Addressing the real needs of all the users of geological information: The opportunities, issues and problems

The role of geology in ensuring environmental protection, sustainable resources and a safer environment is not widely understood. Not many people outside the geological profession can understand a conventional geological map and can comprehend what that map has to say about risks and resources; the fact that geological maps also reveal what is happening at depth-the third dimension-is appreciated by even fewer people. The information technology (IT) revolution has provided sophisticated new hardware and software-database, geographical information system (GIS) and three-dimensional (3-D) modelling packages-so that we no longer have to be restricted to producing one complex and highly scientific document as the result of our survey and research work. In the new IT datasets, however, products and services need special attribution and quality control. Providing full national cover with novel products and services, digitising legacy and map data causes many problems with ensuring consistency and thus the need to agree and work to standards. And, there arise problems of liability, intellectual property rights and charging policy when digital products become more widely available.