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.
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.
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.
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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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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Eruption of Montserrat (© NERC)
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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.
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| Discussing Integrated Resource Management in Eastern Africa at the launch of Geoscience for Sustainable Futures. |
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