Resilient cities : 3D geoscience for sustainable subsurface management

It is estimated that global population reached 7 billion in 2011. Almost half of that population live in towns or cities. Rapid urbanisation driven by population change, socio-economic and technological development has placed increased pressure on the natural capital provided by the natural environment to society. Land use change and increased competition for space above and below ground places ever growing demands on the ability of urban ecosystems to deliver the goods and services on which society depends. A 3D geoscience framework provides a means to assess the impacts of predicted future demographic and environmental change on the subsurface and the demands placed upon it