1. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group UNGIWG and the UN Spatial Data Infrastructure (UNSDI) a brief overview Suha ÜLGEN ulgen@un.org Senior Advisor on Spatial Data Infrastructure, OICT - New York UNGIWG-11, Geneva, 14-16 March 2011

2. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group UN Geographic Information Working Group A voluntary network of UN specialized agencies, programmes and funds Established in March 2000 to: –Facilitate technical collaboration and formulate policies concerning geographic information in the UN-System and with member states –Address common geospatial issues – maps, boundaries, data access and exchange, adherence to international standards, naming conventions and location –Provide a forum to discuss emerging technologies, experience with applications, and coordinate actions

3. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Organization 2009 - 2011 Co-chairs – UNOOSA and ECA Members (32) –FAO, WFP, DFS, OCHA, UNHCR, UNDP, UNEP, CTBTO, UNICEF, UNODC, UNOPS, WHO, World Bank, and more Working Groups –Core geo-dataset –Remote sensing –Interoperable services –Map production guidelines –Global navigation satellite systems Special Interest Groups, Task Groups - Task Group on UNGIWG-11 (TG11) - Task Group on UNSDI Governance (TGG) - Task Group on the Centre of Excellence for UNSDI (TGC)

4. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Core and Thematic Data Imagery Elevation Geodetic control Boundaries Hydrology Transportation Settlements Soils Economic Logistics Flood zones Demography Security Core data Thematic data Affected population Sustainable development, Humanitarian and Peacekeeping operations

5. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Without SDI: individual data and investment DB Health DB Education DB Water DB Agriculture DB Transport$$ $$$$$$$$ Lance, 2005, adapted from Nebert, FGDC

6. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group With SDI: alignment in data & investment Agriculture, Education, Energy, Environment, Finance, Health, Transport, Water,... DB Shared data & services $$ $$ $$ $$ Poverty reduction programmes Infrastructure development, maintenance Environmental and natural resources management Humanitarian responses Lance, 2005, adapted from Nebert, FGDC

7. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group SDI Axioms SDIs are about working smarter, not harder Re-use: –data –technical capabilities –skills developed –intellectual effort and capital (agreements) Sharing the costs: –‘sharing-not-wearing’ the costs of people, technology and other shared infrastructure assets, helping to realize more rapid returns on investment Learning from others: –Generalizing best practices (avoiding pitfalls)

8. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group SDIs at multiple scales Framework to facilitate access, exchange and quality of geographically-related information using common standards, protocols, and specifications. Regional / transnational Local National Supporting user needs / decision-making Components: Policies, standards, institutional arrangements Human capacity, investment Data systems Information products Technology Global UN agencies Thematic SDIs

9. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group UNSDI “System of systems” UNSDI as Interoperable Thematic SDIs Humanitarian Peace keeping Safety and security Environment Human rights Development etc.

10. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group A Use Case for UNSDI Public Broadcast of Unexploded Ordinance Areas The Lebanon Humanitarian Information Center (HIC) warned the public about unsafe areas by publishing mine action data using a free online map visualization services

11. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group With an SDI Currently UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) Collected and consolidated field data Transmitted it to the Humanitarian Information Center (HIC) HIC - processed UNHAS data, - converted it to KML/KMZ format, - posted the file on the Web site and - mailed it to “Interested Parties” for visualization With a Humanitarian SDI UNMAS - collects and consolidates field data - publishes data service to the humanitarian SDI specifications Authorized users discover and subscribe to the service (e.g. GeoRSS) to visualize it juxtaposed over an open-standards compliant online or stand-alone mapping facility

12. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group History of UNSDI 2005 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (FAO & WFP) - Decision to develop a UNSDI 2006 Santiago, Chile - Development of the UNSDI Strategy 2007 Bangkok, Thailand (OCHA & UNHCR) - Selection of the approach to implement a UNSDI 2008 Vienna, Austria - Development of the UNSDI Framework 2009 Bonn, Germany (UNOOSA & ECA) - ASG/CITO’s support is secured 2010 (Q1 & Q4) - UNSDI Framework update & development of the Center of Excellence for UNSDI Project Proposal (Q1) - Agreement to establish the CoE4UNSDI Project at OICT (Q4)

13. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group UNSDI Framework “Project-based” not a “Grand design” Contents Core UNSDI Deliverables Thematic Geo-datasets Capacity Building Endorsed by the ICT Network in Oct. ’08 Adopted in Nov. ‘08 at UNGIWG-9

14. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Core UNSDI Deliverables Minimum Technical Governance Requirements - Standards and best practices for provisioning of UNSDI Core Geo-datasets Interoperable Geospatial Services - Spatial Data Warehouse - Visualization Facility

15. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Thematic Geodata & Services 1.UNDSS Spatial Data Infrastructure (new) 2.PRTR.net: Online Mapping of Pollutant Release & Transfer Registers (new) 3.Delivering the Socioeconomic Development Component of the UNSDI (new) 4.Delivering the Environmental Component of the UNSDI (new) 5.Delivering the Crisis Information Component of UNSDI (new) 6.UNEP/GRID-Europe Geoprocessing Services (new) 7.UN System Contracts and UN ICTB Standardization (new) 8.Global Boundary Geodatabase (new) 9.UN Web Cartographic Service (new) 10.GIS System Architecture (new) 11.UN Earth & UN Image Server Initiative (new) 12.Human Health: Global Geodatabase of Health Facilities & Capacities (updated) 13.Human Population: Rural Demographics Map Series (updated) 14.Infrastructure: Global Transportation Database: WFPSDI-T (updated) 15.Delineating a Continental Standard Encoded Hydrologic Database (updated) 16.Global Land Cover Data (updated)

16. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Capacity Building 1.Indigenous Capacity Building (Country level) 1.1Lessons Learned From Country Level Experience in Developing an NSDI with the Support of the UNSDI Community (ECA) 1.2Open Source GIS on Data Grid (UNITAR-UNOSAT) 1.3E-learning Curriculum Outline - Management of Spatial Information (FAO) 2.UN Capacity Building 2.1Remote Sensing and GIS training (UNCS) 2.2Coordination of National Focal Points in Data Preparedness for Disasters (UNOOSA) ECE ECLAC FAO OICT UNCS UNDSS UNEP UNHCR UNOG/ICTS WFP WHO ECE ECLAC FAO OICT UNCS UNDSS UNEP UNHCR UNOG/ICTS WFP WHO

17. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Core Deliverable I Lead Agency: Office of Information and Communications Technology of the UN Secretariat (OICT) Development of the overarching minimum technical governance requirements to implement a UNSDI via the establishment of a set of policies, standards and institutional agreements to ensure the development and provisioning of authoritative UNSDI core geo-datasets. Standards & Best Practices for Core Geo-datasets

18. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Core Deliverable II Lead Agency: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) To describe agency-produced or procured geospatial content such as maps, Geographic Information System (GIS) data, remote sensing imagery, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data logs, and other geo- referenced information using the UN Geographic Information Working Group Metadata Profile to make them discoverable, accessible and re-usable. Core UNSDI Deliverables UNSDI Spatial Data Warehouse

19. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Core Deliverable III Lead Agency: UN Office in Geneva, Information and Communication Technology Services (UNOG/ICTS) To establish a web-based service with analytical and navigation options to permit highly visual, drill-down and cross-sectional views of related information, facilitating the identification of new relationships in disparate UN data sources, previously denied in absence of any collective publishing and presentation platform. Synergies will build on the availability of updated web resources, enabling this visualization facility to become an alternative means of navigating UN System content. Will facilitate display of UN content on virtual earth platforms. Core UNSDI Deliverables UNSDI Visualization Facility

20. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group ASG/CITO & OICT Engagement Oct 2009 - 2013 Updated UNSDI Framework Developed Phase I implementation project proposal (Center of Excellence for UNSDI) Will host the CoE4UNSDI Project Became an UNGIWG member Nominated to Co-chair UNGIWG in 2011-13 ASG/CITO to be the UNSDI/UNGIWG champion with HLCP/HLCM/ICT Network

21. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group UNSDI Governance Steering Committee (SC - UNGIWG members) Sets the strategic direction for UNSDI Technical Advisory Group (TAG - UN and non-UN) Advises the Steering Committee on technical matters Partners’ Group (PG - non-UN) Is the advocacy group of UNSDI partners SC and TAG members are to be nominated and elected

22. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group UNSDI & CoE4UNSDI Project UNGIWG is the owner of the UNSDI “vision” The UNSDI process calls for a multi-phase implementation Phase I implementation of UNSDI focuses on UNSDI Framework Core deliverables The Centre of Excellence for UNSDI (CoE4UNSDI) Project is the means to implement Phase I over two years The CoE4UNSDI Project is to be lead by OICT in partnership with UNOG/ICTS and FAO financed via extra-budgetary means

23. CoE4UNSDI Project Structure Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group

24. CoE4UNSDI Project Status CoE4UNSDI Project Trust Fund is being set at the Secretariat by the Controller Discussions are underway with UNOPS to provide project administration support Potential donors are being identified The project management approach is established Candidate cities to host the CoE4UNSDI Project are being identified Target date for the official launching of the CoE4UNSDI Project is Q3 2011 The Task Group on the Centre of Excellence for UNSDI Project (TGC)

25. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group CoE4UNSDI Project Deliverables UNSDI Gazetteer Service (standards and best practices for the provisioning of core geodatasets) UNSDI Spatial Data Warehouse UNSDI Visualization Facility

26. Geographic Information United Nations Geographic Information Working Group Q & A