Assessing the ability to share spatial data between emergency management organisations in the High North
(2016) In Master Thesis in Geographical Information Science GISM01 20161Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
- Abstract
- The decreasing extent of the Arctic sea ice has opened up new areas in the High North for industrial and commercial activities. These areas contain large reserves of oil and gas, and the region is home to some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. The region is of key strategic importance, and maintaining a Norwegian presence in the Arctic areas is considered to be a national priority. A major restructuring of the emergency management services in Norway is underway to accommodate the expected increase in commercial and industrial activity within the High North region. As part of this process, it is necessary to assess the current status of spatial data within the emergency management (EM) process.
This project aims to fill the gap... (More) - The decreasing extent of the Arctic sea ice has opened up new areas in the High North for industrial and commercial activities. These areas contain large reserves of oil and gas, and the region is home to some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. The region is of key strategic importance, and maintaining a Norwegian presence in the Arctic areas is considered to be a national priority. A major restructuring of the emergency management services in Norway is underway to accommodate the expected increase in commercial and industrial activity within the High North region. As part of this process, it is necessary to assess the current status of spatial data within the emergency management (EM) process.
This project aims to fill the gap that exists in the current research on the Norwegian emergency management system, as little work has been done to assess the current ability to share spatial information between organisations participating in the emergency management process in the High North. This has been accomplished through a variety of methods, including a detailed GIS-analysis of the communication infrastructure, interviews with stakeholders in the emergency management process and analysis of modern research within the spatial data infrastructure (SDI) domain.
The results shows multiple issues with the sharing of spatial information. These issues are both organisational and technological. Investigations into the organisational structure of the EM process revealed a complex hierarchy with varied spatial data needs and spatial data production responsibilities. This structure is highly dependent on pre-existing data sharing agreements, making it difficult to implement new data or additional stakeholders into the spatial data information networks. The lack of real-time sensor information and insufficient communication infrastructure also creates difficulties in acquiring and sharing up-to-date spatial information within the High North region.
Possible solutions to the gaps and barriers from the investigate phase of the research was explored, with the aim of providing possible initiatives to augment the planned integration of emergency management spatial data into the Norwegian national SDI. A series of short-term initiatives aimed to resolve current gaps in functionality is suggested, as well as, potential longer-term development focuses, with the goal of implementing advanced GIS and SDI functionality into the next generation of SDI infrastructure. (Less) - Popular Abstract
- The decreasing extent of the Arctic sea ice has opened up new areas in the High North for industrial and commercial activities. These areas contain large reserves of oil and gas, and the region is home to some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. The region is of key strategic importance, and maintaining a Norwegian presence in the Arctic areas is considered to be a national priority.
The Arctic region is also home to some of the most inhospitable climates in the world and vessels operating in the area face extremely low temperatures, high winds and drifting sea ice. The vast distances involved also complicates the traditional model of shore-based infrastructure and emergency response resources, as the installations will be outside... (More) - The decreasing extent of the Arctic sea ice has opened up new areas in the High North for industrial and commercial activities. These areas contain large reserves of oil and gas, and the region is home to some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. The region is of key strategic importance, and maintaining a Norwegian presence in the Arctic areas is considered to be a national priority.
The Arctic region is also home to some of the most inhospitable climates in the world and vessels operating in the area face extremely low temperatures, high winds and drifting sea ice. The vast distances involved also complicates the traditional model of shore-based infrastructure and emergency response resources, as the installations will be outside the operational range of these resources. The conditions faced when operating in Arctic environments presents unique challenges and stretches the existing infrastructure past its breaking point.
A major restructuring of the emergency management services in Norway is underway to accommodate the expected increase in commercial and industrial activity within the High North region. As part of this process, it is necessary to assess the current status of spatial data within the emergency management (EM) process.
This project aims to fill the gap that exists in the current research on the Norwegian emergency management system, as little work has been done to assess the current ability to share spatial information between organisations participating in the emergency management process in the High North. This has been accomplished through a variety of methods, including a detailed GIS-analysis of the communication infrastructure, interviews with stakeholders in the emergency management process and analysis of modern research within the spatial data infrastructure (SDI) domain.
The results shows multiple issues with the sharing of spatial information. These issues are both organisational and technological. Investigations into the organisational structure of the EM process revealed a complex hierarchy with varied spatial data needs and spatial data production responsibilities. This structure is highly dependent on pre-existing data sharing agreements, making it difficult to implement new data or additional stakeholders into the spatial data information networks. The lack of real-time sensor information and insufficient communication infrastructure also creates difficulties in acquiring and sharing up-to-date spatial information within the High North region.
In the present-day situation, access to updated and relevant data is limited and few means of communication exists between land-based infrastructure and vessels operating in the remote areas of the High North. Having access to up-to-date data on weather, asset locations and other geographic information demands a well-functioning spatial data infrastructure, access to a distributed sensor network and a developed organisational framework that enables various forms of spatial data to be collected, shared and analysed.
Possible solutions to the gaps and barriers from the investigate phase of the research was explored, with the aim of providing possible initiatives to augment the planned integration of emergency management spatial data into the Norwegian national SDI. A series of short-term initiatives aimed to resolve current gaps in functionality is suggested, as well as, potential longer-term development focuses, with the goal of implementing advanced GIS and SDI functionality into the next generation of SDI infrastructure. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8887285
- author
- Grottenberg, Lars Ole LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- GISM01 20161
- year
- 2016
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- The High North, Arctic, emergency management, SDI, spatial data infrastructure, GIS, Physical Geography and Ecosystem analysis
- publication/series
- Master Thesis in Geographical Information Science
- report number
- 53
- language
- English
- additional info
- External supervisors: Grete Rindahl, Principal Scientist, Institute for Energy Technology, Norway, and Dr. Asgeir Drøivoldsmo, Principal Scientist, Institute for Energy Technology, Norway
- id
- 8887285
- date added to LUP
- 2016-08-17 12:02:13
- date last changed
- 2016-08-17 12:02:13
@misc{8887285,
abstract = {{The decreasing extent of the Arctic sea ice has opened up new areas in the High North for industrial and commercial activities. These areas contain large reserves of oil and gas, and the region is home to some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. The region is of key strategic importance, and maintaining a Norwegian presence in the Arctic areas is considered to be a national priority. A major restructuring of the emergency management services in Norway is underway to accommodate the expected increase in commercial and industrial activity within the High North region. As part of this process, it is necessary to assess the current status of spatial data within the emergency management (EM) process.
This project aims to fill the gap that exists in the current research on the Norwegian emergency management system, as little work has been done to assess the current ability to share spatial information between organisations participating in the emergency management process in the High North. This has been accomplished through a variety of methods, including a detailed GIS-analysis of the communication infrastructure, interviews with stakeholders in the emergency management process and analysis of modern research within the spatial data infrastructure (SDI) domain.
The results shows multiple issues with the sharing of spatial information. These issues are both organisational and technological. Investigations into the organisational structure of the EM process revealed a complex hierarchy with varied spatial data needs and spatial data production responsibilities. This structure is highly dependent on pre-existing data sharing agreements, making it difficult to implement new data or additional stakeholders into the spatial data information networks. The lack of real-time sensor information and insufficient communication infrastructure also creates difficulties in acquiring and sharing up-to-date spatial information within the High North region.
Possible solutions to the gaps and barriers from the investigate phase of the research was explored, with the aim of providing possible initiatives to augment the planned integration of emergency management spatial data into the Norwegian national SDI. A series of short-term initiatives aimed to resolve current gaps in functionality is suggested, as well as, potential longer-term development focuses, with the goal of implementing advanced GIS and SDI functionality into the next generation of SDI infrastructure.}},
author = {{Grottenberg, Lars Ole}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master Thesis in Geographical Information Science}},
title = {{Assessing the ability to share spatial data between emergency management organisations in the High North}},
year = {{2016}},
}