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, educators, students, and representatives from the business and institutional sectors to address the major challenges related to Earth sciences and the ecological transition. Two highlights will mark the week: the opening night on Monday, October 27, and the public lecture and 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 Conference (RST) has brought together the French geosciences 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 thematic sessions focused on major contemporary challenges:
- the study of subsoil and the development of innovative digital tools;
- the sustainable management of water and rare-earth resources;
- assessing the potential of deep and shallow geothermal energy;
- the understanding and responsible use of natural resources such as natural hydrogen.
These topics will complement the traditional areas of focus at Géosciences Montpellier: field geology, Earth dynamics, plate tectonics, and the study of coastal zones and natural hazards.
The conference will open on the evening of Monday, October 27, with an opening 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), who are co-chairs of this year’s Montpellier conference.
A career fair organized by TERINOV, a network of companies and higher education institutions in the field of geosciences, will be held on Wednesday, October 29. The event aims to strengthen ties between the academic and business worlds by fostering exchanges among students, researchers, and professionals.
At the same time, the “Teaching Geosciences” forum, organized in collaboration with the Montpellier Regional Education Office and IRES, will offer two days of training and discussion for secondary school and university teachers. The first day, Thursday, will be devoted to lectures and workshops, while the second day, 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 outreach specialists to discuss issues related to the preservation and promotion of geological heritage.
Finally, a booth dedicated to Pic Saint-Loup will offer a unique experience combining augmented reality and interactive models, tracing the historical and scientific theories regarding the formation of this iconic landscape, from the work of Paul de Rouville (1823–1907) to current research.
“From the Polar Ice Caps to the Mediterranean: Sea Level Rise—Between Uncertainty and Urgency”
On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Einstein Auditorium at the 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 event 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 a specialist in the dynamics of Greenland and Antarctic glaciers.
In his lecture, Gaël Durand will provide an overview of the polar ice caps and glaciers, the main contributors to sea-level rise. He will discuss the acceleration of their melting since the early 2000s, the instability mechanisms 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 is not the same as ignorance,”the researcher points out: our current knowledge, though imperfect, is sufficient to call for bold and urgent decisions, both in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping regions adapt.
The conference will be followed by a panel discussion featuring:
- Gaël Durand, CNRS-INSU, a specialist in coastal glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica;
- Frédéric Bouchette, professor at the University of Montpellier and specialist in coastal dynamics;
- Christophe Manas, Chair of the Occitanie Region’s Mediterranean Commission and member of the executive committee of the Parliament of the Sea;
- Véronique Négret, Mayor of Villeneuve-les-Maguelone and Vice President of the Metropolitan Area, responsible for the Coastline, Risk Prevention, and the Management of Aquatic Environments and Flood Prevention (GEMAPI);
- Nicolas Clarin, project manager for coastal development and studies of coastal hydro-morphodynamic processes at CréOcean.
The 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 commitment to fostering dialogue between science and society, with the aim of better understanding the climate challenges ahead and taking concrete steps toward transition and resilience.