Working Group 2 Report Back to the Meeting

Date & time: 18 April 2002 9:00 - 12:10
Chair: Mr. Gholam Reza Fallahi (Iran)

Meeting was held by representatives of member

Representative from Russia reported  a regional GIS application on the basis of space of technology, including high resolution satellite images. It might be put on the web site of PCGIAP.

Mr. Gholam Reza Fallahi from Iran presented an analysis report on the BARENTS Geographic Database. It was suggested that the BARENTS Geographic Database specifications can be used as a reference document for the development of APSDI fundamental data set.

Mr. ZHOU Xu from China gave a brief presentation on 1) revised Guidelines for ASPSDI Clearinghouse Node Development, 2) draft of  PCGIAP Geo-spatial Metadata Profile. It was agreed that responses or feedback from member nations will be sent back to him for further revision. It was also agreed that an Isite-based metadata software should be developed by PCGIAP for unifying and facilitating the search and management of regional geo-spatial metadata among PCGIAP members.

The Policy Statement for Asia-Pacific Boundaries Dataset and the Basic Principles for Developing and Utilizing the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset were further discussed. It was agreed that data policies should be developed by PCGIAP for both non-commercial and commercial users. For the commercial use of regional data sets, PCGIAP should takes into account the pricing policy of the related country. Common data formats are desirable for regional data sets.

It was suggested that a workshop be held by WG2 each year for promoting its activities. The next  WG2 workshop might be host by Russia this year and the focus of the workshop will be regional data sets and its application.

After that about 4 recommendations and activity plan of working group 2 discussed and adopted: 

Recommendation 1 (Policy Statement for Asia-Pacific Boundaries Dataset)

Noting that a principal objective of the PCGIAP is to develop a spatial data infrastructure for the Asia and the Pacific (the APSDI) and

Also noting that a central component of the APSDI is a boundaries dataset, which includes international and administrative boundaries and

Further noting, The PCGIAP does not in any way represent the boundaries dataset of the APSDI to be the agreed and legally binding definition of country boundaries.

Bearing in mind boundaries dataset, which includes international boundaries and administrative boundaries, is one of the essential components of the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset.

The PCGIAPacknowledges the boundaries data provided by the NMAs of the member nations as being the most appropiarte data from those countries.

Recommending that:

• The PCGIAP member nations are entitled to represent their boundaries data in accordance to their own stand on territorial sovereignty, and have the copyright and the right of explanation for their own boundaries data in the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset.

• The boundaries data provided to the PCGIAP by the member nations are consistent to those that they provide to the UN.

• The Asia-Pacific boundaries dataset is separately stored country by country. Without the concerned country’s authorization, PCGIAP does not make any modification to the data.

• The member nations entrust the PCGIAP with the responsibility to release their boundaries data while they do so on their own. The boundaries data released in the above two channels are equally copyrighted.

• International standards, and common software data formats, should be used for the AP regional fundamental data set for vector and raster data.

• The representation of geographic names in the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset complies with the principles set by the UN Group of Experts on Geographic Names.

Recommendation 2 (Basic Principles for Developing and Utilizing the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset)

Recommending that:

• The contents of the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset shall be defined, and further, the technical specifications of the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset shall be developed, with the Global Mapping Specifications and Administrative Boundary Pilot Project Specifications, as reference.

• For the first version of the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset, the vector data shall be no less accurate than 1:1 million in map scale, and the raster data shall be no less than 1KM in ground resolution. The member nations are encouraged to provide data at larger scales on a voluntary basis.

• The technical specifications of the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset shall include detailed measures for the implementation of, and shall not conflict with, the PCGIAP data policy.

• International standards, and common software data formats, should be used for the AP regional fundamental data set for vector and raster data

• The PCGIAP maintain that the Asia-Pacific Regional Fundamental Dataset should be contributed to the Global Map and the GSDI as part of the global datasets. 

• Different pricing policies shall be adopted by the PCGIAP for different users, such as commercial and non-commercial purpose.  Data will be made available at marginal cost for non-commercial purpose.  For commercial purpose, the PCGIAP will follow the pricing principles of member countries. 

Recommendation 3 (APSDI clearinghouse node)

Noting that many changes have been taken place in the taskforce focusing on data node, which was organized in the 7th PCGIAP meeting, and the latest changes are as follow:

Australia: Mr. Glenn Johnstone
China: Mr. Zhou, Xu
Indonesia: Mr. Sri Kusno Gularso
Iran: Mr. Gholam Reza Fallahi
Japan: Mr. Kazuhiko AKENO
Korea: Prof. Kim, Kyehyun

Also noting that the draft Guidelines for APSDI clearinghouse node development has been revised according to the outcomes of the activities after the 7th PCGIAP meeting, as the result of the revision, and submitted to the 8th PCGIAP meeting as the 2nd version for comments.

Further noting, the contents are reorganized to comply with the candidate PCGIAP metadata profile, and include an implementation strategy.

Recommending, suggestions and comments about this document to be submitted to the taskforce by the end of May, 2002.

Noting that a candidate PCGIAP metadata profile complying with ISO19115 core metadata profile has been developed by APSDI data node taskforce.

Recommending that

• Update the profile to reflect the outcomes of the coming ISO/TC211 meeting in May, 2002 in Bangkok, and
• Use the result in APSDI data node implementation.
• ISO compliant software for metadata management and searching be used and extened as the basis to implement APSDI clearinghouse data node.

Noting that Members will support the taskforce for testing, using the software and improving the outcomes of the software development

Recommendation 4
Noting that an analysis report on the BARENTS Geographic Database was presented by the WG 2 which analyzed the objectives, implementation phases, technical aspects as well as the similarities of BARENTS project with PCGIAP data set project 

Recognizing that

    - BARENTS Geographic Database specification experience be used in the development of APSDI fundamental data set

    - A special workshop with focused theme plays key role in promoting the business of an PCGIAP Working group, such as the Hai’nan workshop of WG 2 on APSDI clearinghouse data node held in Nov.2001 

Recommending that

    - The taskforce of WG 2 on fundamental data sets continues to work on the data specification of PCGIAP
    - And a workshop be organized by WG 2 in 2002 whose focus will be on the development of regional data specification and applications 

Work plan Summaries

• Discuss the development of a specification and an implementation plan for regional fundamental datasets (using pilot project specifications and other international experiences).

• Publicize the results of GIS application demonstration on PCGIAP website

• Develop specifications and implementation plan for regional fundamental dataset using (using pilot project specifications and other international experiences).

• Develop and publicize the definition of fundamental datasets

• State and develop Asia and Pacific regional fundamental datasets which contribute to Global Map

• Develop a technical specification on implementation of data node. The specification will provide detailed sample steps

• Implement the prototype of APSDI Clearinghouse according to the guideline and specification

• Requesting Russia to host  a workshop about fundamental datasets and its application this year.