Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources ( BGR ) is a federal authority within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi ) and acts as a central geoscience consulting institution of the Federal Government. The head of the Federal Agency is located in Hannover, moreover, there is a branch ( service area ) in Berlin. Beginning of 2014, the Authority employed a total of 786 employees.

The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources ( BGR), the State Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology ( LBEG ) and the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics ( LIAG ) form the Geozentrum Hanover. All three institutions have a common management and infrastructure, and complement each other through their interdisciplinary expertise.

Tasks and topics

BGR advises and informs as geoscientific center of excellence, the German government and the German economy in all geoscientific and resource- economic issues and also takes on statutory tasks. Their work serves an economically and ecologically sustainable use and protection of natural resources and thus of general interest. As an institution of departmental research BGR is part of the scientific and technical infrastructure in Germany. With the German Mineral Resources Agency ( DERA ) advises the BGR since October 2010, the German economy on issues of availability and sustainable use of raw materials as well as on current market developments. BGR takes as national geological service of Germany at the same time numerous international tasks.

From the founding decree of November 26, 1958 are obtained for the BGR following basic tasks:

Commodity Economic and geoscience advice to the federal government and the German economy

BGR advises the German government and the German economy in all resource- economic and geo-scientific issues. This advice is especially the long -term security of energy and raw material supply of the industrial location Germany and the Geosicherheit and sustainable Georessourcenmanagement. The involvement of the BGR in the construction of national and international card works as well as standardization for the provision of geodata conditions for rapid, uniform and transnational query options have been created.

International geoscience and technical cooperation

The BGR is one of the implementing organizations of German development cooperation on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. In the sectors of geology, raw materials and mining, energy, groundwater and soil and geological risks, BGR advises BMZ and leads projects of technical cooperation with developing countries. BGR participates on behalf of federal departments and in coordination with national and international geoscientific institutions of scientific and technological cooperation and European and international cooperation in Geosektor.

Geoscientific research and development

BGR operates the necessary advice to the ministries purpose and preliminary research. They form the basis for the professional performance of tasks of the BGR and include methodological and instrumental geoscience development and their implementation in practice. To this end, the participation of the BGR in research projects in the framework of the Antarctic Treaty, the polar research. In the field of international marine research she is involved in the preparation of industrial activities. The medium-term research agendas of the BGR is based on a research guideline, which is concretized in research and development plans.

With the four departments

  • Energy Resources, Mineral Resources
  • Groundwater and soil
  • Underground storage and utility room
  • Geoscientific Information, International Cooperation

Takes the BGR its tasks in a variety of issues.

Energy Resources

Analyzed to advise the federal government and the German economy and assesses the BGR continuous global developments of reserves, resources, exploration and market developments of energy resources oil, gas, coal and uranium. BGR research preparatory to industrial activities and develop new exploration methods and strategies, particularly in marine frontier areas as well as for non-conventional energy resources. Furthermore, they developed especially for development policy measures for the recovery of energy resources, taking into account environmental, social and economic criteria.

Mineral Resources

To advise the Federal Government and German industry BGR constantly performs analyzes and assessments of the global markets and potential mineral resources - metals, industrial minerals and rocks and soils - by. BGR research preparatory to industrial activities and develops new exploration techniques and strategies, especially for high -tech metals, so-called "critical resources" and specific industrial minerals. It develops raw materials and development policy instruments and develops concepts for the use of mineral raw materials from an ecological, social and economic criteria.

Groundwater

BGR developed technical methods to improve groundwater management. Together with institutions in Germany, Europe and worldwide working on better information base on regional groundwater resources. It thus supports national and international legislative and developmental measures to safeguard the groundwater resources and contributes to integrated water resources management in.

Ground

On the basis of applied research BGR developed tools and standards for the provision of soil-related information. With the objective of sustainable exploitation and protection of the soil supporting normative and legislative activities in the national and international context. They cooperated with the pedological services of the states and Europe.

Disposal of radioactive waste

For the construction of federal facilities for the disposal of radioactive waste, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection ( BfS) uses the expertise of the BGR for the processing of geoscientific and geotechnical sets of questions and works with her. In addition, the BGR in the research department at the Federal Ministry of Economics by their own basic research to final disposal. The tasks include in particular the geological exploration of the sites, the petrophysical characterization of the host rock, the proof of the stability of repository mines and analysis of scenarios for the long-term safety.

Use of the deep subsurface; geological storage of CO2

BGR advises the federal government on all geoscientific and geotechnical questions about the use of the deep subsurface. This applies to the geotechnical safety of underground structures and cavities as well as for issues of a permanent underground storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) in geological formations. Another focus of the BGR is the exploration and development of deep geothermal resources ( geothermal energy).

International geoscientific cooperation

According to an agreement between the Federal Ministry of Economics and BMZ, BGR has worked as a German implementing organization of Technical Cooperation with Developing Countries ( TC). Leads you through TC projects in the fields of mining, raw materials, groundwater, soil, geological risks, geology, and environmental and resource protection. It therefore supports the German Government in achieving its foreign economic and political stability objectives.

Geoscience Information and Basics

BGR participates at national and international levels in the development of geological foundations. In collaboration with the Geological Surveys of the Federal States and Europe, it provides specialist geological information, maps, standards and methods. In the context of national, European ( EuroGeoSurveys ) and international initiatives BGR contributes to the construction of the Spatial Data Infrastructure ( Geo Information Science ).

BGR explores the mainland geology of Antarctica and therefore helps to fulfill the obligations to obtain consultative status in Germany within the framework of the Antarctic Treaty.

Nuclear test ban; hazard analyzes

BGR fulfilled on behalf of the Federal Government Germany's obligations to the international Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT ). She runs to the national CTBT data center where the explosion waves of potential nuclear weapon tests are recorded over long distances. In addition, the BGR with the Central Seismological Observatory of the Federal Republic of Germany shall monitor the global earthquake activity.

For early detection and risk assessment of other geogenic natural disasters, such as Volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunamis or subsidence, developed BGR methods that help to reduce geological risks of damage and thus serve to protect human livelihoods. The BGR is actively involved in advising countries and regions in the applied natural disaster management.

A modern scientific and technical infrastructure supporting the technical work of the BGR. Laboratories, collections, equipment and technical expertise are developed and provided as required for the implementation of projects. In addition, ensure central specialist services such as library, public relations and information technology, documentation and target group -oriented provision of data, information and publications.

History

1945 attempts were made to reorganize and unbundling of the State Geological Survey in Germany in the Hanover branch of the Reich Office for Soil Research. On the territory of the former GDR, the State Geological Commission - later Central Geological Institute ( ZGI ) - founded with its headquarters in the building of the former Reich Office for Soil Research in the disability road.

With the Highest agreements in 1948 and the king Steiner State Convention 1949, the Geological offices of the United Economic Area of the agency transferred in Hanover on regional tasks ( joint tasks ). Was founded in 1950 from the Geological Research Institute of Geological offices of the United Economic Area in Hanover, the Office of Waste Management. This was as a public corporation by resolution of the Lower Saxony Ministry of 21 March 1950 as a state institution with effect from 1 April 1950 and by a contract of the states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine -Westphalia from 1 April/17. May 1950 ( Official Journal of Lower Saxony, pp. 225 f ) constituted as a joint office. The departure of North Rhine -Westphalia under the contract to March 31, 1957 made ​​a revision necessary.

1958 led a management agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Lower Saxony to the establishment of the Federal Institute for Soil Research ( BfB ) from the portfolio of the Office of Agricultural Research in Hannover ( 1 December 1958). The latter was dissolved on March 31 1959, and the Lower Saxony State Office for Soil Research ( NLfB ) newly established on 1 April 1959. BGR and NLfB were provided by the management agreement until the dissolution of NLfB in 2005 under a common management and organization are closely linked.

In 1971 the Central Seismological Observatory Graefenberg was assigned as a branch in Erlangen the Federal Agency. After its dissolution on 1 August 2008, his tasks are perceived by BGR in Hannover.

1972 there was an affair of the Eberhard -making used by German Economics Minister Karl Schiller as President who was suspended after a few days in office on full pay since there was because of his family ties with the Federal Minister of Economics at the Federal Institute violent protests against his appointment .. After an action of making it in 1975 at the OECD for the Federal deposit research in Developing Countries special Representative.

In 1975, the Federal Institute for Soil Research in the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources has been renamed. 1990, a branch office in Berlin was established that the unwound - in the meantime in Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources ( AGR) renamed - ZGI took over. Since 2012, this branch office of the set up and ran the BGR 2010 German Mineral Resources Agency ( DERA ).

President of BGR (formerly BfB )

  • Hans -Joachim Kuempel, since 2007
  • Alfred Hollerbach, Acting President from 2006 to 2007
  • Bernhard Stribrny, 2005-2006
  • Friedrich- Wilhelm Wellmer, 1996-2005
  • Martin Kürsten, 1986-1996
  • Friedrich Bender, 1975-1985
  • Ulrich Engelmann, Acting Director 1972-1974
  • Eberhard -making, 1972
  • Gerhard Richter- Bernburg, 1970-1972
  • Hans -Joachim Martini, 1962-1969
  • Alfred Bentz, 1958-1962
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Integrated Authority File
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