The Arctic plays a key role in the Earth’s climate system and is an area of growing strategic importance for European policy. In this ETN, we will train the next generation of Arctic microbiology and biogeochemistry experts who, through their unique understanding of the Arctic environment and the factors that impact ecosystem and organism response to the warming Arctic, will be able to respond to the need for leadership from public, policy and commercial interests. The training and research programme of MicroArctic is made up of seven interlinked Work Packages (WP). WP1 to WP4 are research work packages at the cutting edge of Arctic microbiology and biogeochemistry and these will be supported by three overarching WPs (WP5-7) associated with the management, training and dissemination of results. WP1 will deliver information about the role of external inputs (e.g., atmospheric) of nutrients and microorganism that drive biogeochemical processes in relation to annual variation in Arctic microbial activity and biogeochemical processes. WP2 will explore ecosystem response on time scales of 100s of years to these inputs using a chrnosequence approach in the already changing Arctic. The effect of time and season and the warming of the Arctic on ecosystem functioning and natural resources will be quantified through geochemical analyses and next generation multi-omics approaches. Complementing WP1 and WP2, WP3 will focus on organism response and adaptation using a range of biochemical, molecular, experimental and culturing approaches. WP4 will address specific applied issues such as colonisation by pathogenic organisms and biotechnological exploitation of Arctic ecosystems. MicroArctic will bring together interdisciplinary experts from both the academic and non-academic sectors across Europe into a network of 20 Institutions across 11 countries.

Glaciers and ice sheets were long believed to be sterile environments, but just like other large ecosystems (e.g., tropical forests, tundra), they are now widely recognized as one of the Earth’s biomes, teeming with life. Active algae, fungi, bacteria and viruses dominate the glacial environment and they have the ability to change the physical and chemical characteristics of the ice and snow, with global effects. For instance, increasing ice melt rates are observed due to growth of pigmented algae on glacier surfaces and substantial amounts of methane from subglacial habitats are added to the global greenhouse gas budget. Despite their global influence, many of the microbiological processes within the cryosphere remain poorly quantified. A deeper understanding of such processes are relevant to researchers interested in the possibility of life on icy extraterrestrial bodies, the survival and proliferation of life forms on our early Earth (e.g. during the part of the Proterozoic era known as Snowball Earth), and the positive and negative feedbacks that the cryosphere may have on global warming. The microbial communities living in association with icy environments may also harbor unique metabolic pathways, providing novel opportunities in biotechnology. ICEBIO is a Doctoral Network that will train the next generation of glacier microbiology and biogeochemistry experts. The training and research programme is made up of seven interlinked Work Packages (WP). WP1 to WP4 are research work packages at the cutting edge of glacial microbiology and biogeochemistry and these will be supported by three overarching WPs (WP5-7) associated with the management, training, and dissemination of results. ICEBIO will deliver a detailed framework and database of the functional diversity and potential of the glacier biome, not only serving to dramatically advance our understanding of a threatened biome, but also laying out potential for use in economic and environmental services.

Geothermal fluids often carry high amounts of elements that the EU considers as 'critical' raw materials (CRM). Preliminary calculations show that even a single well has the potential to produce single-digit percentages of the EU needs. Combined extraction of heat and minerals maximises returns on investment, minimises environmental impact, requires no additional land use, leaves no mining legacies, has near-zero carbon footprint, and enables domestic supplies of CRM. To assess overall supply potential, CRM-geothermal will enlarge an existing geothermal fluid atlas by collecting new data and sampling wells for their CRM content in Europe and East Africa. The potential of different geological settings for combined extraction will be evaluated. Extraction/separation techniques exist, but need to be adapted to the harsh conditions of such systems (high temperature, pressure and salinities). Combinations of materials and flow-schemes will be assessed at lab-scale to optimise systems for different geothermal settings and CRM. A modular, mobile plant will be developed and deployed at existing geothermal sites to conduct pilot studies, investigating upscaling and system integration. The technological developments will be accompanied by assessments of environmental and social impacts to ensure good governance. An UNFC/UNRMS compliant reporting template will be developed to create trust among investors, regulators and the public. The project will advance key reference points for stakeholder engagement, in order to obtain and maintain a 'social license to operate'. Combined extraction creates new business opportunities for both SMEs and larger companies, and its economics under likely future market developments will be investigated with a view to proposing suitable business models. CRM-geothermal will open up a potentially huge untapped resource and deploy solutions to help Europe fulfil the strategic objectives of the EU Green Deal and the Agenda for Sustainable Development.