Global geoscience - British Geological Survey

The BGS an established presence on the international stage with access to expert staff experienced in working overseas. We continue to develop a strong portfolio of institutional strengthening programmes and applied research projects across a wide variety of sectors, including capacity building, resource identification and management, and engineering geoscience solutions.

These underpin the UK’s contribution to addressing the global challenges including the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), COP 2015 and the 2015 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

We aim to develop long-standing partnerships in a range of countries, with co-design of research and capacity building programmes that include work on survey and monitoring, data systems and processes, and hazard risk management. This work supports:

realisation of sustainable benefits from their natural resources
improvements to the quality of life through improved access to water, food and energy
community understanding and management of natural hazard and risk
contributions to global environmental change
the development of sustainable and resilient cities

Our international programme is delivered through three key areas:

Official Development Assistance (ODA) including Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and Newton Fund grants
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO — UK Government)
Commercial projects with funding from foreign governments, the World Bank and industry

We have established programmes in Africa and across Asia, and we are strategically building opportunities in South and Central America. Much of our work in Africa is focused on capacity building and on natural resources and natural hazards whilst our work in Asia focuses on cities, groundwater and natural hazards. European programmes are embedded within the science challenge areas.

With UK Government support, we proactively work to build development programmes and business opportunities with counterparts in the FCDO, the Department for International Trade (DIT) and, where appropriate, with consultants, universities and private sector organisations to provide additional specialist skills.

The strength and success of BGS Global’s geoscience depends upon effective international relations and collaborative research partners.

Across the BGS, our recent and ongoing competitively won research grants with a wide range of UK and overseas funders and partners currently cover countries and institutions around the globe.

Current large ODA-related grant projects include:

CePHAS: GCRF-funded project on conservation agriculture research in Africa
UKRI/GCRF-funded Multi-hazard Urban Disaster Risk Hub
UK Space Agency-funded Modelling Exposure through Earth observation routines (METEOR) project
FCDO/NERC-funded Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience (SHEAR)

The BGS is also active within a number of global initiatives and institutions including:

OneGeology
Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and South-east Asia (CCOP)
International Cooperation and Development Expert Group of European Geological Surveys (EuroGeoSurveys)
Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CCGM)
Global Earthquake Model (GEM)
Global Volcano Model (GVM)
Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN)

We act in an advisory capacity to large projects including the recent EU/Organisation of African Geological Surveys-funded PanAfGeo.

We have a number of Memoranda of Understanding and research agreements, which facilitate research engagement and support ongoing project work.

We provide a wide range of research publications, reports and articles extending back many decades, which are continually updated via ongoing data capture prioritised to Development Assistance Committee (DAC) countries.

BGS data holdings for countries are extensive and we are exploring routes to capture and release this data, with ongoing projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.