EFG Global Ambassador Maureen Gallagher and President David Govoni at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.Â
From November 11 to 22, world leaders gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, to address the complexities of global climate change at COP29. As an accredited UNFCCC observer, EFG participated in this vital international meeting, showcasing the importance of geoscience in tackling global climate challenges.
Through innovative projects and strategic collaborations, geologists continue to play a pivotal role in transitioning to a low-carbon economy and safeguarding fragile ecosystems.
Global Ambassador Maureen Gallagher, the Federation’s COP lead, and President David Govoni represented EFG throughout the event, observing the global scope of knowledge, interest, and decision-making with respect to critical and strategic minerals, geothermal, hydrogen, and carbon capture strategies.
This year EFG’s EU-funded projects were prominently advertised, through the distribution of CRM-geothermal and CEEGS business cards and discussions with attendees after presentations.
EFG’s efforts in promoting geologists’ visibility in the climate industry are progressively becoming more effective.
EFG highlighted key role of geologists
During COP29, EFG underscored the indispensable role of geologists in:
1. Assessing infrastructure vulnerability and formulating climate adaptation strategies
With 30% of global infrastructure at risk by 2050, geologists are critical in crafting adaptation solutions. This was emphasised at the session “Cities and Territories: Redesigning and Regenerating Urban Fabrics in the Third Millennium”, organised by Remtech at the Italy Pavillon on November 18.
This session allowed to promote the projects CRM-geothermal, CEEGS, FIC-Fighters.
2. Securing a sustainable supply of critical minerals
This topic was a focal point at the Italy Pavilion event, “Building Blocks of Innovative Effective Climate Policy: Critical Minerals for Green Energy,” held on November 18. It explored the critical minerals required for renewable energy technologies.
David Govoni presented CRM-Geothermal, sparking interest and feedback. Maureen Gallagher presented all projects in which EFG participated in the last 10 years, including FIC-Fighters, pointing out the legacy built by EFG through EU-funded projects.Â
On November 13, David Govoni delivered an online presentation at the Arctic Pavilion: “The Arctic for All: Gen X to Z Multidisciplinary Collaboration, Critical Minerals, and Green Energy Production.” This session highlighted the importance of critical minerals for green energy and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration to address environmental challenges in the Arctic.
In this session, David Govoni briefly introduced current EFG projects on Critical Raw Materials (CRM): CRM-Geothermal, FIC-Fighters, and Timrex. Maureen Gallagher also presented FIC-Fighters.
3. Promoting skills development
David Govoni presented EFG’s CRM expert database and introduced key projects on critical minerals (CRM-Geothermal, FIC-Fighters, and Timrex) at a session held at the Science for Climate Action Pavilion (CNET) on November 18. The session was chaired by Maureen Gallagher who used this opportunity to promote the activities of the International Raw Materials Observatory, a previous Horizon 2020 project coordinated by EFG which is nowadays established as an independent spin-off not-for-profit organisation.
Maureen Gallagher also spoke about the skills required to ensure access to Critical Raw Materials needed for the Energy Transition at the Arctic Pavilion on 15 November.
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COP29 Key Takeaways for Geologists and EFG Perspective
Considering the above, geologists are central actors in addressing climate challenges, more than is widely realised at COP events.Â
Land use and territorial geological planning
The “Baku Multisectoral Actions Pathways (MAP)” Declaration emphasised investments in green infrastructure, sustainable urban planning, and transportation to build climate-resilient cities. Geologists play a vital role in landuse management, hazard mitigation and sustainable urban regeneration. –Â Read the MAP Declaration
Surface water and groundwater management
The COP29 Declaration on Water for Climate Action highlights groundwater management, water-related hazards, and ecosystem restoration as critical for climate action. Geoscience is vital for sustainable resource use and risk assessment. – Read more
Geological storage sites for COâ‚‚
The finalisation of Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement establishes frameworks for carbon credit trading. Geologists are key in carbon sequestration projects and validating geological storage sites for COâ‚‚. There is a clear mandate for the UN carbon market to align with science. – Learn more
Critical minerals for energy transition
The COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge underscores geologists’ roles in identifying and responsibly extracting critical raw materials for energy storage and resilient grid infrastructure. – Learn about the Pledge
Geothermal green zones
In light of the COP29 Green Energy Pledge: Green Energy Zones and Corridors, geologists play a pivotal role in identifying optimal locations for renewable energy projects, assessing resource potential, and mitigating environmental impacts, supporting the sustainable development of green energy zones and corridors, in particular for geothermal projects. – More on the Green Energy Pledge
Further resources
