BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS – A tool for sustainable development

Spatial Knowledge and Land Economy in Achieving Sustainable Development

Carol Agius

Malta Association for Geographic Information

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

Why GIS in Sustainable Development?

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs.”United Nations

GIS in an integrating multidisciplinary tool that brings together information and experts from diverse and disparate backgrounds.

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS: A Multi-component Technology

• Diverse definitions of what a GIS is, the common components:– GIS Hardware– GIS Software– GIS Data– GIS Community– GIS Processes

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS: Technology for Problem Solving

DataGIS

Processes Output

• Overlay

• Buffer

• Proximity

• Interpolation

• Queries

• Economic

• Social

• Environmental

• Reference

• Added Value

• New datasets

• Reveal patterns

• Problem “solutions”

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

The Spatial Component

• 80% of information has a spatial element• Spatial is special• Location is important• Everything that happens, happens somewhere

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

Not just “Data”

Data:• Information

• Fit for purpose

• Current

• Maintained

• Reliable

• Time

• Money

• Resources

• Experience

Exploit the power and benefits of GIS

Requirements: Rewards:

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS: A Maltese Time Line

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

NMA

Land Registry

Planning Authority

Local Councils

Common Database

Utilities

•Melita Cable•EneMalta•Water Services Corp.•Roads

NSO –Agricultural Survey Local

Plans

Resources Authority EU

Accession Process

•IACS

•Fisheries Zones

•Environmental Acquis

Environmental Reporting

Public Access to Information

MEPA

MapServer

Digital Mapping/Data collection Application of GIS

Planning Policy

Transport Authority

EIAs

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS Application: Soil Risk Analysis in the Northwest

Elevation - Slope

Geology

Land use

Rubble walls

Soil

Vegetation cover

Assessment of levels of erodibilityAssessment of levels of erodibility

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS Application: Reviewing Building Height Policy for the Northwest Local Plan

Orthophotos

Land use surveys

Height projections

DEM

Viewshed analysisBasis for analysis of development applications exceeding a certain height to determine if they would jar or effect the existing urban fabric

Basis for analysis of development applications exceeding a certain height to determine if they would jar or effect the existing urban fabric

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

GIS Application: Sustainability Impact Assessment ToolTools for Environmental, Social & Economic Effects of MulitfunctionalLand Use in European Regions

Sensor: an EU project developing a SIAT tailored to meet analysis and policy making needs. • Scenario driven

• Multi-scale

• Land use models

• GIS base indicator management system

• Scenario driven

• Multi-scale

• Land use models

• GIS base indicator management system

BEPIC Pre-CHOGM Seminar, Commonwealth Peoples Forum, Valletta, Malta November 2005

Thank you