3 rd GMES Forum 5 6 June 2003 Athens Plenary Session 2, part 2 A European shared information system Gordon McInnes Deputy Director European Environment Agency 1
I keep six honest serving men. They taught me all I knew. Their names are WHAT and WHERE and WHEN and WHY and HOW and WHO. Rudyard Kipling 2
Presentation outline 1. Basic elements of a European Environmental Information System (EEIS) present status 2. Linking environmental issues and sectors - indicators 3. Linking ground monitoring, remote sensing, shared information system 4. Proposed priorities for GMES 5. Recommendations for creating a platform for integrated spatial assessments of the environment
The Information System - some benefits of integration & streamlining Data gathering & Flows From "spaghetti junction" to the one-stop-shop? Current data flow reality as a result of historical development The Public and Decision-Makers Future vision: Countries report data/info once and this is used for many purposes The Public and Decision-Makers EuroStat EC EEA OECD UNEP DG ETC DG Others EuroStat EC EEA OECD UNEP DG DG ETC EEIS NRC NFP and other National Authorities NRC NFP and other National Authorities
Main stages in the policy cycle, supported by data, information and knowledge Policy Measure Effectiveness (& ex-post impact) Assessment (6) Policy Measure Implementation (5) Issue Identification (1) Data Information Knowledge Issue Framing (2) Policy Measure Identification (& ex-ante Impact assessment) (3) Policy Measure Preparation (4) 1
Information Pyramid Bottom-up Top-down Knowledge Assessment Indicators Data 43 947 3
River and lake stations
Principles of Shared European Environment Information System (EEIS) Common validation and aggregation policy relevant assessments transparent information management provide once use many harmonised collection
Elements of the shared European Environmental Information System Other organisations International institutions EEA Users Shared EEIS information Shared EIONET information User access GMET, EDEN, shared tools Decision makers, informed public, general public Information Infrastructure Other Networks National institutions EIONET
Functions to be covered by Reportnet tools
Elements of the European environment information and observation network (EIONET) European level ETC ETC ETC ETC EEA ETC European Topic Centres National level NFPs NRCs MCEs National Focal Points National Reference Centres Main Component Elements
Environmental issues and related sectors Environment issues Air pollution Climate change Water Stress Nature/Biodiversity Terrestrial environment Waste/material flows Chemicals Technological/natural risks Sectors Transport Energy Agriculture Tourism Fisheries Industry Households
EEA proposed priority areas for GMES Land Water Biodiversity with an integrated approach (thematic integration, spatial analysis, economic and social assessment) and a shared information system
GMES interconnected components Interconnecting ground monitoring remote sensing shared information system Good examples of pilot projects initial phase GMES: BIOPRESS (linking pan-european land cover change to pressures on biodiversity) SAGE ( service for geo-information on water quality and soil protection)
EEA specific recommendations «Creating a platform for integrated spatial assessment of Europe s environment»
Recommendations (1/3) 1. Provision and production of basic geographical reference data sets INSPIRE initiative Elevation, bathymetry, coastline, land cover, ortho imagery, transport network, surface water bodies, hydrography network and water catchments
Recommendations (2/3) 2. Monitoring specific environmental issues for which only limited (remote and ground) monitoring activities exist Urban sprawl and soil sealing Land use land cover change inside and surrounding protected areas Hazards (oil spills, flooding, erosion, )
Recommendations (3/3) 3. Further methodological and research activities Integration of existing ground based monitoring and remote sensing
Kiev Environmental Ministerial Conference 21 May 2003 Europe s Environment the third assessment a basis for change Gordon McInnes Jacqueline McGlade
Changing behaviour will need different but integrated policies to protect human and ecosystem health Waste generation Climate change Industrial emissions Water Food Transport Fertilisers Pesticides 20
And changing behaviour will require changing monitoring to better address: Environmental progress Biodiversity change Impacts of economic activities Wider issues on environment and health Effectiveness of environment and sectoral policies
Vision for the future Finally, changing monitoring will change the Agency s role to developing an environmental information system, which is: More integrated More shared More cost-effective, and More policy-relevant All in collaboration with partners from across Europe 22
EEA European Environment Agency Copenhagen Denmark http://www.eea.eu.int
DEVELOPMENT STATUS OF PROCESSES Happens manually (Could mean that a system exist, but it s not related) Partly developed but not yet operational. Partly developed and implementation is operational Fully implement and operational (Constant improvements are made) Nothing happened yet Indicator Management Tool CSI Indicators CSI Applications CSI Data requirements Public dissemination XML CMP project Clients Requests AWP Content registry REF. CENTER public repositories Term dictionary directory Maps& graphs MAPS GRAPHS handling EEA requests Content registry WAREHOUSE European repositories Data dictionary directory Information Warehouse Exchange exchange National to European datasets ROD Content registry REPORTNET National Repository Data dictionary directory DEM National to REPORTNET National systems PRODUCT DISSEMINATION DATA HANDLING DATA COLLECTION
Top-down definition of indicators driven by policies, objectives and targets 1 2 3 Indicators linked to quantitative targets Indicators linked to stated objectives Indicators linked to policy intentions or public expectations