ANNUAL REPORT 2003
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Research for welfare and balance, New Strategies from GEUS |
Drinking water, energy, mineral resources and nature are all essential building stones of society. In 2003, GEUS prepared strategies for its future work and they form a basis for the GEUS performance contract 2004-2007. The key elements of the strategies are geological research supporting continued possibilities for societal welfare and balanced use of nature. Thus, emphasis is placed on building geological knowledge that can be utilised in high-quality consultancy for authorities and business in Denmark and Greenland.
Denmark faces a real challenge with the management of the country's water resources. New European water directives lay down a framework, but they also entail great demands on development of new knowledge. GEUS is working on the development of geological and hydrological models and on building knowledge on the transport of substances in the aquatic environment. These are all areas of great significance for protection, monitoring and management of water resources.
For many decades from now, society will be dependent on oil and gas to meet its need for energy. In this connection, the reserves in the North Sea play an important role in that they contribute considerably to the Danish economy. GEUS continues to give a high priority to research in the subsurface with a view to making new finds and optimise utilisation of already known resources. Research also aims at utilising the subsurface for storage of the greenhouse gas CO2 as well as utilising geothermal energy.
Nature and the environment have become ever more important. The extraction of raw materials in accordance with society's need for sand, gravel and clay for building and construction must be balanced with nature and with people's need for recreational areas. Knowledge about the country's geology is crucial to achieving this balance. In this connection, GEUS will continue its geological research and mapping on land and at sea.
Access to mineral resources is also significant to the development of the Greenlandic society.Greenland has a clear objective of making the extractive industry one of the most important. One of the keys to achieving this objective is the presence of solid knowledge of the geology of Greenland. Therefore, GEUS plans targeted geological research in Greenland which is to help identify areas where there are possible oil, gas and mineral finds.
The nature of Greenland and the North Atlantic also play an important role in the understanding of global climate change which can alter conditions for life on Earth in the future. With a view to understanding the climate and assessing the effects of a changed climate, GEUS participates in international marine geological research and monitoring of Greenland's inland ice.
As regards data banks, GEUS aims to maintain its position as the geological memory of Denmark and Greenland. The data collections must be relevant and of high quality so that they can be used by stakeholders in the rest of society. GEUS intends to communicate the results of its research to an international forum as well as to the general public.
Finally, the strategies contain goals for GEUS' continued commitment in developing countries as well as its plans for organisational and staff development.
