A deluge of data is set to reach our desks. Something is always happening somewhere and we can get to know about it in the shortest possible time.
Maximising the benefits of location was the theme of a conference hosted earlier this month by the Malta Association for Geographical Information. Keynote speaker Vanessa Lawrence, director general of Britain's national mapping agency, stressed the importance of having up-to-date information.
Survey mapping of England's south coast started over 200 years ago in response to Napoleon's designs on the territory. Lacking today's technology, it took 10 years to be completed. Today the role of the ordnance survey agency is to create and maintain a master map of Great Britain. With 5,000 changes added daily, the map can claim more than 99 per cent accuracy. If a building alters by over one third of its area then the change is recorded.
Intelligent data came to the rescue when flooding threatened parts of Yorkshire. The response time of local police was quick enough to evacuate residents at risk. In the early hours of the morning they were quickly able to pinpoint which houses were most in danger and take action. Using data projections of rising water related to topography, overlaid with houses on the map, they averted disaster.
It is clear that, while collecting and storing information is important, the real value comes from maintaining data, keeping it fresh and dependable. A sad example to support this is the US Central Intelligence Agency's failure to identify Belgrade's Chinese Embassy in their search for legitimate Serbian targets to bomb in 1999. They were using an outdated map.
Quality geographic information applied intelligently is underpinning today's decision-making and changing the way people see geography.
Maps can be used for anything from finding the nearest post box to reporting a broken streetlamp. Highway agencies reduce road closure time and water companies track down supplied properties for billing with big savings on time and money. The National Health Service has been able to find people who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to go in for a health check and avoid serious illness.
Construction companies building a stadium for the 2012 Olympic Games have chosen to become customers of Ordnance Survey Net, "so everyone ties to the same signal". More and more people are becoming web-enabled, with the possibility to add a community dimension to their lives.
Geographic Information Systems consultant Claire Ellul described how GIS can help decentralise decision-making by giving people the opportunity to participate in choices affecting their neighbourhood. Community maps are owned by the people, while local council maps may have an agenda. Data such as historical information or where to find the nearest yoga course can be added by anyone.
The best approach for building a dam to stop a river spilling over its banks in the visually sensitive area near a German castle was examined using three-dimensional modelling. Promoting the use of this system in landscape architecture, Prof. Eric Buhman is planning a conference in Malta next May on the subject of Digital Landscape Design for Mediterranean Islands.
Geographer Michael Sanderson gave several examples of how data applied to business systems could remove inefficiencies caused by duplication in supply chains. Getting national boundaries in the right place is another challenge involving mathematical algorithms and 'edge-matching'.
Alistair Pearson, a lecturer in historical geography, made use of GIS to determine environmental context and wheel size of the vehicles which left behind Malta's cart ruts.
Geographic information is now more mainstream and user-generated than ever before, with a range from local to global. Massive growth is expected in the geo-information industry. With Malta going from strength to strength in the information technology sphere we are well positioned to benefit.
As a contact point for the EU directive Inspire on spatial data sharing, Malta is overseeing Europe-wide implementation due to start in 2009. A spokesman from Mepa noted that very few organisations in Malta share data. The setting up of a special data infrastructure would enable the general public, stakeholders and government to use one platform to interact.
Reporting data back to the EU has been problematic since often it is the same data in a different form which is sent repeatedly. The Inspire directive will ensure that better quality national information is reaching the European Commission.
Malta, being located at the centre of the Mediterranean with a strong IT base, could make the most of opportunities to promote oceanographic applications to shipping and coastal users.
Aldo Drago remarked that the oil spill response model was successful, "...but we need to institutionalise the arrangements." The tools are there and the Malta Maritime Authority must bring the various players together for better contingency planning.
The most frequented application on the Mepa website is the map-server. The geo-portal is to be improved with discovery and view services free of charge for the public. Creating a knowledge community across Europe should bring about a democratisation of geography.