Report: A Conceptual Model for Developing Interoperability specifications in Spatial Data Infrastructures
INSPIRE: Harmonising environmental information
On Wednesday 25 April, JRC released a report which describes a platform for the exchange and harmonisation of geographic and environmental data across the EU-27, aimed to better address water management, disaster mitigation, public health, agriculture and nature protection. This will translate into reducing costs of public administration and into clear benefits for the citizen, ranging from improved emergency services to a healthier everyday environment.
The report 'A Conceptual Model for Developing Interoperability Specifications in Spatial Data Infrastructures', launched at the Geospatial World Forum in Amsterdam, shows how spatial information from data from 27 countries – in 23 languages across 34 thematic fields – maintained by hundreds of different organisations, can become interoperable for use in today's information society. The participative approach described in the report can be a reference to other countries and regions of the world.
The document supports the implementation of the 2007 INSPIRE Directive, which aims to create a Europe-wide spatial data infrastructure by 2019. It will provide for the sharing of data from satellite observation among public sector organisations and facilitate citizens’ access to spatial information across Europe. INSPIRE stands for Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe.
The report is a valuable reference guide for decision-makers, public administrations and scientists for the definition and implementation of data harmonisation frameworks. It follows the recent release of the JRC developed INSPIRE Geoportal, which allows users to access spatial and environmental data from many different sources across Europe in one single search. Such access to information will be particularly useful in dealing with emergencies, such as large forest fires or cross-border rescue operations, and will support efforts to prevent environmental damage and reduce energy consumption across different sectors and countries.
25/04/12