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The ETRS89 was defined and introduced by EUREF in the early nineties, so some thirtyyears ago, for positioning applications, but also for unifying Pan-European nationalreference frames. By definition, the ETRS89 and ITRS are intimately linked by a 14-parametersimilarity transformation, in such a way that the ETRS89 horizontal station velocities areminimized in order to accommodate centimetric operational geodetic applications in Europe.However, as both systems coincide together at epoch 1989.0, the ETRS89 realizations divergefrom the ITRS by about 60 cm today.Given the development and improvement of fast, easy-to-use, and highly accurate tools and methodsof precise point positioning, making use of IGS GNSS orbits that are aligned to the ITRS, the questionthat arrises is weather we still need to use the ETRS89 in Europe ? The paper will address the prosand cons of the ETRS89 from the user perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transition to a low carbon energy system is needed to respond to global challenge of climate change mitigation. Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) is a technology with worldwide potential to provide sustainable space heating and cooling by (seasonal) storage and recovery of heat in the subsurface. However, adoption of ATES varies strongly across Europe, because of both technical as well as organizational barriers, e.g. differences in climatic and subsurface conditions and legislation respectively. After identification of all these barriers in a Climate-KIC research project, six ATES pilot systems have been installed in five different EU-countries aiming to show how such barriers can be overcome. This paper presents the results of the barrier analysis and the results of the pilot plants. The barriers are categorized in general barriers, and barriers for mature and immature markets. Two pilots show how ATES can be successfully used to re-develop contaminated sites by combining ATES with soil remediation. Two other pilots show the added value of ATES because its storage capacity enables the utilization of solar heat in combination with solar power production. Finally, two pilots are realized in countries with legal barriers where ATES systems have not previously been applied at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Research Infrastructure 'Integrated Carbon Observation System' (ICOS) has conducted, together with Technopolis, the first impact assessment of a distributed environmental research infrastructure. The study has gathered a substantial base of qualitative evidence for ICOS' impacts. Interviews, together with an analysis of internal and external documents, survey results and an analysis of the scientific publications, news articles and policy papers that could be linked to ICOS, paint a picture of a research infrastructure that is highly relevant within the European GHG research community mainly through the successful implementation of standardisation throughout the research infrastructure. Scientist working with ICOS who were interviewed as part of the study are very positive about the improvements in data quality and data access that ICOS has brought about data users. Scientific data providers were very positive about the development and implementation of measurement standards, across atmosphere, ecosystem and ocean domains by ICOS.The study developed 17 'key impact indicators' that will be used in future follow-up analyses of the impact of ICOS. Using these results as a baseline, future impact analyses will be better able to link impact to the performance of the infrastructure. Despite the clear narrative on ICOS scientific impact, is was not yet possible to measure this using traditional methods like bibliometrics of academic publications. This is a direct consequence of the fact that official ICOS data have only very recently become available, and that the impact of academic publications occurs with a time lag. The analysis that has been performed using publications which predate the ICOS ERIC indicate the high potential of regularly updated data from ICOS certified stations, both for use inside and outside the academic world.The finding that there is a high uptake of ICOS' data-related services and global data products, even in the absence of ICOS-certified measurements, suggest that ICOS fulfils a need in providing a platform for data analysis, both in Europe and globally, by providing access to European in-situ measurements with high temporal and spatial resolution. A DOI minting process recently implemented by ICOS should improve attribution to ICOS both in academic publications and can potentially be used to improve attribution to ICOS data products, provided that this process is adequately implemented.The 'contribution of timely information relevant to the GHG policy and decision making' is one of ICOS' explicit aims. The combination reliable high-quality data on GHG, pan-European coverage and the presence of a research community means that ICOS data, even in their early stage, are already used by various communities and organizations who provide information to policy makers. Yet, at the same time it is an example of an outcome where attribution is notoriously difficult. To maintain and improve its relevance, it will be of key importance to develop better knowledge about what type of information is required to reach decision makers, and about at what stage in the decision process ICOS data can contribute most to improve policy decisions, and to support climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reanalysis data such as MERRA and MERRA-2 are commonly used to derive solar and wind power generation time series, and to estimate their resource potentials. However, the spatial resolution of the reanalysis data (0.5° latitude x 0.625° longitude for MERRA-2) is not sufficient for small-scale energy system models (e.g. states and cities), nor for siting potential projects. This paper uses the MERRA-2 reanalysis data in combination with additional data sources for land-use, topography, and protected areas, in order to obtain accurate global resource potential maps with a spatial resolution of 15 arcseconds. We also generate time series for individual cells of the rasters and identify the best locations for future wind and solar projects. The results are validated against measured hourly generation data of wind and photovoltaic power plants in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PROTHEGO (PROTection of European Cultural HEritage from GeO-hazards) uses novel space technology to monitor surface deformation with mm precision to analyze the impact of geohazards in cultural heritage sites in Europe. The project includes the 395 monuments of UNESCO in Europe to monitor geo-hazards, with case studies conducted in 4 UNESCO sites in England, Spain, Italy and Cyprus. The PROTHEGO project uses long-term low-impact monitoring systems, such as UAVs and geodetic techniques, as well as InSAR data to monitor and assess the risk from natural hazards on the archaeological site to evaluate potential geo-hazards. This paper will present an overview of best practices for the innovative diagnosis, monitoring, mitigation and preservation of Cultural Heritage monuments sites affected by geo-hazards that are potentially unstable due to landslides, sinkholes, settlement, subsidence, active tectonics as well as structural deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]