The Project
A research infrastructure for Geological Surveys
Why the GeoSciences IR?
- The lack of up-to-date knowledge, data, and tools within the Regional Geological Surveys
- The fragmented organization of geological expertise across the Regions
- The need of an adequate number of technicians to tackle various geological issues in their specificity
The objectives of the project
The project aims to create a research infrastructure for the Italian Network of Geological Surveys (namely “Rete Italiana dei Servizi Geologici” – RISG), the coordination network among ISPRA, the Geological Survey of Italy, and the Regional Geological Surveys.
The Italian Network of Geological Surveys – RISG
The Italian Network of Geological Surveys – RISG is the coordination network between the Geological Survey of Italy, part of the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), and the Regional Geological Surveys, which are composed of around 30 technical entities affiliated with Regions, Autonomous Provinces, and Regional Agencies for Environmental Protection.
The Regional Geological Surveys provide technical and scientific support for geological and environmental policies and are also engaged in the dissemination of geological information and research activities.
The legal framework for the establishment of RISG dates back to 2000 when the Geological Coordination Committee was formed between the State, Regions, and Autonomous Provinces.
RISG was established in 2018 following the reorganization of the Committee.
It comprises an Executive Board with strategic and directional functions, as well as Thematic Committees dedicated to specific geological issues.
GeoSciences IR and the DNSH principle
In the implementation of projects funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan – PNRR, administrations must adhere to the “Do No Significant Harm” – DNSH principle: the project actions must not cause significant harm to the environment.
The selection of tools and services necessary for the project’s activities will comply with the minimum environmental criteria defined by Italian and European legislation.
Furthermore, GeoSciences IR will provide a concrete contribution to the fight against climate change and its effects. The harmonization and integration of data related to natural hazards, georesources, sustainable mining activities, land use and consumption will be useful for implementing strategies to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The project activities will promote sustainable land and resource management, fostering the creation of a virtuous circular economy model.
The FAIR Principles in Data Management
The research infrastructure of the Geosciences IR will collect and organize a large amount of data related to the geological features of the territory.
This data will be managed according to the FAIR principles, where the acronym FAIR indicates that the data must be:
- Findable
- Accessible
- Interoperable
- Reusable
To ensure that the Geosciences IR data complies with these principles, a system will be implemented to monitor and evaluate their traceability, accessibility, interoperability, and potential re-using.
The guidelines for the technologies and standards of the project are mainly based on the INSPIRE Directive.
