Cities Under Pressure: A Deep Dive into Urban Geology and Climate Impact

December 4, 2024, 9.00 – 11.30 a.m | Brussels
Add to calendar

Join us at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels for Cities Under Pressure, an event that brings together geologists, urban planners, and environmental researchers. As European cities face both geological and escalating climate challenges, understanding the geology of our urban environments has become crucial. “The Urban Geo-Climate Footprint” documentary takes viewers on an eye-opening journey beneath Europe’s iconic cities, revealing how underlying geological structures influence their resilience to climate change and other natural challenges. From earthquakes to shifting soils, from floods to volcanic eruptions, from geothermal energy to groundwater, the film demonstrates how geology impacts many aspects of city life, offering a unique perspective on the natural forces and resources that support our cities.

The programme includes a networking breakfast, the premiere of The Urban Geo-Climate Footprint documentary, an interactive Urban Geology Quiz, and a live panel discussion. This documentary explores the hidden geological structures beneath Europe’s cities, illustrating how they influence urban resilience to floods, earthquakes, and other natural events. Gain insights into how geology impacts our cities and discover essential strategies for adapting urban environments to an era of environmental change.

Programme Highlights:

09:00 – Welcome breakfast

09:45 –  Premiere of "Cities Under Pressure" Documentary

10:15 – Urban Geology Quiz

10:40 – Panel Discussion: Margherita Menon, European Energy Research Alliance (EERA); Adrian Hiel, Energy Cities

11:30 – End of the event

Watch the Trailer here.

Speakers

Margherita Menon, European Energy Research Alliance
Adrian Hiel, Energy Cities
Back

What's New

External
  Event
Aug 23–27
August 23 – 27, 2026Stockholm, Sweden
MORE
GSEU
  Event
Sep 8
September 8, 2026Brussels, Belgium
MORE
July 8, 2026

Europe has set ambitious goals for Critical Raw Materials. Achieving them starts with understanding Europe's geology, long before investment decisions are made, permits are issued, or exploration begins. Better geological knowledge reduces uncertainty, strengthens decision-making, and reveals Eur...

Show post on LinkedIn
July 3, 2026

Before you switch on your out-of-office, take a moment to save the date! 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩: 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚 3𝐃 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 📅 12-13 October 2026 | Online Expect discussions on national and transboundary 3D geological modelling initiatives, and on the path towards a harmonised European 3D geomodel. More in...

Show post on LinkedIn
June 30, 2026

🌱 Great projects don't stand alone. CO2SITE, a new Horizon Europe project, builds on the expertise, network and results developed through GSEU to advance an open-access atlas of potential CO₂ storage sites across Europe, demonstrating how European research and collaboration can deliver lasting se...

Show post on LinkedIn
June 25, 2026

💧 As Europe accelerates the digitalisation of the water sector, groundwater cannot remain out of sight. Through the GSEU - Geological Service for Europe project, Geological Survey Organisations have established the 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞, proving that a harmonised, interoperable...

Show post on LinkedIn
June 24, 2026

June was so packed with geothermal action that we're calling it Junethermal. Our partners contributed to major discussions on the future of geothermal energy at: ♨️ International Energy Agency (IEA) and Carnegie Europe's roundtable, Geothermal Energy for Europe: Scaling from Niche to Mainstream ♨...

Show post on LinkedIn
June 18, 2026

💭 Imagine waking up in a Europe where the minerals behind everyday life have vanished. No smartphones, no laptops, no vehicles, no infrastructure... the list goes on and on. A fictional scenario, but a very real challenge: access to minerals, particularly critical raw materials, is essential for ...

Show post on LinkedIn