Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GSEU (A Geological Service for Europe)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-03-01 al 2025-02-28
The main general objective of this project is to establish a Geological Service for Europe, which we envisage as a point of entry into a permanent collaborative network of European geological survey organizations. Our long-term ambition is to provide European institutions, enterprises, and citizens with up-to-date, high-quality information, aggregated at the EU-level, about the earth beneath our feet. We will accomplish this by pulling together Europe’s fragmented body of geoscientific data, information and knowledge, as well as the experts and infrastructure behind them.
The specific objectives of GSEU are to:
• develop pan-European harmonized data and information services
• building on the already existing European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI) to permanently provide access to and disseminate the data and information services developed within and beyond the project
• further strengthen the network of national and regional Geological Survey organizations and to develop, a permanent structure able to durably sustain Pan-European geological knowledge and services, developed within and beyond the project, thus optimizing the GSE’s ability to deliver increased impact into the future
The specific objectives of GSEU are to:
• develop pan-European harmonized data and information services
• building on the already existing European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI) to permanently provide access to and disseminate the data and information services developed within and beyond the project
• further strengthen the network of national and regional Geological Survey organizations and to develop, a permanent structure able to durably sustain Pan-European geological knowledge and services, developed within and beyond the project, thus optimizing the GSE’s ability to deliver increased impact into the future
The GSEU delivered substantial technical and scientific progress across WPs 2 to 7, addressing Europe’s needs for harmonized geological knowledge on critical raw materials (CRMs), geo-energy, groundwater, coastal vulnerability, and geological information systems. At M18, WP2 focused on strengthening the European CRM data infrastructure by identifying data gaps and compiling primary and secondary resource information. It updated CRM hard rock maps and supported offshore data harmonization, while initiating cooperation with Horizon Europe projects to align best practices. Task 2.3 launched UNFC “Train the Trainers” courses to support the CRM Act, while Task 2.4 assessed national UNFC readiness and developed guidance frameworks. WP3 initiated inventories for deep/shallow geothermal, CCS, and underground energy storage, collecting pan-European datasets and setting up vocabularies and templates to facilitate standardization. WP4 advanced groundwater monitoring by compiling datasets and launching trend detection tools, and initiated chemical data collection and pollutant mapping. WP5 studied coastal groundwater pollution, mapped subsiding coastal areas, and analyzed sea-level change impacts. It developed geological constraints databases, multi-parameter maps, and started linking onshore-offshore datasets to support offshore wind development. WP6 inventoried national geological maps and 3D models, tested geomodelling use cases, and drafted a harmonized data model using lithotectonic units. WP7 improved EGDI’s architecture by enhancing performance, updating the metadata catalogue, deploying multilingual support, extending 3D functionalities, and developing the first version of the EGDI-based Knowledge Hub. By M30, these efforts culminated in results that go beyond the state of the art. WP2 delivered pan-European prospectivity maps for 30 CRM commodities using a novel machine learning-based approach (DBA-RF), mapped 595 seabed mineral occurrences, and published harmonized national CRM maps. The three-level UNFC training program reached 44 experts from 20 countries, while the ICE-SRM platform and national guidance templates were developed in collaboration with UNECE. WP3 finalized the GeoEnergy Atlas one year ahead of schedule, with harmonized data on geothermal plays and CO2 storage potential, and launched the Sustainable GeoEnergy for Europe Hub, including tools, vocabularies, and an expert Yellow Pages. WP4 integrated over 26,000 monitoring points into the EUGM database, submitted a drought vulnerability aquifer catalogue, piloted the HydroGeoR-Shiny tool for groundwater quality visualization, and developed a matrix linking industrial pressures to groundwater pollutants. WP5 delivered assessments of vertical land motion in European coastal floodplains using EGMS data, finalized a Geo-Assessment Matrix, and produced pan-European windfarm suitability and geohazard maps. WP6 finalized a data model for lithology and lithotectonic units, documented open-source geomodelling workflows, and promoted standardized approaches through workshops and test cases. WP7 launched major upgrades to EGDI, including a 3D slicer, multilingual metadata, advanced Web GIS tools, and completed the first deliverables for EGDI’s integration with external infrastructures, reinforcing its role as Europe’s digital geoscience backbone. These achievements collectively support critical EU policies such as the Green Deal, the CRM Act, and the EU Water and Adaptation Strategies, while laying the foundation for a permanent Geological Service for Europe.
CRM Prospectivity Mapping: Machine learning (DBA & Random Forest) was used for the first time to generate EU-wide favourability maps from harmonized CRM datasets, aiding policy and investment decisions for resource security.
Offshore CRM Evaluation: A unified database of 595 seabed mineral occurrences and UNFC-based assessments enables responsible exploration of marine resources over 15 million km² of EU seas.
UNFC Capacity Building: A three-level Train-the-Trainer programme and national guideline development support CRM Act implementation and standardize EU resource classification practices.
GeoEnergy Hub and Atlas: The early launch of the GeoEnergy Atlas and online knowledge hub provides harmonized data and expert resources on geothermal, CO2 storage, and other geo-energy capacities.
Groundwater Integration: The EUGM database and tools like HydroGeoR-Shiny support EU-wide groundwater monitoring and forecasting, integrating real-time data and trend analysis workflows.
Coastal Vulnerability Tools: New models combining VLM and geological data improve sea-level rise assessments and inform adaptation strategies in flood-prone areas.
EGDI Modernisation: EGDI has been upgraded with multilingual access, 3D tools, improved search, and integration with knowledge hubs, setting a new standard for European geodata services.
Offshore CRM Evaluation: A unified database of 595 seabed mineral occurrences and UNFC-based assessments enables responsible exploration of marine resources over 15 million km² of EU seas.
UNFC Capacity Building: A three-level Train-the-Trainer programme and national guideline development support CRM Act implementation and standardize EU resource classification practices.
GeoEnergy Hub and Atlas: The early launch of the GeoEnergy Atlas and online knowledge hub provides harmonized data and expert resources on geothermal, CO2 storage, and other geo-energy capacities.
Groundwater Integration: The EUGM database and tools like HydroGeoR-Shiny support EU-wide groundwater monitoring and forecasting, integrating real-time data and trend analysis workflows.
Coastal Vulnerability Tools: New models combining VLM and geological data improve sea-level rise assessments and inform adaptation strategies in flood-prone areas.
EGDI Modernisation: EGDI has been upgraded with multilingual access, 3D tools, improved search, and integration with knowledge hubs, setting a new standard for European geodata services.