Up-to-date, bold and consistent aims

Image

The economic, geopolitical and climate context has changed considerably in just five years. Certain developments have a direct impact on BRGM’s activities, such as the need to secure supplies of mineral materials and the need to accelerate the energy transition and mitigate and adapt to climate change. Moreover, its effects are increasingly being felt and are exacerbating some natural hazards (landslides, cave collapses, falling rocks, erosion, clay shrinkage and swelling), while tensions over groundwater availability and quality are intensifying. 

These underlying trends have prompted BRGM to review its previous scientific strategy, adopted in 2018. In particular, the updated version improves the links between research, public policy support and innovation. It addresses a number of public issues relating to the subsurface and also requires the human and social sciences to be strengthened. Lastly, it incorporates new technologies that have an impact on the institution’s areas of research and expertise, such as artificial intelligence and advances in observation. 

This strategy, which sets out guidelines for the next ten years which are subject to review every five years, is subdivided into six scientific programmes.

Understanding and modelling regional geological formations

Any rational use of the subsurface and its resources and any effective prevention of the related risks requires the consistent acquisition and aggregation of all available knowledge, so that it can be presented in an understandable and up-to-date way to different audiences and on different scales. One of the aims of this programme is to develop a 3D model of the subsurface in France, describing the different entities with their geometry and structure, as well as their geophysical, geochemical and geotechnical properties and the resources present.

Transforming geoscience through digital technology

With the subsurface playing an increasingly central role in public issues, the geosciences need to increase both their capacity to produce and integrate knowledge and their capacity to make predictions, in order to better inform the public and political decision makers. This programme supports the development of digital technology by and for our science, by supporting appropriate R&D and facilitating the digital transformation of scientific practices. It also promotes open and reproducible geoscience.

Protecting groundwater resources

The availability and quality of groundwater are substantially affected by climate change, growing demand for its various uses and human activities that cause pollution. The aim of this programme is to improve understanding of how aquifers function and to develop tools to help manage groundwater, particularly in the face of extreme conditions, along with technical and governance arrangements to promote integrated, forward-looking management of these resources.

Managing ground and subsurface risks

BRGM focuses on the risks associated with natural hazards and pollution caused by human activities, as well as the combination of the two. With this programme, it aims to increase its integration potential for forecasting, mitigating and anticipating ground and subsurface risks on different scales of time and territory, through improved understanding of the phenomena up to their impact on society. The programme also aims to develop approaches for adapting or remedying these risks.

Ensuring a responsible supply of mineral resources

Through this programme, BRGM is contributing to France’s and Europe’s re-industrialisation aims to secure the supply of required minerals. Its objective is to ensure that supplies are obtained more responsibly by further assessing the environmental and social performance of extractive industries and the development of new processes for recovering primary and secondary materials. Updating the Inventaire national des ressources minérales (National Inventory of Mineral Resources) also provides an opportunity to improve underground exploration methods. BRGM is also pursuing its economic intelligence mission as part of the French Observatory of Mineral Resources for Industrial Sectors (OFREMI).

Using the subsurface for the energy transition and decarbonisation

The subsurface is now seen as a contributor to a low-carbon energy mix. Through this programme, BRGM aims to promote the sustainable use of the subsurface by improving knowledge of its energy production and storage potential, optimising the integration of energy systems and assessing the impact of these new uses.

Image