Annual report 2007: Resources... for life

Annual report 2007 provides a brief insight into an exceptionally eventful year, which has been epoch-making in the 120-year history of GEUS. As a consequence of the government’s decision to reorganise the Danish research landscape in 2006, GEUS is now subject to its own act, Act no. 356 of 6 June 2007, which was adopted unanimously by the Danish Parliament. GEUS became one of three national research institutions and changed its Danish name, although the English name remains the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS).
In 2006 the government also decided to establish a national geocenter, Geocenter Denmark, as a part of the focus on the research area. In 2007 the Center’s statute was approved by the University of Aarhus, the University of Copenhagen and GEUS. Geocenter Denmark will be an important instrument in reaching the government’s goals in the geo-scientific area.
GEUS' department in Aarhus opened on 2 January and has now become an integrated part of GEUS, carrying out tasks within groundwater mapping and groundwater monitoring in close cooperation with the new environment centres and the Agency for Spatial and Environmental Planning.
With the formation of the new government after the general election in November 2007, a new Ministry of Climate and Energy was established, and GEUS was transferred to the new Ministry from the Ministry of the Environment. GEUS already had a large portfolio of tasks in the energy and climate area which fell within the new Ministry’s field of responsibility, and GEUS is also continuing its work for the Ministry of the Environment. This work has therefore been included in GEUS’ new performance contract, which commenced in January 2008 and runs until the end of 2011.
In 2007 the common public-sector data solutions for the environment area were implemented, and GEUS’ extensive databases on geology and groundwater became a daily tool for state, municipalities and regions.
Combating climate changes and adapting to those we cannot avoid have created a need for solutions requiring GEUS know-how in areas such as geothermal energy, CO₂ storage, impacts on the water cycle and leaching of nutrients and pesticides to the groundwater, flooding, coastal erosion and developments in the melting of the Inland Ice in Greenland. GEUS is well prepared for this inter-disciplinary challenge. GEUS anticipates new uses for geological knowledge and a new understanding of the importance of our climatic past, as well as a great need for knowledge of geological processes and natural resources.

Fossil energy sources will continue to be an important part of Denmark’s energy supply for many years to come, and a source of considerable revenues for the Danish society. Focus on the climate must therefore be combined with an open-minded understanding of the values of subsurface resources. Rapidly increasing oil prices have resulted in enormous demand for knowledge about oil/gas resources - also at GEUS.

Interest in geological natural resources of oil/gas and minerals in Greenland is greater than ever, where strategically it constitutes an important aspect in Greenland’s endeavours to create a self-sufficient economy. Therefore, the Home Rule Commission has considered the role of GEUS, and both Denmark and Greenland want GEUS to continue as the institution from which the authorities can seek geological advice.

The ownership of potential resources below the offshore area of the Faroe Islands and Greenland received much press coverage in 2007. This is reflected in the continental shelf project, under which a large expedition was carried out in difficult ice conditions north of Greenland using two ice-breakers.

With an eventful year behind us, a performance contract in place until 2011, a common understanding of the model for future Denmark-Greenland cooperation and a high demand for GEUS knowledge, we are already well into an exciting 2008.