The AEGOS-GEO Workshop on “Geoscience Observations and Observing Systems” was hosted by the Geological Remote Sensing Group of the Geological Society of London on 7^th – 8^th July 2010. Out of this workshop emerged a plan to add new tasks on managing the environmental impacts of mineral extraction and on the identification of geothermal energy resources to the current revision of the GEO Work Plan 2009-11. In the longer term, the workshop suggested that the Energy SBA might be extended to include mineral resources and several more potential GEO activities have been identified that would strengthen such a “Geo-Resources” SBA.

The new 2012-15 GEO work plan will be prepared over the next year, for approval at the 2011 GEO Plenary. So, proposals for new GEO activities that are developed and matured in the coming months will be timely.

As well as those in the obvious gap topic of Geo-resources, potential new contributions may be envisaged in geohazards,to help implement the Geohazard Community of practice Roadmap, urban planning, soil characterisation and palaeo-climate, which would see the geoscience contribution spreading across the 9 SBAs, as a truly cross-cutting activity. 

L.  CHEVALLIER