French geological survey
Message de la Présidente
Fluorite vein in the Massif Central. Classified by the European Union as a substance of high criticality, fluorspar is used as a source of elemental fluorine in numerous chemical industries, as a flux in metallurgy, and in the glass and ceramics industries. © Rémi Flament / STRATES
In a world undergoing profound upheaval, faced with climate change that is taking a heavy toll on our planet, and against a national backdrop that is placing a lasting strain on public policy, BRGM continued to play its part in 2025, remaining true to its commitment and its public service mission. Amid an internal reorganisation, which involved the relocation of more than 500 of them, its employees maintained their high level of productivity to carry out a revised scientific strategy, drive the exceptional growth of our business – up 50% in six years! – and meet the heightened expectations of the French government, local authorities and society.
Through our research projects, our work in support of public policy and our commercial activities, the results speak for themselves: major scientific contributions, such as our investigation of the seismic and volcanic context of Mayotte; the provision of decision-support tools, for example for water management, with the new version of MétéEAU Nappes, and for coastal risks, with the CoCliCo platform; and solutions provided to public sector stakeholders, both in France and abroad, where our business is also growing.
I should also mention the mineral resources inventory, which we began to update in 2025, and the inventory of deep geothermal resources, which was also undertaken last year. The national research programmes (PEPR) in which we are involved have made great strides. Ofremi, which we run, has successfully adapted its work to the current turbulent context. Our work on mine safety and prevention has lived up to expectations, despite budgetary constraints. And projects with the business sector are expanding, supported by the tax credit scheme for collaborative research (CICo)
Our group is also growing stronger thanks to the excellent performance of our subsidiaries and the new investments made through BRGM Invest, which reflect our commitment to providing long-term support for projects that offer solutions to today’s challenges. The creation of CaliCO2, in particular, which is developing a decarbonisation process patented by BRGM, is proof of our ability to apply fundamental research to practical solutions.
This review reveals the extent to which the subsurface has returned to the forefront of public policy. BRGM, as the French geological survey and an expert in this field, is increasingly recognised and relied upon. In the face of increasing demands, we must be proactive and set an example. This is why we are approaching 2026 with "AUDACE” (through a bold strategy): Agility, to enable us to act more quickly; Utility, by prioritising our activities and refocusing on high-impact projects, such as the “national geoscience reference platform”; Digital, to consolidate our position as the national authority on data, knowledge and digital services relating to the ground and subsurface, notably through our integrative digital platform (PNl); Adaptation, to ensure the long-term sustainability of our organisation; Collaboration, to accelerate innovation to achieve transitions; and Excellence, to maintain the quality of our work.
BRGM will continue to play its vital role in the ecological and energy transition, in building the resilience of regions and in safeguarding national sovereignty by pursuing its bold and ambitious strategy.
