This
paper aims to develop a National SDI model for
Greece incorporating theoretical and conceptual
aspects
Spatial information plays important
role in the development of the social, economic and
environmental sectors. Some of the most remarkable
applications for geographic information include: crime
management, terrorism prevention, land and business
development, flood mitigation, and disaster recovery
(SDI Cookbook, 2004).
The need to access spatial data has increased for
a number of reasons. The information revolution created
an awareness of the importance of sustainable community.
The development of information technology enabled
people to access data remotely. The rise of e-Government
and e-Citizenship requires sharing of digital data
to execute easier and citizens to participate more
in decision-making process
The Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) has emerged
to facilitate the access, delivery and share of spatial
information. It also results in greater effi ciency
as limited awareness of existing datasets can lead
organizations to duplicate data collection and register.
SDI is an initiative that creates an environment in
which spatial data stakeholders from different jurisdictions
can co-operate and thus improve the management and
exchange of data in an efficient and cost-effective
manner. An SDI operates on various levels including:
organizational, local, state, national, regional,
and finally global scale (Figure 1). Each level focuses
on different details of data, institutional arrangements
and issues.
As part of SDI hierarchy, the National SDI has very
important role in building the upper levels of SDI
as well as stronger relationship with all the other
levels than any other level of SDI, within the SDI
hierarchy (Rajabifard, et al, 2003). This is because
of its critical position in the SDI hierarchy. A National
SDI generates a detailed representation of the country
and contributes to the improvement of national economy
and security, and to better management of environment
and natural resources. Thus, National SDI is a vital
platform for sustainable development.
In Greece, spatial data stakeholders keep data in
various coverage and scales of the jurisdiction. Also,
there is some SDI activity, such as the Hellenic Cadastre
(HC). However, legal, institutional and technological
arrangements have not yet been fully set, so as to
build a properNational SDI model. The lack of coordination
among the stakeholders leads to the delay of SDI development.
The undefined relationship between different organizations
is another key issue that hinders the establishment
of an SDI platform.
With this in mind, this paper aims to discuss and
propose a National SDI platform and the appropriate
institutional arrangements and technical components
for the Greek community. The examined conceptual framework
contains basic steps required for the development
of a functioning SDI incorporating the Land Administration
(LA) sector and being able to support sustainable
development within Greece.
Current
activities
In 2000 the Hellenic
Mapping and Cadastral Organization (HEMCO), which is
under the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning
and Public Works, proposed the development of the Hellenic
SDI, called NaGi2 (National Geographic Information Infrastructure),
so as economic, social, environmental and planning activities
to be facilitated in Greece. NaGi2 will operate as a
distributed network of databases based on a set of interoperable
standards. The databases will be electronically connected,
and they will provide data from various resources, such
as ministries, government organizations and private
companies to the widest possible group of users.
As it is published in NaGi2 website (www.nagii.gr),
the proposed core data layers for the National SDI are
the following: i) Geodetic reference system, ii) Cadastre,
iii) Soil type, iv) Administrative boundaries, v) Land
Use, vi) Land cover, vii) Residential zone boundaries,
viii) Cultural inheritance, ix) Place names, x) Transportation
network, xi) Demography, xii) Hydrology, xii) DSM, xiv)
Geology, xv) Utilities network. Also, metadata categories
have been proposed as follow: i) Data accuracy, ii)
Data analysis, iii) Scale, iv) Spatial reference system,
v) Thematic reference system (classification), vi) Responsible
sector for the data, vii) Year of data collection, viii)
Last update of the data, ix) Permission of copying the
data.
To finance the National SDI, a special scientifi c committee,
called geoinformation society (geoinfo-soc) was formed
(Orshoven and Beusen, 2004). These funds are covered
by OPIS, a program under the Ministry of National Economy.
Moreover, the HellasGIS, a national geographic information
association, joined EUROGI in 2002. HelasGIS consists
of 200 members of various public and private sectors
and its task is to raise awareness of spatial information
need within Greece, through seminars, international
conferences, publications and research programs.
Issues
and factors
The steps to
develop an SDI model vary among countries, depending
on country’s background and needs. However, it
is important countries to follow a roadmap for the SDI
implementation. Following, aspects that are essential
to be consider for the National SDI development in Greece
will be elaborated. Such aspects include the development
of SDI vision, the required improvements in capacity
of the country, the integration of different spatial
datasets, the establishment of partnerships, and the
financial support of National SDI.
Development of SDI vision
Vision within
the SDI initiative is essential not only for sectors
involved to SDI project but for the general public as
well, since it helps people to understand government’s
objectives and work towards them. Since Greece already
keeps spatial data in advanced, the vision of a Greek
National SDI can be stated as highlighted below.
Vision
To
develop an infrastructure that allows spatial data to
be available and accessible to public, private sectors
and individuals and to promote proper use of integrated
spatial data for effective decision-making process.In
order to reach this target, mission development is the
primary key, through which the tasks of each involved
sector are defined. Thus, the mission of Greek government
for the National SDI can be confi rmed as highlighted
below.
Mission
The establishment
of advanced partnership arrangements amongst spatial
data users stakeholders and the increase awareness of
the importance of integrating built and natural data
are essential.
Capacity
building
Currently, HEMCO
is responsible for coordinating activities relevant
to National SDI development in Greece, and it will tender
out to academia and private sector necessary subprojects.
Figure 2 illustrates the current situation.
The fact that
HEMCO is the responsible organization for the National
SDI is logical in some aspect, since this organization
is responsible for the HC project as well. However,
since National SDI encompasses not only built data,
as HEMCO keeps, but also natural data and needs high
political support, a national level agency or committee
is required to coordinate that initiative. HEMCO is
an organization, under the auspices of Ministry of Environment,
Physical Planning and Public Works. For that reason
an SDI Coordinating Council is proposed at national
level being responsible for National SDI in Greece (Figure
3).
The proposed
SDI Coordinating Council will provide the leadership
required to implement and maintain the SDI initiative.
Its priority will be to promote the use of spatial information
in a way that underpins sustainable development. Within
its responsibilities will be the production of national
strategic plans for the management of SDI activities
and annual reports detailing the progress of the project.
In addition, the SDI Coordinating Council will determine
custodianship and promote partnerships. All these activities
will be implemented in line with the government’s
broad development plan.
The SDI Coordinating Council will consist of the members
and the advisors. Each of the members will be responsible
for expressing their jurisdiction’s views and
plans at the Council and promoting SDI activities within
their jurisdictions. Moving to the upper levels of the
SDI Coordinating Council, the Ministry of Environmental,
Physical Planning and Public Works can act as a secretariat
and sometimes as chair as well. The Ministry is able
to set HEMCO as the holder for that position, since
HEMCO is under its auspices. In this approach, HEMCO
will have such a responsible task desirable to its personnel
knowledge. The Prime Minister of Greece will act as
the chair of the SDI Coordinating Council. The PM will
ensure effective coordination and foster partnerships
for expansion, since during 2004 Olympic Games preparation,
the PM proved effective in tackling the difficulties
caused by poor coordination (Potsiou and Ioannidis 2002).
Finally, under the proposed SDI Coordinating Council
is the secretariat office, which will manage the necessary
Working Groups (WGs). These WGs should be formed in
respect of the SDI components and requirements. Members
of these groups will be people from academia and industry,
having as supervisor a person, member of the SDI Coordinating
Council, expert in the field of the WG. The main responsibility
of WGs is to manage their tasks and provide proposals
to the Council. The structure of the WGs should be flexible
to any change and reform, since they exist only to meet
country’s needs.
The proposed SDI Coordinating Council provides an overall
view of the political support required for National
SDI development. It is not the final structure, but
the first step. Detailed structure can be achieved within
each group with further development of the current proposed
one.
Additionally to the institutional arrangements, it is
important to focus on improving individual capacity
during the development of SDI. This can be achieved
by increasing the level of awareness, through seminars,
trainings and workshops relevant to SDI and LA concepts
and applications. Also, focal point should be the upgrading
of educational system in national level. Currently,
in Greece, a lot of LA courses are offered in universities
and technical institutes. Subjects relevant to SDI have
to be taught as well. Keeping people’s knowledge
current helps them to adapt with technology and support
the evolving SDI concept.
Integration of spatial datasets
In
Greece, although cadastral and topographic datasets
are kept in advanced, these datasets are developed and
managed separately. This is an obstacle in tackling
situations that require integration of these datasets,
such as the risk management, land cover and use, planning
and archaeological protection. The main difficulties
for the integration of both datasets are institutional
and cultural structures, as highlighted by Rajabifard
and Williamson (2005). However, technical part has to
be handled with the same level of responsibility, since
various Greek organizations, produce their data in different
projection systems, which could lead to problems integrating
the datasets. Within the National SDI platform, policies
and standards will be implemented, so as to foster the
integration of various resource data. Moreover, it is
essential that the Greek community is made aware of
the importance of integrating these two datasets, in
order to complete the SDI project quicker and achieve
better land management.
Partnerships
In order to achieve
successful SDI, good coordination amongst and within
all relevant responsible sectors is essential. Partnerships
should be dynamic, refl ecting the dynamic relationship
among the SDI components. Sound partnerships, also,
facilitate the data exchange and sharing, therefore
reducing effort and production costs. However, it is
diffi cult to achieve thriving partnerships because
of diverse priorities among the organizations, lack
of awareness of partnerships importance, limited technical
components and poor legal framework.
Successful SDI can be achieved through the accurate
defi nition of the roles and responsibilities within
the partnerships, as proposed by Grant and Williamson
(2003). Proper policies and legal framework will also
foster the collaboration among Greek stakeholders. Vital
to achieve effective partnerships is that the involved
sectors have to understand its importance.
Funding model
The funding
model has a significant role in a National SDI. It is
vital for a jurisdiction to clarify the purpose of the
need of a funding model, which in turn should be able
to respond to the country’s economic resources
(e.g. national and international organizations). In
terms of the Greek National SDI, OPIS will control the
funding of SDI initiative. Its main target is to manage
European Union (EU) funds relevant to geographic information
activity and define public and private contribution
in the budget (OPIS, 2001).
Although the OPIS is well organized, pricing policy
is also essential to be implemented in Greece, since
it affects the funding process. Moreover, cost-benefits
analysis is essential to be applied and compare the
returns with the investment. The profit gained from
National SDI should not be only economic, but also social,
technical and environmental.
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