Solid Earth science is concerned with the internal structure and dynamics of planet Earth, from the inner core to the surface; it deals with physical and chemical processes covering wide temporal and spatial scales, from microseconds to billions of years and from nanometres to thousands of kilometres. Geology, natural hazards, natural resources and, in general, environmental processes do not respect national boundaries, therefore seamless, transnational integration of measurements and data is often vital for optimal research and related activities. Integration of data and services from different disciplines in Earth science is an essential step to unravel and monitor these processes with the final goal of forecasting their impact on the environment. Indeed, the solid Earth science community has chosen to establish an all-encompassing framework including all the different solid Earth disciplines: seismology, near-fault observatories, geodetic data and products, volcanic observations, satellite data and products, geomagnetic observations, anthropogenic hazards, geological information and modelling, multi-scale laboratories and geo-energy test-beds for low-carbon energy.

EPOS is developing such a holistic, sustainable, multidisciplinary research platform to provide coordinated access to harmonized and quality controlled data from diverse Earth science disciplines, together with tools for their use in analysis and modelling. EPOS brings together 25 European nations and combines national Earth science facilities, the associated data and models, together with the scientific expertise into one integrated delivery system for the solid Earth. This infrastructure will allow the Earth sciences to achieve a step change in our understanding of the planet; it will enable us to prepare for geo-hazards and to responsibly manage the subsurface for infrastructure development, waste storage and the use of Earth’s resources.