The need for data sharing

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Every day we access an enormous and continuous flow of information and much of it refers to a position or a specific place on the surface of our planet. This information is therefore, and by definition, georeferenced. Therefore, in the last 30 years, the amount of georeferenced data available has grown dramatically following the evolution of the communication means and due to the rapid development of spatial data capture technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing images, sensors, etc (Philips et al., 1999).

Despite the fact that administrations and governments are recognizing that spatial information is important and must be part of the basic information infrastructure that need to be efficiently coordinated and managed for the interest of all citizens (Ryttersgaard, 2001), this huge amount of geospatial data is stored in different places, by different organizations and the vast majority of the data are not being used as effectively as they should.

This means that there is a strong need for availability and access to appropriate information. The development of databases and exchange of information are the conditions for creating the basis for a sustainable development and to support the information management needs for implementing and monitoring sustainable development policies and goals like the UN Millennium Development Goals (UNGIWG, 2007).

However, geospatial information is an expensive resource, it is time consuming to produce, and for this reason it is of high importance to improve the access and availability of data, and promote its reuse. Many of the decisions that different organization need to make depend on good and consistent georeferenced data, available and readily accessible (Rajabifard and Williamson, 2001).

Even if all technologies are ready, organizations and agencies around the world are still spending billions of dollars every year to produce, manage and use geographical data but without having the information they need to answer the challenges our world is facing (Rajabifard and Williamson, 2001). These authors also highlight the facts that most organizations and/or agencies need more data than they can afford, they often need data outside their jurisdictions, and the data collected by different organizations are often incompatible. This inevitably leads to inefficiencies and duplication of effort, and thus it is evident that countries can benefit both economically and environmentally from a better management of their data (UNGIWG, 2007; GSDI, 2004). In consequence, it is now essential to make these data easily available and accessible in order to give the opportunity to the user to turn them into understandable information.

The availability and easy access to a wide range of data on the oceans and coastal zones is one of the key aspects to support strategic decision-making regarding ICZM and maritime policies (e.g. EU ICZM, EU Integrated Maritime Policy, EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Barcelona convention, ICZM protocol for the Mediterranean, Bucharest convention,…). There is a vast quantity of data available from many sources (see further below for the Mediterranean and Black Seas) but gathering them for particular applications takes considerable effort. The establishment of appropriate coastal and marine data and information infrastructures is of highest importance.

The European efforts towards a Sustainable and Integrated Maritime Policy indeed highlight the development of three instruments (COM (2007) 575, SEC (2007) 1278):

• Maritime Surveillance (critical for the safe and secure use of marine space)
• Maritime Spatial Planning
• A comprehensive and accessible source of data and information

Spatial Data Infrastructures aim to realize this last instrument by integrating existing, but fragmented initiatives in order to facilitate access to primary data for users, either from public, or business, or academic, government or citizens sector.

This data should be compiled in a comprehensive and compatible system. Implementing a Spatial Data Infrastructure, following the INSPIRE Directive, implies that local geonodes must be developed, spatial data must be standardized and harmonization must take place in order to start sharing data.