Earth Sciences Meeting 2025: The planet beneath our feet, a challenge for the future!
From October 27 to 31, 2025, Montpellier will host the 29th edition of the Earth Sciences Meeting (RST) at the Corum, an international conference bringing together nearly 900 participants. Organized by Géosciences Montpellier (University of Montpellier/CNRS) and the Geological Society of France, this major event on the scientific calendar will bring together researchers, teachers, students, economic and institutional players to discuss the major challenges related to Earth sciences and ecological transition. Two highlights will punctuate the week: the opening night on Monday, October 27, and the public conference-debate on Tuesday, October 28.
A week to explore issues related to the subsurface and natural resources
For more than 50 years, the Earth Sciences Meeting (RST) has brought together the French geoscience community every two years in a different city. In 2025, this major scientific event will take place in Montpellier, a leading center for Earth sciences research.
For one week, the Corum will host themed sessions dedicated to major contemporary challenges:
- the study of subsoils and the development of innovative digital tools;
- sustainable management of water and rare metal resources;
- assessment of the potential of deep and surface geothermal energy;
- understanding and responsible use of natural resources such as natural hydrogen.
These topics will complement the historical subjects covered by Géosciences Montpellier: field geology, Earth dynamics, plate tectonics, and the study of coastal areas and natural hazards.
The conference will open on Monday, October 27, in the evening with an inaugural reception attended by Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, Jean-François Ritz (Géosciences Montpellier), and Laurent Jolivet (President of the Geological Society of France), co-presidents of this Montpellier edition.
A career forum organized by TERINOV, a network of companies and higher education institutions in the field of geosciences, will be held on Wednesday, October 29. It will aim to strengthen links between the academic and economic worlds by promoting exchanges between students, researchers, and professionals.
At the same time, the "Teaching Geosciences" forum, organized with the Montpellier school district and IRES, will offer two days of training and discussion for secondary school and university teachers. The first day, Thursday, will be devoted to conferences and workshops, while the second, Friday, will feature a field trip on the theme: "Understanding time in geology, or In Search of Lost Time."
The Géopatrimoine forum, in partnership with the Terre d’Hérault Geopark and the Lodève Museum, will bring together scientists and mediators to discuss issues relating to the preservation and promotion of geological heritage.
Finally, a stand dedicated to Pic Saint-Loup will offer an original approach combining augmented reality and interactive models, retracing historical and scientific hypotheses on the formation of this iconic landscape, from the work of Paul de Rouville (1823-1907) to current research.
“From polar ice caps to the Mediterranean. Sea levels, between uncertainty and urgency”
On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 7 p.m. in the Einstein Auditorium at Le Corum, a major event open to the general public (registration required) will be held, organized by Géosciences Montpellier, the Geological Society of France, and the BioGée Federation. The evening will be opened by Michaël Delafosse, mayor of Montpellier, followed by a lecture by Gaël Durand, scientific delegate for polar affairs at CNRS-INSU and specialist in the dynamics of Greenland and Antarctic glaciers.
In his lecture, Gaël Durand will provide an overview of the current state of polar ice caps and glaciers, which are the main contributors to sea level rise. He will discuss the acceleration of their melting since the early 2000s, the mechanisms of instability specific to ice caps, and the risks of crossing irreversible critical thresholds. While projections still involve uncertainties, current observations warn of the possibility of sea level rise exceeding one meter by 2100.
“Uncertainty does not mean ignorance,”the researcher reminds us: our current knowledge, although imperfect, is sufficient to call for courageous and urgent decisions, both in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting territories.
The conference will be followed by a roundtable discussion with:
- Gaël Durand, CNRS-INSU, specialist in coastal glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica;
- Frédéric Bouchette, professor at the University of Montpellier, specialist in coastal dynamics;
- Christophe Manas, President of the Mediterranean Commission of the Occitanie Region and member of the Bureau of the Parliament of the Sea;
- Véronique Négret, Mayor of Villeneuve les Maguelone and Vice-President of the Metropolis, Delegate for the Coastline, Risk Prevention, Aquatic Environment Management, and Flood Prevention (GEMAPI);
- Nicolas Clarin, project manager in coastal development and studies of coastal hydro-morpho-dynamic processes at CréOcean.
Speakers will address the concrete impacts of climate change on coastal areas, particularly the Languedoc coastline: coastal erosion, pressure on water resources, infrastructure degradation, loss of biodiversity, and economic challenges. Together, they will explore avenues for adaptation and action at the regional level. This meeting is part of a shared desire for dialogue between science and society, to better understand the climate challenges ahead and take concrete action for transition and resilience.