GDB2 : Managing our mineral resources for a sustainable future : The role of earth scientists.

8 mai 2020 14h00

**Séminaire de l’équipe Ondes et structures

– Date

8 May 2020 - 14h00 at EGU2020 : Sharing Geoscience Online

– Webinar Description :

The UN widely promotes the Sustainable Development Goals, 17 common goals to a sustainable future for our planet and its citizens. By 2030 Europe aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% (compared with 1990). The accelerating exploitation of our ecosystems has been highlighted annually by Earth Overshoot Days. The urgent need to combat climate change requires that we significantly increase use of clean energies and energy storage and decrease our non-energy emissions. But the infrastructure needed for the transition to a low-carbon society will require the production and consumption of vast amounts of mineral products, not only the much publicised critical metals but also more common mineral products like copper, iron and sand.

The circular economy has been lauded as a solution to the increased demand on resources and related climate impacts. Reducing waste and improving efficiencies are essential. However, given (i) increasing populations and improving living standards globally, (ii) the decades-long duration that many raw materials are in use, (iii) the difficulties and/or environmental impact of recovering and recycling some materials, and (iv) the strain on our energy, land and water resources, it is time to define the role of the geoscience community in managing Earth resources and achieving a more sustainable future.

We will also need to provide our expertise to the wider public conversations about our natural resources : Is it reasonable the public think the circular economy can be applied to all items we consume ? Where will substitutions come from ? One of our responsibilities must be to communicate effectively with politicians, industry and the general public to strengthen the science message.

The webinar is organized by the PACIFIC H2020 project [1] and presented as one of EGU’s Great Debates of the Geosciences

Speakers :
– Dr. Karen Hanghøj : Director of British Geological Survey
– Dr. Saleem Ali : University of Delaware
– Dr. Andy Whitmore : Co-chair, London Mining Network
– Dr. Patrick Redmond : Kobold Metals

Chair : Dr Aoife Braiden, Geological Survey Ireland

Webinar Registration
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cwOCquTpScmwBge8nJIlxw