Case Study-Driven Research to Provide a Foundation for Advancing Geosystem Services and Planning Practices for the Subsurface

Recent research projects have targeted the hitherto limited inclusion of the subsurface and its geo-resources in spatial planning in Sweden. The UNDER project focuses on the societal implications of using the concept of geosystem services to support planning practices. The concept of geosystem services has been described as the contributions to human well-being from the abiotic world or from the subsurface, and although not yet fully defined, the concept has the potential to communicate the many services provided by the subsurface. The project is a case study-driven project and works in collaboration with Swedish municipalities to understand how governance structures support the identification and assessment of geosystem services. Four ongoing spatial planning processes in Swedish municipalities have been selected as case studies, which will provide a variety of spatial planning contexts and objectives. This paper will discuss our methodology and engagement with the different cases. The cases will help us investigate how the concept of geosystem services supports planning processes by mapping these services, exploring how different geosystem services are valued and to develop tools for identification and evaluation. The outcome of the project will provide a robust foundation for advancing spatial planning processes, with the inclusion of geosystem services.