A decision support system for geosystem services

Geosystem services (GS) play an important role in the energy and climate transition. Aquifer thermal energy storage, geothermal energy, (seasonal) gas storage and even storage of nuclear waste are all activities derived from GS that can help humanity move towards climate neutrality. As with all ecosystem services, GS need to be used sustainably and fairly. Overuse of GS to speed towards climate neutrality could exhaust these essential services and place a debt on the future.

The interdisciplinary DIAMONDS project: Dynamic Integrated Assessment Methods fOr the sustainable Development of the Subsurface [Compernolle et al., 2023] aims for holistic planning of the subsurface with researchers looking at sustainability from (hydro)geological, engineering, economics, sociological and environmental perspectives. A Principles, Criteria & Indicators (PC&I) framework is developed as a decision support system to incorporate these different views, different tools to deal with uncertainty and the different values at play regarding the sustainable use of GS.

A PC&I is a hierarchical framework consisting of three levels. The first level, the principles, encompasses the universal values that determine sustainability. These are established via a two-round Delphi survey, consulting experts until consensus is reached. The second level consists of criteria which are measurable conditions for the level of applicability of the principle. In this project, the criteria are derived through expert interviews and a focused literature study. Afterwards they are validated and given weight to with an expert survey. To describe the characteristics of the real situation and benchmark against the criteria, indicators are defined at the third level. The information from the involved disciplines is used to create the integrated framework and the framework feeds back into the research by setting some boundaries and specific subjects to measure, model and analyse. The information flows back and forth between the disciplines in the shape of stakeholder workshops, (hydro)geological models, techno-economic assessments, life cycle assessments, real options games and causal loop diagrams.

With this comprehensive decision support system, we hope to guide decision makers towards a sustainable development of the subsurface, helping the energy and climate transition without mortgaging the possibilities for future generations to make use of GS.

Compernolle, T.;  Eswaran, A.;  Welkenhuysen, K.;  Hermans, T,;  Walraevens, K.;  Camp, M.;  Buyle, M.;  Audenaert, A.;  Bleys, B.;  Schoubroeck, S.;  Bergmans, A.;  Goderniaux, P.; Baele, J.;  Kaufmann, O.;  Vardon, P.;  Daniilidis, A.; Orban, P.;  Dassargues, A.;  Serge, B.;  Piessens, K. Geological Society Special Publication (2023) 528, 101-121, DOI: 10.1144/SP528-2022-75