NSDI STRATEGIES

A Summary of Activities From Around the World

John Moeller USA, Federal Geographic Data Committee

Presentation

Discuss Study by Ian Masser and FGDC/GSDI Survey

Consider lessons drawn from them

The first generation of national geographic

information strategies

Ian MasserInternational Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences

(ITC)

The first generation of national geographic

information strategies Australia

ALIC/ASDI 1986 USA FGDC/NSDI

1990 Qatar NCGIS/NGIS

1990 Portugal

CNIG/SNIG 1990 Netherlands

Ravi/NGII 1992

Indonesia Bakosurtanal/NGIS 1993

Malaysia NaLIS study 1994

Korea NGIS 1995 Japan NSDI 1995 Canada IACG/CGDI

1996 Britain NGDF 1996

Common features

Explicitly national Refer to geographic

information, geospatial data or land information

Use terms such infrastructure, systems or framework

Evaluation

Three main factors– Context: eg geographical and

economic circumstances and systems of government

– Driving forces– Key features: eg status,

scope, access, implementation, resources

Context

Size and Wealth– great variety

Systems of government– Federal systems of government with

varying degrees of devolution of responsibilities

– Non federal systems with most of the responsibilities for land information handled centrally

Driving forces The growing importance of

geographic information– “A new wave of technological

innovation is allowing us to capture, store, process and display an unprecedented amount of information about our planet....Much of this information will be ‘georeferenced’, that is it will refer to some specific place on the earth’s surface” (Gore)

Driving forces

The need for governments to coordinate data acquisition and availability– “ Geographic information is crucial to

promote economic development, improve our stewardship of natural resources and to protect the environment.....The NPR has recommended that the Executive Branch develop....a National Spatial Data Infrastructure to support public and private sector applications of geospatial data...” (Clinton)

Driving forces Better Government

– Needs of planning and development– Modernisation of central and local

government– Unlocking information

“ to unlock geospatial information for the benefit of the citizen, business growth and good government through enabling viable, comprehensive, demand-led and easily accessed services” (NGDF)

Key features Status

– Mandates: Law and Executive Order – Outgrowths of existing

coordination mechanisms

Scope– Substantive areas: broad to very

focused – Stakeholder representation: from

government only to including private sector/users

Key features Access to public information

– Transparent: Copyright free/dissemination cost

– Classified Approach to implementation

– National centres– Feasibility studies– National benefit cost studies

Key features Resources

– Relatively small for coordination by comparison with overall investment in geographic information

– Relatively large for digital topographic data base creation

Lessons for next generation

Diversity of approaches Advantages of a formal mandate

especially when backed by appropriate resources

Importance of involving all stakeholders in development of demand led services

Chances of success closely linked to awareness of issues involved of leading decision makers and also public at large

SURVEY OF NATIONAL SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE ACTIVITIES

AROUND THE WORLD(1998)

• APPROXIMATELY 100 NATIONS CONTACTED

• RESPONSES FROM 24 NATIONS AND 3 MULTI-NATION REGIONS

Survey Responses

Antarctica Australia Canada Colombia Finland France Germany Greece

Hungary India Indonesia Japan Kiribati Macau Malaysia Netherlands

Survey Responses

New Zealand Northern Ireland Pakistan Russian

Federation South Africa Sweden United Kingdom

United States ANZLIC PCGIAP CERCO EUROGI GI2000

Does your nation have an active or proposed initiative for developing a national spatial data infrastructure (or its equivalent)?

• virtually all responding nations and regions said YES

LEADERSHIP: 1. single agency, typically

mapping agency (14) 2. interagency coordinating

committee (4) 3. association with strong

government representation (3) 4. lead split among multiple

agencies (1) 5. non-government working

group or association (1)

AVAILABILITY: What are the categories spatial digital data being made available?

SPATIAL DATA TYPES MENTIONED MOST OFTEN (19 RESPONSES)1. topographic / surface elevation (19) 2. cadastral / land ownership (18)

3. geodetic (15)4. government / administrative boundaries (12)

SPATIAL DATA TYPES MENTIONED MOST OFTEN (19

RESPONSES)

5. hydrography / rivers and lakes planimetric (9)6. digital imagery (8)7. land use / land cover (8)

MECHANICS OF ACCESS: Through what technical and organizational mechanisms are spatial data being made available through the NSDI?

1. contact agency (or agencies) (7)

2. goal of distributed clearinghouse nodes (6)

3. contact agency through central web site or single node (5)

4. multiple avenues stressed (2)

COMMERCIAL INVOLVEMENT: How are private commercial firms involved in helping to build the NSDI.

1. government contracting out data collection, dissemination, or other services to commercial firms (9)

2. commercial firms adding value to NSDI data (8)

3. commercial firms sitting on NSDI advisory groups (5)

4. commercial firms adhering to NSDI standards for metadata or data (5)

5. no commercial involvement (4)

6. commercial firms adapting software to meet NSDI requirements (1)

PUBLIC DOMAIN DATA SETS:

1. No public domain digital spatial data sets available through the NSDI (11)

2. Very few public domain data sets available, typically of limited coverage and small-scale (6)

3. A number of public domain data sets available (2)

4. Many and diverse public domain data sets available (1)

AUTHORITY: 1. No laws or formal orders

recognizing need (9)2. No current national legislation or

orders but need is recognized or action being pursued (6)

3. Official nation-wide vision or principles adopted but no lead authority designated (1)

4. Authority to coordinate on a national basis formally designated in one or more agencies (4)

5. Authority designated in country wide coordination authority (2)

COMPONENTS: Please indicate whether the vision of an NSDI for your nation incorporates the following components or concepts.

YES NO

?A. Metadata 25 1

1B. Clearinghouse 21 5

2C. Data Standards 25 1

1 D. Core Data 25 1

1

GRAND CHALLEGES: Name one of the most pressing challenges for NSDI development in your nation.

SAMPLES

• Cooperation - Incentives • Finding people who see the

big picture • Consistency and quality of

data • Legal and economic aspects • Understanding the geo

market

• Poor or limited resources• Further development of access• Effective communication and

formal coordination• Developing a shared vision• Ongoing process to address

administrative questions• Development of core

(framework) data

Lessons for next generation

(From Masser Study) Diversity of approaches Advantages of a formal mandate

especially when backed by appropriate resources

Importance of involving all stakeholders in development of demand led services

Chances of success closely linked to awareness of issues involved of leading decision makers and also public at large

IMPLICATIONS OF SURVEY RESULTS:Based on Initial Analysis

1. The concepts of metadata, core data, data standards and clearinghouse relatively well accepted as parts of NSDIs across the globe.

2. Agreement among nations on metadata standards for spatial data is feasible.

3. Vision for a workable GSDI would need to involve networks of decentralized geographic data clearinghouse nodes. These could be government agencies at various levels, commercial sector, or both.

4. Agreement among nations on a small number of core data sets may be a realistic possibility.

5. Wide variations exist among nations regarding legal and economic policies. Forums other than the GSDI may be more appropriate in resolving conflicts in data policies among nations.

Conclusions:National Infrastructures are

being planned & developed - 30+ nations

There are many variations - legal, economic, scale, organizational,etc.

There are commonalties - metadata, core data, standards, clearinghouse

Local, national and global awareness is growing

We can take steps forward by building on areas of agreement

Find out more or add your response. . .

http://WWW.SPATIAL.MAINE.EDU/harlan/gsdi/GSDI.html

plus FGDC and GSDI websites