EMODNET Geology delivers marine geological data products from Europe’s seas and beyond

Abstract

Effective maritime spatial planning, coastal zone management, management of marine resources, environmental assessments and forecasting require comprehensive understanding of the seabed. The European Commission established the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) in 2008 and in response to these needs. The EMODnet concept is to assemble existing but often fragmented and partly inaccessible marine information into harmonized, interoperable, and freely available data layers and data products encompassing whole marine basins. As the data layers and data products are open for use, the program is supporting any European maritime activities in promotion of sustainable use and management of the European seas. The EMODnet Geology project is delivering integrated and harmonized geological data products that include seabed substrates, sediment accumulation rates and seabed erosion index database, seafloor geology including lithology and stratigraphy, Quaternary geology and geomorphology, coastal behaviour, geological events such as submarine landslides and earthquakes, marine mineral resources, as well as submerged landscapes of the European continental shelf at various timeframes. All data products are openly available at the EMODnet Central Portal. They are presented at a scale of 1:100,000 or finer but also coarser scales to ensure maximum areal coverage. The current EMODnet Geology project phase is executed by a consortium of 40 partners and subcontractors which core is made up by members of European geological surveys (EuroGeoSurveys) backed up by other partner organizations with valuable expertise and data. The EMODnet concept is expanding beyond European Seas, as also the Caspian and the Caribbean Seas are included in the geographical scope of the EMODnet Geology project. During the current project phase, the focus is to ensure collection and inclusion of Caribbean Sea data to the geology data layers on the EMODnet Central portal. For this purpose, EMODnet Geology is establishing collaboration with Asociación de Servicios de Geología y Minería Iberoamericanos (ASGMI) that is active in the Caribbean Sea area. Previously selected methods have been shared with the EMODnet PArtnership for China and Europe (EMOD-PACE) project (2019-2022). The EMODnet Geology project is funded by The European Climate, Environment, and Infrastructure Executive Agency (CINEA) through contract EASME/EMFF/2020/3.1.11 - Lot 2/SI2.853812_EMODnet – Geology. Discover Europe’s seabed geology at: https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/geology