Information Technology and Environmental Data Management

Abstract

Over the last two decades, environmental data have increasingly received more attention, as they play a key role in planning and operational management. At the sane time, the way data-related issues are being approached has been changing with the years. Firstly, the rising awareness on environmental problems presses governmental and non-governmental agencies to increase monitoring. At the same time, the growing use of simulation and optimization models to better understand environmental phenomena requires higher data volumes to calibrate and validate these models. Secondly, although modern sensor technology has made data collection far easier and bulkier than in the past, currently used digital forms of data capture, such as remote sensing, image processing, digital photography and GPS (global positioning systems), have brought in new types of data with different requirements for archiving and analysis. Thirdly, the recent trend for a multidisciplinary approach to environmental problems has made data integration an important issue. Finally, institutional and non-institutional data producers increasingly feel the need or are obliged to make their data available to students, researchers, or the general public. These aspects call for better and widely spread data collection and archiving, and for easier access to data and information. Data classification and analysis are two further aspects that require some consideration.