Environmental Geology and the marine dimension

This paper reviews the role of environmental geology, and the practice of environmental geology mapping, in the context of the geological, geophysical and geochemical factors which are relevant to human activity and safety.
It is concluded that informed planning policies for the offshore areas are necessary. These would allow mutually acceptable and sensible exploitation of all natural resources, engineering and military developments and recreational uses, and would also take account of natural and man-made hazards to such activities. The policies would follow from multidisciplinary, systematic, environmental studies involving international cooperation.
The imperative for the earth-science practitioner to remain sensitive to the requirements of the users of such information is recognized, as is the need to communicate unambiguously. It is concluded that geologists should look increasingly from the past to the future.