Land subsidence is a widespread phenomenon that can result from both natural processes and human activities, including groundwater and hydrocarbon extraction, mining and other forms of subsurface use. Its impacts can include damage to buildings and infrastructure, reduced aquifer storage capacity and increased relative sea-level rise.
The study, Lessons Learned from European Land Subsidence, highlights the substantial experience that European countries have developed in monitoring and assessing different subsidence processes. Examples include the effects of coal mining in Poland, groundwater extraction in Greece and Italy, and glacial isostatic adjustment in Scandinavia and the Baltic region.
The publication demonstrates how combining geological knowledge, data and expertise from across Europe can help improve understanding of land subsidence and support timely responses to emerging challenges associated with climate change and the increasingly intensive use of the subsurface.