The European #GeoERA program on sustainable use of the subsurface resources groundwater, raw materials and geoenergy and development of a subsurface information platform: the #European Geological Data Infrastructure / EGDI was presented twice this week.
The GeoERA information platform, the three themes groundwater, raw materials and geoenergy and their 14 projects within GeoERA were briefly presented at the national Danish “Hydrology Day” / #Hydrologidag 2019 and the Swedish “Groundwater Days” / #Grundvattendagarna. Climate change impacts on groundwater and the hydrological cycle in general were a key topic at both meetings discussing e.g. new tools for assessment of climate change impacts on groundwater and development of mitigation and adaptation strategies e.g. against floods and droughts.
A #subsurface information platform with easy and #”FAIR” = Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable access to data and information is of crucial importance to humanity to meet the #societal challenges and the #Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
The European Geological Surveys / #EuroGeoSurveys combined forces to continue / initiate the development of a globally leading subsurface information platform within the GeoERA program. The subsurface information platform is initiated by the geological surveys of Europe, but continuous development and success of the platform will only be possible in close collaboration with all stakeholders in efficient #Public Private Partnerships and with continuous support from public as well as private research funds.
This will ensure the development of innovative add-ons to EGDI for efficient upload and use of data together with similar information from e.g. #climate / #global circulation models. GeoERA received funding primarily from ministries funding the European Geological Surveys, the #H2020 / EU Horizon 2020 programme and the Grand Solutions program of #Innovation Fund Denmark.
The use of subsurface resources are often not sustainable, but our modern society is build on subsurface resources and the subsurface offers important solutions and possibilities for climate change mitigation and adaptation and for building a #resilient and sustainable society. Our society needs an advanced subsurface information platform to manage the subsurface resources in a sustainable way and properly manage competing and conflicting interests in subsurface resources.
To the left – me presenting GeoERA at the Groundwater Days at Lund University, Sweden to the right – Prof. Karsten Høgh Jensen of Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen presenting amazing achievements of 12 years of research within the HOBE – Center for Hydrology (hydrological observatory) project at the annual national Danish Hydrology Day at Hotel HC Andersen in Odense, Denmark (see links to the program of both meetings above in section two of this post).
Karsten Høgh Jensen /University of Copenhagen initiated the annual “Hydrology Day” in 2009 within the HOBE Project and organized it every year since then together with colleagues representing #IAH (International Association of Hydrogeologists), #IAHS (International Association of Hydrological Sciences) and #Nordic Association for Hydrology – e.g. from #GEUS (the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland). GEUS will take over the organisation of the “Hydrology Day” from 2020.
GeoERA Groundwater 