Overview of UN-GGIM: its formation and its work Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB Co-Chair UN-GGIM Positioning geospatial information to address global challenges
UN-GGIM – What is it? • The United Nations Initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management is an initiative to enhance and coordinate global geospatial information management • UN-GGIM provides a formal mechanism under the UN to discuss and coordinate GGIM activities by involving Member States at the highest Government level as the key participants
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Other United Nations Structures involved in geographic information • UNCS (United Nations Cartographic Section) — provides geographic information support to the full range of United Nations operations. • UNGIWG (United Nations Geographic Information Working Group) — a voluntary network of UN professionals working in the fields of cartography and geographic information science. • UNGEGN (United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names) — provides technical recommendations on standardizing geographical names at the national and international levels, also falls under UN Statistics Division. • UNOOSA (United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs) — responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. Also runs UN-SPIDER (United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response).
UN Cartographic Section Cartographic Section provides geographic information support to the full range of United Nations operations Principle duties include: • Provide accurate and timely geographic information in support of the decision-making and operational needs of: • The Security Council • UN Secretariat • UN Peace Operations • UN Humanitarian Operations • Coordinate and support field mission GIS operations Provide technical assistance on international boundary issues
The United Nations steps forward: Global Geospatial Information Management ‘There is a significant gap in the management of geospatial information globally’ Paul Cheung, Former Director, United Nations Statistics Division, Cambridge Conference, June 2011
Forming UN-GGIM: A global geospatial mandate The 18th Session of the UN Regional 18 th UNRCC Asia-Pacific, Oct. 2009 Cartographic Conference for Asia-Pacific and the 41st Session of the UN Statistical Commission: • Requested the Secretary-General to prepare a report for a future session of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) outlining a global vision for geographic 41 st Statistical Commission, Feb. 2010 information management, including reviewing the existing mechanisms and exploring the possibility of creating a global forum. • Requested the Statistics Division to convene a meeting of an international expert group, consisting of statisticians and geographical information specialists, to address global geographic information management issues.
Forming UN-GGIM: A global geospatial mandate 43 rd plenary of ECOSOC, July. 2010 At its 43rd plenary in July 2010, ECOSOC requested the Secretary General to submit to the Council, at its substantive session of 2011, a report on global geographic information management.
Forming UN-GGIM: A global geospatial mandate At its 47th plenary in July 2011, ECOSOC, recognising the importance of global geospatial information, established the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM); and • requested the Committee to present to ECOSOC in 2016 a comprehensive review of all aspects of its work and operations, in order to allow Member States to assess its effectiveness; and • encouraged Member States to hold regular high-level, multi-stakeholder discussions on global geospatial information, including through the convening of global forums, with a view to promoting a comprehensive dialogue with all relevant actors and bodies.
UN-GGIM: its role To make accurate, reliable and authoritative geospatial information readily available to support national, regional and global development ggim.un.org
UN-GGIM: how does it operate The Terms of Reference and objectives focus on the work of the CoE on GGIM; the CoE is therefore the formal UN consultative mechanism and should normally only be attended by Member States, with observer status given to a limited number of accredited organisations. Terms of reference include: (a) To provide a forum for coordination and dialogue among Member States, and between Member States and relevant international organizations, on enhanced cooperation in the field of global geospatial information; (b) To propose workplans and guidelines with a view to promoting common principles, policies, methods, mechanisms and standards for the interoperability and interchangeability of geospatial data and services; (c) To provide a platform for the development of effective strategies on how to build and strengthen national capacity concerning geospatial information, especially in developing countries; (d) To compile and disseminate best practices and experiences of national, regional and international bodies on geospatial information related, inter alia, to legal instruments, management models and technical standards, thus contributing to the establishment of spatial data infrastructures.
UN-GGIM: Interactions Other interactions occur with the UN-GGIM via the following: • The organisation of UN-GGIM High Level Forums which provides the opportunity for informal conferences and involvement by invitation of the private sector, the Non-governmental organisations and volunteer groups • The Joint Board of GeoSpatial Societies (JBGIS) which has come together to represent one voice to the UN-GGIM from the following Professional Societies: FIG (representing Surveying); ICA (representing Cartography); ISPRS (representing Surveying, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing); GSDI (representing those interested in Spatial Data Infrastructures), IAG (representing Geodesy); ISCGM (representing those interested in Global Mapping); IEEE-GRSS (representing Geoscientists and Remote Sensing); IGU (representing Geographers, particularly those in academia); IHO (representing Hydrographers); IMTA (representing those involved more broadly in the mapping industry).
UN-GGIM: a global initiative Formal inter-governmental UN Committee of Experts to: • Discuss, enhance and coordinate Global Geospatial Information Management activities by involving Member States at the highest level. Reports to ECOSOC. • Make joint decisions and set directions on the use of geospatial information within national and global policy frameworks. • Work with governments to improve policy, institutional arrangements, and legal frameworks. • Address global issues and contribute collective knowledge as a community with shared interests and concerns. • Develop effective strategies to build geospatial capacity in developing countries. ggim.un.org
Second Session of the Committee of Experts, August 2012 ‘…building effective geospatial infrastructures and promoting greater use of geospatial information are part of a new frontier in harnessing science and technology for advancing sustainable development.’ Mr Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs August 2012
Third Session of the Committee of Experts, July 2013
Geospatial information: its importance to governments ‘ In Namibia a country in which water is a scarce resource…spatial data is only below water in significance’ Minister Alpheus G. !Naruseb, Minister of Lands and Resettlement, Namibia ‘We envisage a dynamic Pacific if we can be assisted in implementing the UN-GGIM Resolutions for geospatial information. We need to put in place a solid framework from local to national then regional level’ Tevita Boseiwaqa, Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resourses, Fiji
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