modeling as they may require conforming grid or generate discontinuities in solution search. To mitigate the challenges, phase-field modeling has emerged as a valuable tool, which provides a continuous representation of discontinuities, circumventing the challenges of tracking sharp interfaces. This approach offers improved predictions and insights into geo-material behavior across various scenarios. Given their increasing popularity, we are hosting a session dedicated to phase-field modeling in geoscientific applications such as fracturing, mineral dissolution or precipitation, and induced seismicity in geological carbon storage.

We welcome contributions:
- to present recent developments in phase-field modeling in geoscientific applications, with focusing on techniques for improving modeling and computational efficiency,
- to address challenges ranging from microscale to field-scale applications, and potential solutions for overcoming the challenges,
- to encourage interactions between experimentalists and/or modelers for enhancing the real-world application of phase-field modeling in geoscientific research,
- to share your insights on how AI can enhance phase-field modeling in geoscientific applications by addressing computational challenges inherent in this method.

We look forward to the insights and contributions of scientists, researchers, and practitioners working with phase-field modeling in geoscientific contexts in order to increase the discussion on findings, methodologies, and challenges, especially those encountered at field-scale scenarios.

Petrophysics and geomechanics have been critical tools in the exploitation of naturally occurring fossil fuels. Now that the world is transitioning away from fossil fuels towards sustainable energy and material sources, these same methods still have critical roles to play. The methods remain the same – it is only their applications that have changed, helping to drive the globe towards net zero and beyond. Conventional petrophysics and geomechanics are being applied to new challenges, ensuring that the wheel does not need reinventing.

The aim of this session is to explore and foster the contribution of petrophysics and geomechanics to improve development of sustainable energy and material resources in the transition to low-carbon energy and net zero.

Papers should show research or deployment involving theory, concept, measurement, modelling, testing, validation the deployment of petrophysics and/or geomechanics, from/across angström to basin scales, that has the potential for driving us towards net zero, including pore-scale processes that link fluid flow, geochemistry and geomechanical properties, and studies linking petrophysical and geomechanical properties across multiple scales.

Applications include, but are not limited to, (i) carbon capture and storage, (ii) subsurface energy storage, (iii) geothermal energy, (iv) non-carbon gas exploitation (e.g. helium and white hydrogen), (v) wind energy, (vi) hydroelectric energy, (vi) solar energy, (vii) battery storage for smoothing of Intermittent Renewable Energy Sources (IRES). In each case including provision of critical minerals (e.g., lithium, cobalt, neodymium), engineering and groundwater flow are included.

Approaches may include laboratory measurement, field studies, multi-scale imaging, pore-scale and DRM modelling, reactive flow, reservoir modelling, 3D quantification and dynamic simulation, fracture modelling, heat flow quantification and modelling, reservoir integrity cap-rock studies, quantitative evaluation of porosity, permeability or any other properties or approach.

Dissolution, precipitation and chemical reactions between infiltrating fluid and the rock matrix alter the composition and structure of the rock, either creating or destroying flow paths. Strong, nonlinear couplings between the chemical reactions at mineral surfaces and fluid motion in the pores often lead to the formation of large-scale patterns: networks of caves and sinkholes in karst areas, wormholes induced by the acidization of petroleum wells, porous channels created as magma rises through peridotite rocks. Dissolution and precipitation processes are also relevant in many industrial applications: carbon storage or mineralization, oil and gas recovery, sustaining fluid circulation in geothermal systems, the long-term geochemical evolution of host rock in nuclear waste repositories or mitigating the spread of contaminants in groundwater.

With the advent of modern experimental techniques, these processes can now be studied at the microscale, with a direct visualization of the evolving pore geometry, allowing exploration of the coupling between the pore-scale processes and macroscopic patterns. On the other hand, increased computational power and algorithmic improvements now make it possible to simulate laboratory-scale flows while still resolving the flow and transport processes at the pore scale.

We invite contributions that seek a deeper understanding of reactive flow processes through interdisciplinary work combining experiments or field observations with theoretical or computational modeling. We seek submissions covering a wide range of spatial and temporal scales: from table-top experiments and pore-scale numerical models to the hydrological and geomorphological modelling at the field scale.

Multiphase flows play a central role in a broad range of natural and engineered processes, such as nutrient cycles and contaminant remediation in soils, and geological storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen in deep reservoirs. Understanding multiphase systems across scales is therefore fundamental for water resources management as well 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 and experimental 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 flow, transport, mixing, and reaction in multi-phase systems across scales. In particular, we encourage submissions relating to experimental, numerical, and theoretical contributions pertaining to the following topics:

- Impact of medium heterogeneity on multiphase flow, from the pore to the continuum scale.
- Impact of multiphase flow patterns on mixing and reaction rates across scales in heterogeneous media.
- Biogeochemical processes in multiphase systems.
- Applications to vadose zone hydrology and geological storage.

The lithosphere is constantly subject to stresses resulting from geodynamic processes, gravitational forces and anthropogenic activities. A thorough understanding of the stress state is crucial for a wide range of topics, from plate tectonics and geohazards to mass transport and engineering applications. Conventional and emerging applications such as geothermal energy, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), hydrogen or gas storage or disposal of nuclear waste are pivotal for a low-emission society, with their efficacy heavily reliant on knowledge of the stress state. However, the stress state remains difficult to measure, and our comprehension of stress magnitudes depends much on our ability to constrain them from observations, experiments and models.

Characterisation of stress state is challenging because stresses orientation and magnitude are variable (spatially and with depth) and sometimes are time-dependant. More importantly, in most cases we do not fully understand all the factors causing these variability. Fluids are known to reduce rock strength and trigger seismicity by reducing effective stresses and driving mineral reaction, but their exact role in driving mechanical instabilities needs to be better understood, also with respect to other processes like transformation-driven stress transfers.

The current state of stress is mainly assessed using seismic focal mechanisms, fault monitoring and slip inversion, borehole data, and methods such as hydraulic fracturing to determine the magnitude of the applied stress. However, the full stress tensor remains difficult to determine, and investigations typically cover specific spatial and/or temporal scales. Another limitation posed by current methods to stress magnitude estimation is their deterministic nature. In real-world scenarios, parameter uncertainties, such as variations in rock strength, play a crucial role. This necessitates the integration of uncertainty quantification techniques to deal with incomplete datasets.

To address these challenges, we must advance and develop concepts, experiments, measuring methods, data compilations, and models. In this session, we intend to bring together researchers from various fields. We seek contributions that advance (1) our ability to estimate the stress orientation and magnitude, (2) improve geomechanical modelling approaches, (3) our general understanding of the governing mechanics of seismotectonic processes, and (4) relevant case studies.

Robust multi-platform approaches are essential in thermal studies within active geothermal and volcanic environments, spanning various spatial and temporal scales. The proposed session's aim is to integrate thermal data from several platform, including satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in-situ sensors, and laboratory analyses encouraging the integration of the thermal data with other multiparametric datasets. The session will highlight the synergies between different environmental process scales and the technological advancements in data acquisition and numerical modeling. Special emphasis will be placed on pioneering studies that introduce new methods or enhance numerical modeling and integrated systems for monitoring areas affected by geothermal and volcanic activity. These initiatives are crucial for advancing our ability to predict and manage the natural risks associated with these dynamic environments. In conclusion, this interdisciplinary approach is aimed at enhancing our predictive capabilities and developing more effective strategies for managing natural phenomena in geothermal and volcanic settings, improving response strategies and predictive capabilities for these dynamic environments.
We invite contributions from several of disciplines, including remote sensing, applied geophysics, geothermics, volcanology, geochemistry.

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). Due to the depth of these various georeservoirs, monitoring is typically conducted remotely and coupled with laboratory experiments and modeling to understand the complex thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes ongoing in the geo-reservoir. As the level of resolution and range of required measurements continues to grow, in recent decades we have seen a dramatic increase in new experimental facilities being constructed and methods developed to address these conditions and processes. Many of these facilities feature differing and unique components and have been developed to characterize geo-reservoir rocks and investigate the effects of the parameters that are critical to describing anthropogenic influence in the use of the underground (rapid evolution of fluid pressure, evolution of fluid chemistry, temperature variation, etc).
This session is set to address the state-of-the-art in laboratory experiments focused on studies on georeservoirs through geomechanics, geochemistry, petrophysics and materials science. We welcome 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.

As environmental challenges intensify, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have emerged as a critical approach for fostering sustainable and resilient ecosystems across diverse landscapes. The integration of natural processes into planning and management offers significant benefits for environmental health and socio-ecological balance. However, the complexity of ecosystems—whether urban, rural, or regional—often presents challenges in the effective design and implementation of these solutions. The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and decision support tools provides a powerful means to overcome these obstacles, enabling a deeper understanding and more precise application of NbS across various contexts.
This session will explore the potential for combining in a way that benefits both fields. It will look at how AI-driven tools can be used to improve environmental planning and policymaking. By examining case studies and practical examples, the session will demonstrate how AI enhances the effectiveness of NbS by improving our ability to model, predict, and optimize their impacts on ecosystems. Furthermore, the discussion will address the role of AI in developing fair and inclusive governance frameworks, ensuring that the advantages of NbS are accessible to all communities and regions. Additionally, the economic implications of integrating AI with NbS will be explored, highlighting opportunities for cost-effective and scalable sustainable action. The session will address common challenges and misconceptions associated with AI in ecosystem management, emphasizing the need for effective integration strategies and long-term sustainability. This session seeks to:
• Enhancing NbS with AI: Examine how AI can be used in conjunction with NbS to enhance our understanding of socio-ecological systems and amplify the impact of NbS across various ecosystems.
• AI-driven implementation: Illustrate the ways in which AI can facilitate the design and implementation of NbS, thereby supporting the achievement of sustainable environmental management.
• Governance and equity: Debate the potential of AI-enabled decision support tools to promote inclusive governance models, ensuring fair and effective NbS deployment in diverse contexts.
• Economic and sustainability insights: Investigate the economic benefits and sustainability outcomes of integrating AI with NbS for scalable solutions.

While the need for global cooperation in the face of global trends is obvious, funding mechanisms for environmental research and monitoring are still largely organised on a national and regional basis. Despite declared intentions to improve cooperation and thematic coordination in the formulation of related research and infrastructure programmes, concrete cooperation is hampered by a lack of resources and time for consultation, even in the case of thematically appropriate calls. This affects not only collaborative projects but also the improvement of interoperability and, ultimately, the concerted development and sustainable operation of services. Initiatives such as the G8 Group of Senior Officials (GSO) with its Recommendations for Global Research Infrastructures (GRI) have not led to a structural improvement of the situation. Still, Environmental Research Infrastructures (ENVRIs), have become a key instrument in environmental science and science-driven environmental politics.
Contributions to this session should present successful examples, experienced constraints and derived recommendations for action. They might address the value chain from open standardised observations and experiments data via scientific analysis towards societal impact through actionable knowledge, but also refer to,basic ENVRI activities like access to long-term operated in-situ facilities. An Impact Lecture will introduce the Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructures Initiative, in which SAEON/South Africa, TERN/Australia, CERN/China, NEON/USA, ICOS/Europe and eLTER/Europe will present their work on harmonised data systems, training and development, and collaboration in the use case 'ecological drought'.

Environmental challenges of the 21st century demand a concerted scientific effort to understand the complex interactions within the Earth system. Open and accessible word-class sustainable research infrastructures together with enhanced international cooperation are crucial to foster innovation in the field.
In this context, we propose a dedicated session to showcasing the progress and future directions of environmental research infrastructures within the ENVRI (Environmental Research Infrastructures) community. The session aims to highlight the integrative approaches, collaborative frameworks, and technological advancements that have been made in environmental monitoring, data sharing, and analysis through the ENVRI initiative.
The session will present an overview of the current state of environmental research infrastructures in Europe, emphasizing the harmonization of data collection methodologies, standardization of data formats, and the implementation of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles and service provision. We will discuss the impact of these infrastructures on facilitating multidisciplinary research on climate change, biodiversity loss, atmospheric composition, and Earth system processes.
Contributions to this session will include case studies demonstrating the successful application of ENVRI infrastructures in addressing key environmental questions, fostering collaboration across scientific domains, and providing essential services to researchers, policymakers, and society. We will also explore the challenges faced by the research community, such as data management, funding sustainability, and the integration of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning in environmental research.
Future perspectives will be a central part of the discussion, with a focus on the expansion and evolution of ENVRI to accommodate new scientific domains, improve transnational access, and enhance training and education for the next generation of environmental scientists.
This session welcomes scientists, infrastructure operators, data managers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in the development and use of environmental research infrastructures. Together, we will map out the path forward for an integrated, efficient, and responsive ENVRI ecosystem that can better predict and mitigate the impact of environmental changes at both the European and global scales.

This session invites valuable contributions from EU-funded projects, networks, and partnerships engaged across the European raw material value chain, encompassing efforts from research, society, environment, and business sectors. The focus is on the goals, key activities, achievements, and future plans of these collaborative efforts, making each participant an integral part of the discussion rather than on in-depth technical presentations.
The session aims to:
• Highlight the strategic objectives of various projects, networks, and partnerships in promoting sustainable, socially, and environmentally responsible resource management and innovation.
• Showcase collaborative actions and cross-project synergies, including technology, industry, environment, society, and policies.
• Present notable outcomes as well as industrial, societal, and environmental impacts that contribute to the EU’s vision for a low-carbon, circular economy.
• Discuss future directions and plans for scaling innovations and enhancing sustainability throughout the value chain at different scales.
Special attention will be given to cross-sector collaborations and initiatives that promote the integration of research, industry, society, and policy efforts. These collaborations focus on fostering sustainable development, enhancing the resource efficiency of the raw materials sector, and contributing to the EU’s strategic goals for circularity and economic resilience.
This session aims to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among projects, networks, and partnerships, serving as an entry point for more specialised sessions on specific aspects of the raw material value chain and sustainability. By promoting a cross-project perspective, the session ensures that the outcomes of various initiatives are widely disseminated within the EGU community, fostering a holistic approach to sustainable resource development.

This session is co-organised by
Horizon Europe projects AGEMERA, MultiMiner, EIS, GoldenRAM
Finnish projects: JTF Development of the Extractive Industry in the Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu; ERDF Lapland Mining hub

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 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.

Terrestrial ecosystems emit and sequester carbon dioxide. Terrestrial carbon sources and sinks are crucial components of the global carbon cycle, especially now as the atmospheric CO2 concentration rises.
Terrestrial ecosystems include forests, rangelands, croplands, steppes, agroforestry systems, World residential areas and other lands. Interdisciplinary research has assessed land use transitions with unprecedented progress in recent times. Social and economic development, population growth, urbanization and globalization affect land conversion on all continents. The on-going climate change and the rise of green house gases in the atmosphere pose challenges to scientific research. Advances of remotes sensing intermingled with national statistics and citizen science assist in updating our perceptions on global changes in terrestrial ecosystems.
This session invites scientists from different disciplines to attend interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary dialogues on drivers affecting the sinks and sources of global terrestrial carbon. Global overviews based on different methodologies are invited as well as case studies at continental, national and regional levels. Presentations should address changes in global terrestrial ecosystems in the 20th and 21st century.

Recent research results highlight the importance of rapid and non-linear social change processes, in which certain social norms, behaviors, and technologies spread rapidly from a minority group to the majority of a society. This process is described in the literature by terms such as social tipping points and positive socio-ecological tipping points. In both natural and social systems, a tipping point occurs when change in part of a system becomes self-perpetuating beyond a threshold, leading to substantial, widespread, frequently abrupt and often irreversible impact. Tipping points and tipping interactions are essential for understanding the co-evolution of the global World-Earth system, understood as the system of interacting human societies and the environment.
An emerging research question is how rapid social change dynamics could be used to navigate human societies to the net-zero emissions system, that is a part of the broader transformation needed for a sustainable future. Building resilience - the capacity to absorb disturbances, reorganize, and continue functioning in the face of change - in social-ecological systems is particularly important as we face increasing climate-related challenges and uncertainties. Regenerative systems go a step further by not only sustaining but actively improving and renewing the resources they use. In the context of World-Earth systems, this could mean restoring ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity, and creating positive feedback loops that support both human and planetary health. The integration of net zero goals, resilience-building strategies, and regenerative approaches could lead to transformative changes in how human societies interact with the Earth system.
Social tipping points can play a crucial role in accelerating the necessary global transformation towards a resilient and regenerative future. For instance, rapid shifts in public opinion or policy could trigger widespread implementation of regenerative agricultural practices, circular economy principles, or community-based resilience initiatives.
We welcome contributions presenting empirical evidence and case studies of positive tipping dynamics as well as conceptual and methodological contributions advancing the understanding of tipping points and tipping interactions. We also welcome policy and stakeholder-oriented contributions on leverage points and tipping interventions navigating the transition to regenerative and resilient world-Earth systems.

Climate change impacts, environmental hazards, and natural disasters have become pervasive and drastic. Communities across the globe require 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. This community-led, interdisciplinary approach pushes beyond the traditional participatory framework of citizen science and puts community priorities first.

This session aims to showcase ongoing and upcoming community-led science efforts and discuss how science-based approaches can be leveraged to help build resilience to 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) equitably bring community regional and local knowledge and context to the table, and iii) inclusively equip communities with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds with science-based tools.

Submissions related to community-science project development, technology design, development, or deployment for environmental/climate monitoring (e.g., optical sensors, weather stations, and data aggregation tools), and communicating environmental data in an educational or policy context are welcome. Topics focused on air and water quality, climate (e.g., greenhouse gas emissions and urban heat islands), environmental contaminants (e.g., microplastics, pathogens, and toxins), and resource management (e.g., water scarcity) are particularly encouraged.

Embedding climate resilient development principles (IPCC, 2022) in the regional and local context means ensuring that any sectoral (e.g. agriculture) or cross-sectoral (e.g. built environment) transformation contributes to achieve simultaneously carbon neutrality, adaptation and well-being for people and nature. It is a complex and systemic challenge that requires new integrative models of research and practice that can accelerate the pace of change with respect to conventional approaches.
Policymakers, practitioners and communities who aim to achieve a just climate transition must pursue systemic change across sectors by integrating different methods and co-creation practices to support science- and community-driven transformative approaches. This critical inter-disciplinary and multi-dimensional dialogue is aimed at integrating carbon neutrality and adaptation with a focus on context-specific climate change impacts (to expand local priorities for risk adaptation) and systems transformation (energy, mobility, land use, construction, agriculture, etc.) while creating value for local stakeholders and assessing the full range of social, economic and environmental co-benefits of local development processes across sectors.
The session will bring together representative from relevant Horizon Europe projects exploring inter-disciplinary methods and tools to support climate resiliet development at regional and local level.

Why ITS?
Achieving climate resilience in a timeframe compatible with major international agendas requires no “demonstrators” but a radical change in the “business as usual”, bringing equity and environmental justice hand in hand with measurable impacts on climate and environmental goals.
Inter-disciplinary approaches and methods presented in this session are aimed at overcoming both the limits of conventional scientific approaches (e.g. Siloed VS Collaborative; Complicated VS Complex; Patended VS Open), and those of conventional community-driven approaches (e.g. Isolated VS Widespread; Small scale VS Scalable and Replicable; Discussion VS Co-production).