Down to Earth Geographic Information for Sustainable Development in Africa (2002) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-10
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Geographic data describe spatial variations across the landscape at a variety of scales (local, national, global) and include such elements as climate, elevation, soil, vegetation, population, land use, and economic activity.
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. on experiences in African countries and examines how future sources and applications of geographic data could provide reliable support to decision-makers2 as they work towards sustainable development.
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options for making efforts sustainable beyond 2002. The geographic foundation for Agenda 21 in Africa involves a wide array of geographic data, tools, and perspectives (including social, environmental, and economic data; maps and models; and the analysis of pattern and processes, place and scale)
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Data Buy and Earth Satellite Corporation (Chapter 61; imagery of many African countries from CORONA data and Space Shuttle photography; global digital elevation model information (90 x 90 m spatial resolution) derived from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (Chapter 5)
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, geographic data and tools (Chapters 5, 6, and 7) , and geospatial capacity building (Chapter 81.
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Additional demand will arise as African countries need to satisfy reporting requirements on treaties to which they are signatories. Lesson [earned: Needs-driver' as opposed to prescriptive approaches with provision of information in appropriate and usable forms are most likely to result in effective application' of geographic irtformatior'.
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in GIS are opening new ways to synthesize complex and diverse geographic datasets, creating new opportunities for collaboration among natural and social scientists and decision-makers at all levels (e.g., the LEWS project, the Miombo Network, the MARA project, CHARM, and Southern African Development Community tSADC1~. Lesson [earned: In this century many environmental problems wig occur at the intersection of sectors.
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Urban planners require regularly updated data at one-meter spatial resolution to take into account the rapist pace of change in cities. In rural areas where the bulk of the population still live the minimum spatial resolution of value to agricultural extension workers and rural development specialists is that of the small farms.
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With limited geographic data and a limited appreciation for its value the ability of African countries to address Agenda 21 issues and to fulfill their international treaty obligations for environmental reporting is compromised. Lesson [earned: There are several barriers to the use of geographic data to address Agenda 21 issues.
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government (e.g., USAID and NOAA) should continue to assist Vulcan countries in improving telecommunications infrastructure so that large computer files containing geographic data can be readily distributed within national and global spatial data infrastructures.
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