GSDI Association Liaison’report Presented by Gabor Remetey-Fülöpp in collaboration with

1. GSDI Association Liaison’report Presented by Gabor Remetey-Fülöpp in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Harlan Onsrud, Dr.Joachim Rix, Sergio Farruggia, Franco Vico Roger Longhorn PhD and Katleen Jenssen PhD WGISS-29 Plenary hosted by the UNOOSA/UN SPIDER Bonn, 17-21May, 2010

2. Content What are SDIs? DSDI Association - an update with emphasis on Disaster Management, response and recovery Best practices in SDIs - a European project on Evaluation assessments Data policy in SDIs - GSDI L&SE Committee and introduction of the EU project on Legal Aspects of Public Sector Information Acknowledgements

3. Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association (GSDI) What are Spatial Data Infrastructures? Spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) are the fundamental spatial datasets, the standards that enable integration, the distribution networks that provide access, the policies andadministrative principles that ensure compatibility, the people including users, providers, and value adders, at each level; local through to state, national, regional and global. Spatial data is vital to making sound decisions at all levels. Disaster management, response and recovery is one example of an area in which decision-makers are benefiting from spatial information, together with the associated spatial data infrastructures that support information discovery, access, and use of this information in the decision-making process. Notice: GSDI prepared recently some pages for insert in a book being jointly supported by members of the Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JBGIS). You may find the pages at: http://memberservices.gsdi.org/files/?artifact_id=703 (pdf)

4. GSDI Association The Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association (GSDI) is an inclusive organization of organizations, agencies, firms, and individuals from around the world promoting international cooperation and collaboration in support of local, national and international spatial data infrastructure developments that will allow nations and their citizens to better address social, economic, and environmental issues of pressing importance. All the Societal Benefit Areas of GEO are subject of targeted fields to be serviced and supported

5. Mission of the GSDI Association The mission of the GSDI Association is to Serve as a point of contact and effective voice for those in the global community involved in developing, implementing and advancing spatial data infrastructure concepts. Foster spatial data infrastructures that support sustainable social, economic, and environmental systems integrated from local to global scales. Promote the informed and responsible use of geographic information and spatial technologies for the benefit of society. 5

6. Goals of the GSDI Association The primary activities of the GSDI Association support the establishment and expansion of local, national, and regional (multi-nation) spatial data infrastructures that are globally compatible. provide an organization to foster international communication and collaborative efforts for advancing spatial data infrastructure innovations. support interdisciplinary research and education activities that advance spatial data infrastructure concepts, theories and methods. enable better public policy and scientific decision-making through spatial data infrastructure advancements. 6

7. Goals of the GSDI Association The primary activities of the GSDI Association (Cont.d) promote the ethical use of and access to geographic information. foster spatial data infrastructure developments in support of important worldwide needs such as improving local to national economic competitiveness, addressing local to global environmental quality and change, increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in all levels of government, and advancing the health, safety and social wellbeing of humankind in all nations 7

8. The Scientific and Technical Program of the GSDI Association Much of the work of the GSDI Association is planned and accomplished through standing committees whose memberships are made up from individuals from full member organizations and members ofthe International Geospatial Society. The standing committees include: Technical Committee Legal and Socioeconomic Committee Outreach and Membership Committee Societal Impacts Committee 8

9. GSDI Aspirations The GSDI Association - by concentrating on specific strategic tasks - aspires to: • more closely align its organizational activities by addressing member needs and societal needs identified and prioritized by its organizational and individual members • provide more effective communication mechanisms to better enable its members to work collaboratively • achieve visible and measurable outcomes in furtherance of the core missions and goals of the organization.

10. GSDI Aspirations (cont.d) Additionally, the GSDI Association through the provisioning of significantly expanded services and products aspires to be the global organization of choice for: • local to global agencies, private companies, academic institutions and non-profit organizations engaged in advancing the uses of SDIs and improving decision-making through the use of SDIs • individual geospatial specialists interested in solving local to global societal problems.

11. GSDI Board of Directors (Art VI) Eleven Elected members Plus President, President-Elect and Past Pres plus appointments from regional bodies, industry advisory council and Pres of IGS The GSDI Association has two classes of membership: full members and individual members. Full members include organizations such as government agencies and organizations, private companies, industry organizations, academic institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and similar organizations that influence the development of spatial data infrastructures at national, regional, and international levels. Individual members are those individuals that are members of the International Geospatial Society (IGS). appoints • Standing Committees(Art IX) • Technical Committee • Legal and Socio Economic Committee • Outreach and Membership Committee • Societal Impacts Committee • Officers • (Art. VI) • President • President-Elect • Executive Director • Secretary (appointed) • Treasurer (appointed) elects GSDI Association Council Delegates from Member Organizations [Art IV(2)&(3)] Delegates Pres and V. Pres International Geospatial Society Individuals qualifying under Art IV(4) Government, private, and not-for-profit organizations Full Members Government, industry, academic, and not-for-profit agencies, organizations and institutions qualifying as members under Art IV(1) GSDI Association Business Office Organizational Structure The GSDI Association consists of a Council comprises of the delegates from the Full Member institutions; The Board of Directors which is the main administrative body of the Council and Standing Committees which much of the work of the GSDI Association is planned and accomplished through these committees. 11

12. Activities of GSDI Association in support of global disaster management initiatives Emergency Response and Recovery Readiness Even in large wealthy nations, local communities are told that they should not expect substantial direct delivery of goods and services from national or international relief agencies for at least 72 hours after a major widespread disaster. Thus local communities must be prepared to rely on their own public and private emergency response and management systems in that most critical of time periods immediately after a disaster occurs.

13. Emergency Response and Recovery Readiness If the components of a spatial data infrastructure are in place and are in use on a daily basis by local users for accomplishing mapping, vehicle routing, asset management, service delivery and similar tasks, then the information infrastructure is much more likely to be available and useful for accomplishing similar tasks during a calamity. Learning how to use geospatial and affiliated communication technologies doesn’t occur overnight. Nor will data needed to respond to emergencies appear out of thin air. For these reasons, the GSDI Association encourages the building of long-term SDI from local to global scales within and among all nations of the world. Activities of GSDI Association in support of global disaster management initiatives 13

14. Activities of GSDI Association in support of global disaster management initiatives GSDI Conferences One of the principal activities of the association is to provide a GSDI Conference for SDI-related professionals, scientists, and applications, on a regular basis to share and exchange ideas. Since 1996, experts in SDI and spatial data management matters have come together to share their experiences in advancing SDI platforms from local to international levels. The selected theme of GSDI 12 is realizing spatially enabled society. The pressing needs of societies are a particular emphasis of the conference and include a focus on disaster prevention, warning, management, response, and recovery. Freely accessible: GSDI Wiki “SDI Cookbook” Edited by Doug Nebert of FGDC, Chair of GSDI Technical Committee Contributions are expected and welcomed from the WGISS Community especially in the DMRR context 14

15. Activities of GSDI Association in support of global disaster management initiatives • Small Grants Program • Nations with the few economic resources are the hardest hit in the event of a natural or human made disaster. Many more lives may be lost and recovery will typically take much longer. The GSDI Association supports an annual small grants program to support national or sub-national activities that • foster partnerships, • develop in-country technical capacity, • improve data compatibility and access, and • increase political support for spatial data infrastructure and earth observations application development. • Priority is given to projects in developing nations and countries with economies in transition. 15

16. Activities of GSDI Association in support of global disaster management initiatives Developing Partnerships and Spreading Knowledge GSDI provides a global venue for networking, communicating and learning among its members. The organization is highly inclusive providing contacts and communication avenues to diverse parties from across the world. Through Geographic Information Knowledge Networks(GIK Network) GSDI enhances communications and sharing among geospatial specialists and organizations from all nations and to serve the global geographic information community at large (http://giknetwork.org). 16

17. Activities of GSDI Association in support of global disaster management initiatives Open Access to Data, Tools and Learning Materials The GSDI Association and its members promote open access to the greatest extent possible to spatial data as well as to educational materials in how to use geospatial technologies and establish SDI. If those affected by a disaster can’t gain access to the detailed geospatial data and technologies they need when they need it, the data and technologies have no value and might as well not exist. In order to support learning, all past books developed by the GSDI Association have been published using open access licenses, the articles in all the proceedings from the past world conferences are openly published on the web and its web pages are all posted using creative commons licenses. Thus, legal and economic barriers to sharing among those interested in pursuing knowledge on topics such as emergency response and recovery are reduced greatly. 17

18. Addressing the Best practices issue www.esdinetplus.eu Best practices : eSDINET+ project on SDI evaluation assessments 27 consortium members: universities, academic institutions and stakeholders and NGOs. • Basic evaluation methodology development for SDIs lead by EUROGI: 7 aspects, 34 indicators • European Award for Best Practices (Jury chaired by former GSDI President Ian Masser) • 12 awarded SDIs (in Turin, 2009) from 135 candidates • Dissemination activity during the lifespan • Self evaluation methodology development. GSDI SDI Cookbook will be the reference • Closed in Krakow End of June, 2010 at the Annual INSPIRE Conference • Release of the Open Digital Database of SDIs in Europe (August) • Project sustainability options: do EUROGI will take over the role? 18

19. Addressing the Best practices issue EIF Underlying Principles Adhere to the subsidiarity and proportionality principles Focus on the needs and rights of Citizens and Businesses Build in e-inclusion and accessibility for all Ensure Security and Privacy Design for multilingual use Support public participation and transparency Support Standardisation and Innovation & ensure administration neutrality Reduce Administrative Burden Ensure the best value for money Preserve information over time Illustrations: Sergio Farruggia et al, 2010 eSDI-Netplus SDI best practices and EIF SDI compliance comparison • SDI Evaluation Framework indicator matrix has been built • Measurement of a confidence degree of SDI with respect to the European Interoperability Framework 19

20. Addressig the policy issues www.lapsi-project.eu Tasks of the GSDI L&SE Committee chaired by R.Longhorn www.gsdi.org Updating the SDI Cookbook wiki –Legal Issues and Economic Policy, Awareness for SDI Best Practice., Monitoring national and regional SDI implementations with respect to legal and socioeconomic issues via the L&SE e-mail list, Liaison with OGC Spatial Law and Policy Committee. Legal Aspects of Public Sector Information (GSDI L&SE staff involvement) EU project FP7 (LAPSI) Kick-off in Turin March 26, 2010, Lifespan: 30 months 20 consortium members: universities, academic institutions and stakeholders and NGOs. Coordination: Torino University of Technology (POLITO) Reviewer: Roger Longhorn Advisory Board: Prof. Uhlir (American Academy of Sciences), Katleen Jenssen (K.U. Leuven) Among the consortium members: K.U.Leuven and HUNAGI 20

21. Addressing the data policy issue Legal Aspects of Public Sector Information (LAPSI) Addressed issues by the LAPSI Working Groups WG01 Intellectual Property and Competition Law Aspects of PSI; WG02 Privacy Aspects of PSI between Private and Public law; WG03 Selected Implementation and Deployment Issues; /EO, Spatia Data related) WG04 Licensing of PSI: PSI-holders’ Perspectives, Re-users’ Perspectives and Redress Mechanisms; WG05 PSI and Cultural Content; WG06 Constitutional, Human Rights and Environmental Perspectives. 21

22. Acknowledgement GSDI and Disaster MRR Prof. Dr. Harlan Onsrud, Executive Director, GSDI Ass. Best practices in SDIs Dr.Joachim Rix, Coordinator, eSDI-NETplus project Sergio Farruggia and Franco Vico WP staff GSDI L&SE and Legal Aspects of PSI Roger Longhorn PhD and Katleen Jenssen PhD