Minister Eamon Ryan welcomes delegates from 37 Geological Surveys of Europe to Dublin

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, addressed a gathering of representatives of the Geological Surveys of Europe, EuroGeoSurveys, at the Ashling Hotel in Dublin today, Wednesday, 22nd March. The members of 37 Geological Surveys are in Dublin to discuss critical raw materials (CRMs), the energy transition, and the digital transition. The three-day event will culminate in the signing of the Dublin Declaration, a commitment to support the development of EU policy through participation in the Geological Service for Europe project. The event was hosted by Geological Survey Ireland, a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

The cumulative metal and material demand predicted for the decarbonisation of Ireland's energy and transport sectors (necessary in solar panels, batteries, etc.), as set out in the Climate Action Plan, includes 68,000 tonnes of copper, 67,000 tonnes of zinc, 5,000 tonnes of lithium, as well as almost 4 million tonnes of concrete and 1.6 million tonnes of steel. This forecast is contained in a report on the natural resources required to meet the Climate Action Plan's commitments - Green Metals: Demand Arising from Decarbonisation of Energy and Transport Sectors - recently released by Geological Survey Ireland and the Geoscience Policy Division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Speaking at the event, Minister Eamon Ryan TD, said: "In every strategic project we have to undertake, whether that's in transport, renewables or geothermal heat, we have to ensure that we have access to the precious rare earth minerals and resources we need. This will require global and just collaboration and cooperation on climate and energy. However, it's not just about the continued use of precious rare earth metals it's also about the use of recycled rare earth resources through the circular economy so that we use what is precious wisely. We have to upscale our capability in this area quickly, and it is the crucial job of geological survey organisations to provide the baseline data, the information, as well as the materials we need to show us how we can do that sustainably and effectively."

Meeting the need for rare earth metals in Ireland, and the equivalent needs in Europe and globally, will require efficient and sustainable management of earth resources. The Geological Surveys of Europe, including Geological Survey Ireland, are the providers of data and knowledge of the subsurface and provide advice for national and EU policy on the supply of critical minerals necessary for green energy technologies, the source and protection of groundwater necessary for drinking water, agriculture, and flooding mitigation, and mapping of the subsurface to de-risk sustainable urban development, as well as for geothermal development. The Geological Service for Europe project (GSEU) is a €24 million Horizon Europe five-year project to support collaborative projects across the Geological Surveys of Europe. In signing the Dublin Declaration, the Geological Surveys of Europe representatives will commit to the mission and vision of the Geological Service of Europe.

ENDS

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

Geological Survey Ireland

Founded in 1845, Geological Survey Ireland is Ireland's public Earth science knowledge centre and is a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. It is committed to providing free, open, and accurate data and maps on Ireland's subsurface to landowners, the public, industry, and all other stakeholders, within Ireland and internationally. Geological Survey Ireland acts as a project partner in interpreting data and developing models and viewers to allow people to understand underground. It deals with a diverse array of topics, including coastal vulnerability, groundwater, seabed mapping, natural disasters, and public health risks. It also provides a 'duty geologist' service to the public to address geological queries and concerns. Read more about Geological Survey Ireland at: www.gsi.ie.

EuroGeoSurveys

EuroGeoSurveys is a not-for-profit organisation representing the Geological Surveys of Europe. Through the collaborative research and activities of its expert groups and task forces, and provision of open-access, harmonised geological maps, data, and data infrastructure, it provides the European Institutions, regulators, industry, and the public, with expert, balanced, and practical pan-European geoscience data and advice to guide policy and to address key societal challenges.

Read more about Geological Surveys of Europe: https://eurogeosurveys.org/research/gseu/.

You can view the Green Metals report at: https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/publications/Pages/Green-Metals-Demand-Arising-from-Decarbonisation-of-Energy-and-Transport-Sectors.aspx.