Resolutions Passed at GSDI Conferences

GSDI 8 Cairo, Egypt

GSDI-8 Cairo Egypt
17-21 April 2005

Resolution 1 – Reaffirmation of Goals

• The participants in GSDI-8 reaffirm the importance of advancing the following goals as specified in the bylaws of the GSDI Association:
• support the establishment and expansion of local, national, and regional (multi-nation) spatial data infrastructures that are globally compatible,
• provide an organization to foster international communication and collaborative efforts for advancing spatial data infrastructure innovations,
• support interdisciplinary research and education activities that advance spatial data infrastructure concepts, theories and methods;
• enable better public policy and scientific decision-making through spatial data infrastructure advancements;
• promote the ethical use of and access to geographic information;
• foster spatial data infrastructure developments in support of important worldwide needs such as:
  • improving local to national economic competitiveness,
  • addressing local to global environmental quality and change,
  • increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in all levels of government, and
  • advancing the health, safety and social well-being of humankind in all nations.

Resolution 2 – Support by Government

The participants in GSDI-8 urge governments of the world to (1) support the establishment of national spatial data infrastructures in all nations and (2) recognize the need for concentrated efforts to develop human resources, standards, and policies that advance spatial data infrastructures.

Resolution 3 – Support by the Commercial Sector

The participants in GSDI-8 recognize the critical role of the private commercial sector in creating and maintaining spatial data infrastructures as well as in advancing the tools, techniques and methods in support of spatial data infrastructures. We encourage commercial companies in all nations to continue to work toward common standards and methods to the benefit of all.

Resolution 4 – Support by Academia and Non-Profit Sectors

The participants in GSDI-8 recognize the crucial role of scholarly research in advancing the scientific foundations of GSDI and education and training in making possible the implementation of GSDI concepts and methods. We further recognize the critical role of volunteerism and cooperative efforts in advancing spatial data infrastructure concepts and implementations. Those in the academic and non-profit sectors are urged to commit to the missions and goals of the GSDI Association and become fully engaged in working towards those ideals.

Resolution 5 – Capacity Building for NSDI

The GSDI Association should give special attention to developing human and institutional resources with particular emphasis on sustained capacity building in developing nations. The organization should develop and pursue an overall strategy for human and institutional resource development.

Resolution 6 – Technical Issues of Data Access and Interoperability

There is a recognized need to endorse standards-based data, spatial web services, metadata, catalogs, portals and registries for improving data access and visual integration of local, national, regional, and global data. The GSDI Association should continue to support such standards-based approaches for global to local access and use, encouraging the development of educational materials on these topics and collaborating on deployment of spatial web services.

Resolution 7 – Legal and Economic Issues

There is a strong need to share approaches and experiences in addressing legal and economic impediments to the implementation of national spatial data infrastructures. Those knowledgeable about legal, economic and policy settings are urged to describe those settings in each nation and describe how impediments to spatial data infrastructure developments are or may be overcome. The participants in GSDI 8 urge the removal of barriers to the broad use of government’s spatial data to the greatest extent possible in all nations.

Resolution 8 – Peoples Participation

The participants in GSDI-8 recognize that SDI’s can be an important tool for empowerment of communities at the grassroots enabling them to work towards the ideals of sustainable development. This requires a strong thrust towards designing and developing concepts, mechanisms, and tools that make SDI’s usable and affordable at the local community level. The GSDI Association fully supports such approaches.

Resolution 9 – Middle East Initiatives

Acknowledging opportunities to strengthen local, national and regional SDI groups to represent the interests of countries in the Middle East, the GSDI Association looks forward to continued and expanded spatial data infrastructure educational, research, project, and communication activities and initiatives with agencies, organizations, and individuals from throughout the region as part of or in cooperation with the GSDI Association.

Resolution 10 – GSDI-9

Acknowledging opportunities to strengthen regional SDI groups to represent the interests of countries in South America and the Caribbean, and in support of working with other international organizations, the GSDI Association will conduct the GSDI-9 meeting in Santiago, Chile in conjunction with Instituto Geografico Militar (IGM) on 4-10 November 2006.

Resolution 11 – Recognition and Thanks to the Organizers of GSDI-8

A special note of thanks in recognition that the success of GSDI-8 is directly related to the hard work, tireless efforts and financial support of:

• the International Programs Office of the Federal Geographic Data Committee,
• the Egyptian Committee for Surveying and Mapping, the Egyptian Survey Authority, the International Federation of Surveyors,
• the government and corporate sponsors of the conference with special thanks to ESRI and Intergraph Corporations

Resolution 12 – Recognition and Thanks to Our Outgoing GSDI President

For his leadership, organizational skills, humor and enthusiasm we express special gratitude to Mukund Rao.

GSDI 7 Bangalore, India

GSDI-7 Bangalore
2-6 February 2004

Resolution 1 – Reaffirmation of Goals
The participants in GSDI-7 reaffirm the importance of advancing the following goals as specified in the bylaws of the GSDI Association:

• support the establishment and expansion of local, national, and regional (multi-nation) spatial data infrastructures that are globally compatible,
• provide an organization to foster international communication and collaborative efforts for advancing spatial data infrastructure innovations,
• support interdisciplinary research and education activities that advance spatial data infrastructure concepts, theories and methods;
• enable better public policy and scientific decision-making through spatial data infrastructure advancements;
• promote the ethical use of and access to geographic information;
• foster spatial data infrastructure developments in support of important worldwide needs such as:
  • improving local to national economic competitiveness,
  • addressing local to global environmental quality and change,
  • increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in all levels of government, and
  • advancing the health, safety and social well-being of humankind in all nations.

Resolution 2 – Support by Government
The participants in GSDI-7 urge the GSDI Association to find ways to work with governments of the world to (1) support the establishment of national spatial data infrastructures in all nations and (2) recognize the need for concentrated efforts to develop human resources, standards, and policies that advance spatial data infrastructures.

Resolution 3 – Support by the Commercial Sector
The participants in GSDI-7 recognize the critical role of the private commercial sector in creating and maintaining spatial data infrastructures as well as in advancing the tools, techniques and methods in support of spatial data infrastructures. We encourage commercial companies in all nations to continue to work toward common standards and methods to the benefit of all.

Resolution 4 – Support by Academia and Non-Profit Sectors
The participants in GSDI-7 recognize the crucial role of scholarly research in advancing the scientific foundations of GSDI and education and training in making possible the implementation of GSDI concepts and methods. We further recognize the critical role of volunteerism and cooperative efforts in advancing spatial data infrastructure concepts and implementations. Those in the academic and non-profit sectors are urged to commit to the missions and goals of the GSDI Association and become fully engaged in working towards those ideals.

Resolution 5 – Capacity Building for NSDI
The GSDI Association should give special attention to developing human and institutional resources including research capacity with particular emphasis on sustained capacity building in developing nations. The organization should develop and pursue an overall strategy for human and institutional resource development prior to the next meeting.

Resolution 6 – Technical Issues of Data Access and Interoperability
There is a recognized need to endorse standards-based catalogs, map services and portals for improving data access and visual integration of national, regional, and global data. The GSDI Association should continue to support such catalogs, data services and portals for global to local access and use, encouraging the development of educational materials on these topics and collaborating on deployment of spatial web services.

Resolution 7 – Legal and Economic Issues
There is a strong need to share approaches and experiences in addressing legal, economic, policy and institutional impediments to the implementation of national spatial data infrastructures. Those knowledgeable about legal, economic and policy settings are urged to describe those settings in each nation and describe how impediments to spatial data infrastructure developments are being overcome. The participants in GSDI-7 urge the removal of barriers to the broad use of government’s spatial data to the greatest extent possible in all nations.

Resolution 8 – Peoples Participation
The participants in GSDI-7 recognize that SDI’s can be an important tool for empowerment of communities at the grassroots enabling them to work towards the ideals of sustainable development. This requires a strong thrust towards designing and developing concepts, mechanisms, and tools that make SDI’s usable and affordable at the local community level as well as supporting control over any developed assets at the community level. The participants urge the GSDI Association to fully incorporate such a thrust in their strategy and action plan.

Resolution 9 – Initiation of the GSDI Association
The participants in GSDI-7 support the newly formed Council and elected Board of Directors and encourage them to pursue long-term sustainability for the organization. Initial priorities should include growing the membership and responding to the needs of the membership with practical visible outputs and benefits. To further that aim, the GSDI Association should prepare a detailed member survey in order to assess the priorities of the members and act on them within the constraints of the budget. The survey should incorporate suggested activities from the strategic plan.

Resolution 10 – Pursuing a Secretariat in India
The participants in GSDI-7 greatly appreciate the offer for hosting a Secretariat in Bangalore India. The conference attendees strongly endorse pursuing establishment of a Secretariat in India and urges the Board to work out the modalities in this regard.

Resolution 11 – World Summit on the Information Society
The participants in GSDI-7 recognize the importance of spatial data and services in the evolving information society and encourage the GSDI Association to seek substantive participation in the Summit in Tunis in 2005.

Resolution 12 – GSDI-8
Acknowledging opportunities to strengthen regional SDI groups to represent the interests of countries in Africa and the Middle East, and in support of working with other international organizations, the GSDI Association will conduct the GSDI-8 meeting in Cairo, Egypt in conjunction with FIG on 16-21 April 2005. By acclamation, the participants in GSDI-7 accept and endorse this action.

Resolution 13 – GSDI-9
Acknowledging opportunities to strengthen regional SDI groups within the Americas, the GSDI Association is encouraged to explore opportunities to conduct the GSDI-9 meeting in Chile.

Resolution 14 – Recognition and Thanks to the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee
The participants in GSDI-7 recognize the invaluable support of the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee in initiating and fully supporting organized approaches and efforts in advancing SDI concepts on a global basis. While it has encouraged the establishment of a global non-profit association in order to expand the influence and implementation of SDI concepts globally, the participants of this meeting gratefully thank the FGDC for its past support, encourage continued full engagement by FGDC, and look forward to its continued strong support as the new organization expands its influence on a world stage.

Resolution 15 – Recognition and Thanks to the Founding Visionaries
On the occasion of the first meeting of the GSDI Association Council and the election of its first Board of Directors, the participants in GSDI-7 recognize and acknowledge the founding visionaries, and in particular Klaus Barwinski, Michael Brand, and Fritz Petersohn who recognized that spatial data infrastructure concepts might advance the well being of citizens in all nations of the world and organized the first meetings of the GSDI community.

Resolution 16 – Recognition and Thanks to the Organizers of GSDI-7
A special note of thanks in recognition of the success of GSDI-7 is directly related to the hard work and tireless efforts of:

• India Space and Research Organization (ISRO) and the Department of Science and Technology (DS&T),
• the GSDI Secretariat, and
• the government and corporate sponsors of the conference.

Resolution 17 – Recognition and Thanks to Our Outgoing President
For his leadership, organizational skills, humor and wit we express special gratitude to Ian Masser.

GSDI 6 Budapest, Hungary

GSDI-6 Budapest
15-19 September 2002

Resolution 1 – Transition to GSDI Association
The participants in GSDI-6 support the existing Board of Directors and the need to expand the membership to strengthen the capacity and share the work of the transition of the GSDI organization to a permanent and sustainable status. To further that aim, the following actions will be taken:

1. The GSDI board and/or taskforce(s) should prepare a strategic plan (within a 6-month timeframe) for sustainability and related critical actions in 18 and 36 months;
2. The board be expanded to include new members with the necessary skills and commitment to carry forward the creation of a sustainable organization;
3. n a 6 month timeline, the board and/or assigned task force(s) should recommend an accountable governance model including membership categories for the GSDI board, advisory council and council.

Resolution 2 – Reaffirmation of Goals
The GSDI Association reaffirms the importance of working to the following goals:

• support the establishment and expansion of local, national, and regional (multi-nation) spatial data infrastructures that are globally compatible,
• provide an organization to foster international communication and collaborative efforts for advancing spatial data infrastructure innovations,
• support interdisciplinary research and education activities that advance spatial data infrastructure concepts, theories and methods;
• enable better public policy and scientific decision-making through spatial data infrastructure advancements;
• promote the ethical use of and access to geographic information;
• foster spatial data infrastructure developments in support of important worldwide needs such as:
  • improving local to national economic competitiveness,
  • addressing local to global environmental quality and change,
  • increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in all levels of government, and
  • advancing the health, safety and social well being of humankind in all nations.

Resolution 3 – Awareness
The GSDI council and members will promote the engagement of local, state, national, and regional providers of all forms of spatial information, such as social and economic information, so that the geographic dimensions of this information are fully accommodated in the implementation of the Spatial Data Infrastructures.

Resolution 4 – Capacity Building for NSDI
The GSDI Association will give special attention to develop capacity building efforts with particular reference to obtaining resources for sustained capacity building in developing nations.

Resolution 5 – Regional SDI Groups
The GSDI Association recognises the important role played by regional SDI groups, and particularly groups such as ECA/CODI in developing regions, and resolves to support these groups in their efforts in capacity building and training, raising funds, increasing levels of participation, policy implementation in member states, and improving technology infrastructures.

Resolution 6 – Collaboration
The GSDI realizes the criticality of collaboration with other global organisations and will continue its efforts to find ways to develop combined initiatives in the areas of :
Awareness and outreach
Joint meetings, conferences, workshops
Capacity building
Implementing SDI policies in developing nations.

Resolution 7 – WSSD
The GSDI Association notes that the Plan of Implementation adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development included actions related to global spatial data. The GSDI Association recognises the efforts of ISCGM in achieving this outcome. The GSDI will takes steps to become a type II organization under the WSSD and comply with the Plan of Implementation.

Resolution 8 – Information Dissemination
The GSDI should encourage national and regional SDI entities to make concerted efforts to disseminate the information to the regional SDI and the GSDI respectively, on upcoming events as well as the results of past forums (conferences, workshops, training etc).

Resolution 9 – Data Access and Interoperability
There is a recognized need to further demonstrate the utility of catalogs and map services for improving data access and integration of national, regional, and global data. The GSDI Association will support operationalising Global Map and Global Land Cover by promoting and sustaining interoperable catalog, map, and data services for global to local access and use.

Resolution 10 – Stakeholder Participation
The continued involvement of representatives from the public, private, and academic sectors is critical to advance a Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI). It is important for the interests of all sectors to be adequately represented in both the planning and execution of future programs under the GSDI.
The GSDI Association will encourage broad but balanced participation among all sectors in the GSDI planning process and programs that follow.

Resolution 11 – SDI Best Practices
To accelerate the development and sharing of best practices in SDI implementation, increased participation is required on the Legal and Economic and Technical Working Groups to create and collate common information resources and guidance for global reference and adoption.

Resolution 12 – GSDI-7
India will host the GSDI-7 meeting in Bangalore in late January 2004. The Indian delegation has nominated Dr. Mukund Rao as the President-elect of the GSDI Association. By acclamation, the GSDI accepts these actions.

Resolution 13 – GSDI-8
Acknowledging the opportunities to strengthen regional SDI groups to represent the interests of countries in Africa and the Middle East, and in support of working with other international organisations, the GSDI Secretariat will continue to explore opportunities with FIG and ECA/CODI for conducting the GSDI-8 meeting in Cairo, Egypt in conjunction with the FIG working week meeting in May 2005.

Resolution 14 – Thanks to Intergraph
The GSDI Board acknowledges the establishment of the Intergraph Open Interoperability Grant Program and thanks Preetha Pulusani, President of Intergraph Mapping and GIS Solutions.

Resolution 15 – Thanks to John Moeller
The GSDI recognizes the contributions by John Moeller as staff director of the US FGDC who had the vision and the willingness to contribute his time and the resources of the FGDC into GSDI. On the occasion of his recent retirement, we are sad to lose his personal participation, contributions, and positive personality, and wish him well in his future.

Resolution 16 – Recognition
A special vote of thanks in recognition of the success of GSDI-6 is directly related to the hard work and tireless efforts of:
HUNAGI, Gabor Remet ey-Fulopp, and the local organizing committee here in Budapest
EUROGI, Karen Levoleger, Anton Wolfkamp, Bino Marchesini, and Ian Masser
The GSDI Secretariat, John Moeller and Alan Stevens

Submitted: Santiago Borrero

GSDI 5 Cartagena, Colombia

Final Revised Version - July13, 2001

5th GSDI CONFERENCE
May 21-24, 2001, CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA

The Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Conference resolved that:

Resolution 1 Definition of the GSDI
The GSDI Steering Committee (Steering Committee) agrees to an expansion of the definition for the GSDI as follows: “The Global Spatial Data Infrastructure supports ready global access to geographic information. This is achieved through the coordinated actions of nations and organizations that promote awareness and implementation of complimentary policies, common standards and effective mechanisms for the development and availability of interoperable digital geographic data and technologies to support decision making at all scales for multiple purposes. These actions encompass the policies, organizational remits, data, technologies, standards, delivery mechanisms, and financial and human resources necessary to ensure that those working at the global and regional scale are not impeded in meeting their objectives”

Resolution 2. GSDI Organization
The Steering Committee resolves to form a not-for-profit corporation to replace the Steering Committee and to oversight the implementation of the GSDI in the future. The Steering Committee hereby establishes a Task Group to make recommendations to the Steering Committee and then to implement decisions of the Steering Committee in relation to the creation of a not-for-profit corporation. The Task Group consists of Santiago Borrero (Convenor), John Moeller, Anton Wolfkamp, Yoshihisa Hoshino, Harlan Onsrud and Doug Nebert.
The following tasks are assigned to the Group for completion on behalf of the Steering Committee:

• Recommend the structure of a legally constituted not-for-profit corporation to the Steering Committee by end July 2001.
• Recommend Bylaws for the not-for-profit corporation to the Steering Committee by end September 2001; and
• Establish the not-for-profit corporation based on the structure and Bylaws approved by the Steering Committee, by end 2001.

During the intervening period the GSDI will continue to be guided by the Steering Committee which is recognized as the guiding authority in accord with its Leadership Roles and Responsibilities.

Resolution 3 . Relationship between the GSDI and other relevant global initiatives
The Steering Committee recognizes that there are a number of global and other relevant initiatives, for example, the Digital Earth initiative, the Global Disaster Information Network (GDIN), the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Project (IGBP), that seek to improve the use of geographic information. These initiatives often seek to focus on certain categories of data, decision requirements or regions of the world. Substantial benefit can potentially be derived for GSDI and these initiatives by better understanding of the aims of each initiative and by alignment of actions to minimize duplication if any exists and to adopt common practices and principles.

Resolution 3 a. United Nations Geographic Data Base
The Chair of the Steering Committee and a small Task Group will prepare a statement supporting collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Geographic Data Base Initiative. With the assistance of the UN Cartographic Section and other UN Agencies, the Task Group will also investigate the preparation of materials that will aid in communicating the message of the GSDI and also address collaborative opportunities with the UN Geographic Information Working Group.

Resolution 3 b. Digital Earth
The Digital Earth vision and Global Spatial Data Infrastructure development and implementation are both devoted to providing nations, communities and citizens with greater ability to use data in new and varied ways to improve economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Steering Committee, recognizing the potential benefits of close coordination and collaboration between these globally significant initiatives, invites the Steering Committee for the International Symposium for Digital Earth (ISDE) to jointly explore opportunities to align the work of the two Committees to ensure mutually beneficial results that will serve our global community.

The Steering Committee conducts Conferences in a different region of the world on an annual basis. The ISDE is holding its second symposium and is anticipated to discuss a 3 rd such session at the upcoming meeting in Fredericton New Brunswick. The Steering Committee believes that the collaboration between GSDI and Digital Earth activities will be greatly enhanced if in the near future a common Conference location is selected and the two initiatives conduct at least one day of joint meetings. The Steering Committee has selected Budapest, Hungary as the site for GSDI 6 in September 2002. The Steering Committee would be pleased to welcome the 3 rd ISDE meeting to be held in conjunction with GSDI 6. If this is impractical, the Steering Committee wishes to express its willingness to conduct a joint meeting as soon as practical thereafter.

Resolution 3 c. GDIN
The Steering Committee believes that the GSDI and its nested network of regional and national spatial data infrastructures (SDI) are beginning to provide a worldwide resource of more accessible and useable spatial data for many decision applications. GDIN is an initiative that will benefit immensely from a fully developed GSDI that has the ability to provide ready access to current and accurate spatial data for local to global application and use.

The Steering Committee believes that there are many opportunities for GDIN and GSDI to engage in mutually beneficial activities. The Steering Committee wishes to express its willingness to the GDIN Executive Committee to seek ways in which the two activities can build upon and support the work of the other.

Resolution 4. The World Summit on Sustainable Development
The World Summit on Sustainable Development will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2002. It examines the accomplishments of the world with respect to Agenda 21 which was adopted at the first United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Given that the real value of the GSDI is in the good it can do for the people of the world with regards to sustainable development, the Steering Committee resolves that the Chair set up a Task Force to prepare a statement on GSDI and Sustainable Development to be sent to the organizers for presentation at the Conference, and urging that SDI topics be incorporated into the Summit program.

The Steering Committee further resolves to encourage national governments and non-government organizations involved in the Summit to: (1) expand the use of spatial data in decision making, (2) make use of the principles and concepts of the GSDI in activities that use spatial data for presentation of decision making, and (3) support the development and use of appropriate decision support systems.

Resolution 5. GSDI Implementation Guide
The rapid pace of development in technology creates a complex landscape of standards and policies that, independently, are difficult to assimilate into a consistent infrastructure. The Steering Committee resolves that the Implementation Guide (Cookbook) is a useful, dynamic resource providing guidance and context for the adoption of such practices. The Steering Committee gratefully accepts and receives the translations of the Cookbook Version 1.1 in Spanish by the Mercator organization in Spain, and the Chinese version by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping of China. Be it resolved that member organizations commit to contributing materials, engaging in discussion, and providing maintenance and updates for the Implementation Guide in multiple languages for periodic re-distribution as technologies and practices evolve.

Resolution 6. Common Implementation Practices
To promote encourage adoption of common practices and standards for GSDI around the globe, the Steering Committee supports the practice of encouraging strategic letters of commitment from GSDI members for the adoption and implementation of mature standards and practices. Member institutions and vendors will be encouraged to make a formal, written commitment to the adoption of recommended practices that will help establish an interoperable GSDI framework. The wording of each strategic letter of commitment would be carefully chosen so as to promote maximum consistency of adoption and interpretation. This action would enhance the stature of and commitment to ISO/TC 211, OGC, and other relevant standards by multiple participant sectors. The Steering Committee resolves that the Technical Working Group and the Permanent Secretariat will take the necessary actions to implement this resolution.

Resolution 7. Decision Making and the GSDI
The purpose of the GSDI is to improve the availability, accessibility, and applicability of spatial information for decision-making. With this in mind the Steering Committee resolves to establish a Task Group chaired by John Kelmelis from the USA to conduct a study on the relationship of the GSDI to decision making and to prepare a presentation for the GSDI 6 conference.

Resolution 8. Dissemination of Proven Practices
Participants recognized that knowledge about the non-technical aspects of implementing SDI at different levels (sub-national, national and regional) is emerging from case studies, surveys and other types of research. There was consensus that efforts should be devoted to organizing and disseminating this wealth of knowledge in a much more effective fashion. The conference resolved that this should be done initially by providing concerted access to existing material via a dedicated page on the GSDI website, followed by regular updates to reflect further developments in this area. The GSDI Steering Committee resolves to establish a Task Group facilitated by Uta Wenn de Montalvo, to work with the Permanent Secretariat to accomplish this task.

Resolution 9. Acknowledgement of Contributions of Professor John E. Estes
The Steering Committee, on behalf of all nations and peoples who are seeking greater understanding and knowledge about the nature of the relationship of humankind and its surroundings, wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the late Professor John E. Estes to this quest. Professor Estes' lifelong contributions to humanity will profoundly influence scholarly thought and practical implementation of improvements in the way in which geography and geographic information and technologies are used in everyday life.

Resolution 10. Global Map/ GSDI Grant Program
The Steering Committee acknowledges the establishment of the Global Map/GSDI Grant Program by Jack Dangermond, President of ESRI in memory of the late Professor John E. Estes. The Steering Committee resolves to collaborate with the ISCGM and contribute in the definition and implementation of the Grant Program, by providing criteria and assistance as needed to assure that the principles and practices of GSDI are achieved as foreseen by Professor Estes.

Resolution 11. GSDI Conferences
The Steering Committee resolves to convene the GSDI 6 Conference in Budapest, Hungary in the week beginning September 16, 2002 in order to take advantage of the results of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The GSDI Steering Committee resolves to accept the offer by the PCGIAP to determine a host for GSDI 7 to be held in the Asia/Pacific region in late 2003 or early 2004.

Resolution 12. Vote of Thanks
The GSDI Steering Committee thanks the Government of Colombia; Juan Mayr, Minister of the Environment of Colombia; Mr. Santiago Borrero, Director of Agustin Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC); IGAC Staff, PC IDEA and the Conference Organizing Committee for all of their hard work and excellent delivery of this Conference. We appreciate their efforts in making this Conference a success.

GSDI 4 Cape Town, South Africa

GSDI 3 Canberra, Australia

3rd Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Conference
Canberra, A.C.T., Australia
17-19 November 1998

The GSDI Conference Participants Resolved That:

Resolution 1
The conference resolved that a global umbrella organisation, which brings together regional committees, national committees, and other relevant international institutions be established. As an interim measure, the GSDI Steering Committee should be restructured modestly and continue to serve as the guiding body for the GSDI as a step toward a permanent umbrella organisation.

Resolution 2
The conference resolved that the GSDI Steering Committee support and advocate for transitional initiatives, in particular, Permanent Committees for GIS Infrastructure for the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

Resolution 3
The conference resolved to request the Statistics Division of the United Nations to submit the following statement to an appropriate United Nations body for consideration:
"Recognising that implementation of the objectives of Agenda 21 requires transnational understanding and analysis of environmental data the ECOSOC urges countries, to the extent possible and consistent with national priorities, to develop national spatial data information systems and cooperate to develop international spatial data standards."

Resolution 4
The conference resolved that the GSDI Steering Committee commission a major study into the business case for SDI development. The study will identify the economic, social, environmental and disaster management benefits that can be achieved through development of national and regional SDI's and the global SDI.

Resolution 5
Participants at this conference endorsed the need for a future meeting to continue activities of the GSDI begun in Konigswinter, Germany and carried forward at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA and at Canberra, A.C.T., Australia. There was consensus to accept the invitation of South Africa that the next meeting is early in the year 2000 in South Africa. Further, there was consensus to accept the invitation of South America to hold the following meeting in 2001 and Colombia was requested to accept responsibility to develop the conference site. Finally, there was consensus that the conference should rotate after 2001 to other regions of the world.

Finally, The GSDI Conference Participants Agreed That:

Agreement 1
The meeting recognizes and appreciates the efforts provided by the GSDI Steering Committee, the Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific and, especially, the Australian Surveying and Land Information Group in support of this conference and its constituency as a whole by their example.

Agreement 2
These resolutions should be disseminated as widely as possible at the local, national, regional and international levels.

GSDI 2 Chapel Hill, USA

Global Spatial Data Infrastructure
Conference Findings and Resolutions
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
21 October 1997

The Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Conference Participants Found That:

Finding 1
The Global Spatial Data Infrastructure -- which encompasses policies, organizational remits, data, technologies, standards, delivery mechanisms, and financial and human resources -- is critical to the attainment of substantial and sustainable development in both the developed and developing countries of the world.

Finding 2
The GSDI is of vital importance to implementation of Agenda 21 of the Rio Summit and to the multi-national environmental conventions, and should be placed as central support for decision making before the meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in 2001.

Finding 3
It is necessary to seek involvement and support of decision-makers at the highest levels of business, government, and academia in establishing the GSDI; and to generate support at the local, national, regional and international levels. In particular, it is important to involve the G7 countries, the UN Institutions, and the World Bank in the creation and use of the GSDI.

Finding 4
Numerous international activities are seeking to forward aspects of the GSDI e.g., the International Steering Committee for Global Mapping oversees an effort to develop global spatial databases. It is important that all international groups working toward the development of the GSDI participate in future processes of its evolution and that they communicate, coordinate, and collaborate to the fullest extent practicable. These groups include (but are not limited to) Federation Internationale des Geometres, International Cartographic Association, International Hydrographic Organization, International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, International Standards Organization, International Steering Committee for Global Mapping, Open GIS Consortium, and NATO's Digital Geographic Information Working Group.

Finding 5
There is a need to foster education and research activities that go beyond treatment of geospatial data in solely a technical fashion. It is important that such activities include the creation of suitable tools in universities, government and the private sector to foster the use, demonstration, spread of good practice, and thoughtful application of results of this research.

The GSDI Conference Participants Resolved That:

Resolution 1
There is a need for an organizational nucleus to encourage the creation, development and linkage of local, national, regional and global geospatial data infrastructures. This informal inter-organizational effort, to be chaired by Jane Smith Patterson, Science and Technology Advisor to the Governor of the State of North Carolina, is charged with proposing the following:
a governing body and mode of operation;
methods of funding and support; and
an initial strategy for implementing the resolutions approved by this conference.

Resolution 2
Permanent regional committees for geographic information e.g., the Permanent Committee on Geographic Information for Asia and the Pacific and the European Umbrella Organisation for Geographical Information, are important to the success of the GSDI. There is a need to encourage development of these permanent committees during 1998 in regions where currently they do not exist, such as the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

Resolution 3
It is essential to have a family of standards as the foundation for technical implementation of the GSDI, and all standards created or utilized for the GSDI should be international standards. ISO/TC 211 should serve as the tool for developing specific standards related to the GSDI and the GI community should participate and influence standards through the liaison mechanism of ISO. However GSDI should include more than just ISO/TC 211 and embrace underlying standards, such as the information technology standards, which tie the development of GSDI to the Global Information Infrastructure.

Resolution 4
There is a need to explore the extent to which local, national and regional data sets can be translated into international ones, and how data definitions can be harmonized without losing their primary relevance or compromising the political and legal diversity amongst nations. As such the meeting delegates agreed with the need to:

• continue the identification and prioritization of regional and global scale core data sets needed by the different sectors of the GI community for different applications and to seek funds for their development from governments, IGOs, and the private sector;
• encourage developed nations to support capacity building and data collection in emerging nations where lack of resources inhibit their participation in the objectives of GSDI;
• foster knowledge and use of metadata services and encourage the use of international metadata (documentation) standards;
• establish a network of geospatial data clearinghouses;
• encourage data providers to increase access to data either directly or through joint ventures with others;
• encourage the multiple use of 'fit for purpose' data to spread the cost and benefits of collecting and updating geospatial data;
• foster the development of geospatial data collection and sharing partnerships, tools, and research;
  - examine the costs and value of converting the large amount of legacy data that is available in analogue form; and
• encourage provision of services based on data combinations and other value-added services.

Resolution 5
The problem solving capabilities and social and economic benefits of the GSDI should be advanced and clearly demonstrated. The meeting agreed to foster and encourage:

• appropriate applied research;
• GSDI best practice applications that focus on academia, government and the private sector;
• demonstrators to spread good practice; and
• pilot projects and prototyping.

Resolution 6
Participants at this conference endorsed the need for a future meeting to continue activities leading to the development of the GSDI begun in Bonn and carried forward at Chapel Hill. There was consensus that the next meeting should be in the Asia/Pacific rim and delegates from that area agreed to discuss at the next meeting of the Permanent Committee on Geographic Information for Asia and the Pacific. The meeting should be open to as broad a community of participants as possible.

Finally, the GSDI Conference Participants Proposed That:

The definition of GSDI should be further discussed and resolved. It should generally encompass "the policies, organizational remits, data, technologies, standards, delivery mechanisms, and financial and human resources necessary to ensure that those working at the global and regional scale are not impeded in meeting their objectives. "

The concept of GSDI periodically needs to be redefined. The paper "Applied and Academic Geomatics into the 21st Century," which was produced by the Atlantic Institute as a result of a series of think tank conferences, should be accepted as a discussion document for government, academic, and private sector initiatives to enhance research, education, and training at the local, national, regional and global levels.

The meeting recognizes and appreciates the efforts provided by the state of North Carolina and, especially, the North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis in support of this conference and its constituency as a whole by their example.

These resolutions should be disseminated as widely as possible at the local, national, regional and international levels.

GSDI 1 Bonn, Germany

The first GSDI meeting arrived at no formal resolutions. Working groups spent much of the meeting raising and exploring unanswered questions. The meeting report contains the following language within the conclusion:

A consensus was clearly reached that NOW is the right time to start thinking about the GSDI concept, major issues affecting GSDI, and a possible "implementation plan", although what was to be "implemented" was still a very grey area! It was proposed that this GSDI Forum should be extended to all sectors in the Spatial Data/Geographical Information communities, worldwide, and should meet again in a period of 7 to 9 months to continue the dialogue, after informal (volunteer!) working groups had investigated the problems likely to surface in regards to more global use of GI.