Geoscience skills and research will play a critical role in delivering national and international decarbonisation targets and net-zero commitments.
The International Panel on Climate Change and governments around the world have highlighted the vital role of subsurface technologies and resources such as carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy, energy storage in underground caverns to support future hydrogen economies, and compressed-air energy storage. Demand for metals and materials to support the production of renewable technologies and batteries to meet electric vehicle demand is also projected to increase substantially in the coming decades.
We are working to understand and raise awareness of the various ways that geoscience will underpin the energy transition, particularly with decision makers and stakeholders outside the field. Here we will collect resources and planned activities in the area of geoscience and decarbonisation.
We do this work in collaboration with an advisory group of geoscientists with expertise across the breadth of the sector. Meet the people who support this work.
Infographics
This series of graphics explore the ways in which geoscience can support decarbonisation. They are free to download and use.
© The Geological Society, 2021. This work is licensed under
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Science in Parliament article
In 'Geological skills and knowledge crucial in delivering net-zero', Professor Mike Stephenson (the British Geological Survey's Executive Chief Scientist (Decarbonisation)) and Florence Bullough (the Geological Society's Head of Policy and Engagement) discuss how the UK is well placed to research and develop geological solutions to climate change due to our excellent and well-developed knowledge base, mature understanding of the UK’s subsurface, and world-class universities and research centres.
Policy briefings
Following our 2019 Bryan Lovell Meeting we produced a policy briefing, summarising the key challenges and opportunities for the decarbonisation of electricity production, industry, transport and heating within the geosciences.
Geological skills and knowledge are particularly relevant to the use of hydrogen, which offers an attractive alternative fuel to hydrocarbons, with the potential to reduce emissions from heavy industry, domestic heating, and transportation.
2019 Bryan Lovell Meeting
Our 2019 Bryan Lovell Meeting saw delegates from the geosciences, social sciences, industry, the British Geological Survey, statutory bodies (such as the Committee on Climate Change) and public organisations (such as Radioactive Waste Management) meet to discuss geological and reservoir engineering approaches to decarbonisation.
Blog series: geosciences and decarbonisation
Mike Stephenson, Executive Chief Scientist at the British Geological Survey, has authored a series of articles on the geosciences and decarbonisation, all of which are now available to read on our blog: