Interdisciplinary Solutions for Sustainable Management of Geological Resources: A Case Study in Flanders

The subsurface is increasingly being recognised as a multifunctional resource supporting key activities in the transition towards a sustainable society, e.g., geothermal energy, CO 2 storage, and groundwater extraction. In existing literature, there remains a lack of integrative, cross-disciplinary research addressing the interactions and trade-offs between these activities. Addressing this gap is essential for sustainably managing the subsurface. This paper introduces the DIAMONDS Elevator, a conceptual framework designed to support such collaboration by organising subsurface decision-making across interconnected levels and facilitating knowledge exchange between disciplines. The framework is developed within the DIAMONDS research initiative and is applied to a case study on the multifunctional use of the subsurface in Flanders, focusing on interactions between Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) and groundwater extraction. Through this case study, we demonstrate how the DIAMONDS Elevator can be used to structure interdisciplinary analyses and decision-making processes, illustrated in detail from the perspective of an economics researcher. In addition, we position integrative methods and tools, including Principles, Criteria and Indicators (PC&I), within the Elevator framework. The paper shows how structured interdisciplinary approaches can enhance transparency, support scenario development, and inform more sustainable subsurface governance. The DIAMONDS Elevator, as a visual guideline, intends to support interdisciplinary collaboration for sustainable subsurface management.