Deliverables › Work package 7: emGeo development

Tasks

D1: emGeo system.

D2: User guide for emGeo.

Description

Spatial data and analyses are essential for reliable planning and decision-making on environmental issues. As mentioned earlier, environmental issues in the Middle East are transboundary. It means that access to the spatial information describing environmental situations in the neighboring countries, i.e. Iraq and Yemen is essential for environmental planning and management in another country i.e. Iran. Besides that, environmental management needs cooperation and collaboration and hence information sharing between several authorities such as ministry of industry, ministry of energy, and ministry of environment, whose activities influences the environment. However, primary studies show that there is not a reliable system and/or mechanisms for sharing spatial information (inter- and intra- nationally) in the Middle East to be used for reliable and collaborative planning and decision-making on environmental issues. Besides that lack of information is a major challenge that calls for the need to special tools and skills for data collection and dissemination.

This work package aims to develop a web-based Geoportal, called emGeo, to facilitate the sharing of environmental related spatial data between organization, both intra- and inter-nationally.

Related assumptions and risks

- Stakeholders have access to the internet.

- Stakeholders have the knowledge of working with computers and internet.

Identified risks:

- Lack of digital base maps to be used in the system. This can be solved by using existing open maps at the beginning.

- The resistance of old technical staff against using new technologies. Culturing and motivation is required.

- Issues for sharing spatial data due to, e.g., national security sensitivity.