Geoscience for Sustainable Futures... by Joel Gill

At the end of September, the British Geological Survey launched ‘Geoscience for Sustainable Futures’, at an evening reception at the Geological Society of London. The event gathered representatives from civil society, the private sector, government, and academia to hear about and discuss our ‘Official Development Assistance’ programme of collaborative research and capacity building.

The world faces many challenges that span the interface between Earth science and human activities. For example, ensuring access to sufficient and nutritious food, identifying and protecting water resources, developing sustainable cities, tackling energy poverty, understanding the impacts of environmental change, and increasing resilience to natural hazards. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to address these challenges. The 17 SDGs aim to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and ensure environmental sustainability.


Engagement of Earth sciences is critical in delivering these 17 goals around the world. Geoscience for Sustainable Futures will draw on our research expertise in natural resources, urban geoscience, and natural hazards to develop three platforms of research and capacity building, addressing multiple SDGs. This programme aims to enhance the lives and livelihoods of some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Research platforms will be characterised by a collaborative approach, working in partnership, especially in-country, with diverse sectors to deliver enhanced economic and social development. Platforms will contribute to improved understanding and management of natural resources (e.g., soils, energy, minerals and water), infrastructure, and urban environments, together with the strengthening of Earth science services, training, and skills.

Research Platform 1: Integrated Resource Management in Eastern Africa
Eastern Africa faces natural resource challenges due to exponential population growth, rapid urbanisation, and economic development. We aim to improve human welfare and future economic development by characterising resources in the context of a changing natural and social environment.
A key research theme is to understand the links between geology, soils, water and agriculture to help tackle micronutrient deficiencies (so called ‘hidden hunger’). Our hydrogeological expertise will investigate the diverse natural and anthropogenic stresses on groundwater resources, aiming to improve and ensure water security and quality. Research on the location, extent and characteristics of critical metal resources, essential for use in many technologies, will help to inform natural resource governance.
Agriculture in Tanzania (Public Domain)
Research Platform 2: Resilience of Asian Cities
Asian cities are exposed to multiple natural hazards and environmental stresses, rapid urbanisation, and significant uncertainty in their resilience to environmental change. We aim to improve their resilience by integrating geoscience knowledge in urban subsurface planning and decision-making, and urban-catchment science in India and south-east Asia.
Key research themes include using data informatics, sensor technologies, and modelling systems to improve integrated urban planning, identify new and economically viable uses of the subsurface and its resources, and avoid conflicting and potentially harmful subsurface uses. Research on the diverse stresses faced by cities and the sub-urban surroundings will help strengthen development of planned and resilient city networks.
Urban Development in Vietnam (Public Domain)
Research Platform 3: Global Geological Risk
Geological hazards (such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides), and their associated risk and impacts, are of key concern to long-term economic growth. Understanding these dynamic processes, and using this information to improve disaster risk reduction, can increase the security and sustainability of development, and protect lives and livelihoods.

We aim to characterise complex, multi-hazard processes in Latin America and the Caribbean, eastern Africa, and Asia. A key research theme is to integrate citizen science, innovative technologies, and understanding of environmental processes, hazards and impacts to strengthen resilience.

Eruption of Montserrat (© NERC)
Follow our progress and get involved

We will be sharing further information and outputs from Geoscience for Sustainable Futures on our website and the BGS Global Twitter pages over the coming months and years. Whether you represent an organisation in one of the countries that we will be active in, are a UK-based academic or development practitioner interested in collaborating, or a member of the public interested in the application of geoscience to international development - we would be delighted to hear from you.


Discussing Integrated Resource Management in Eastern Africa at the launch of
Geoscience for Sustainable Futures.

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