Current Projects
Project Name: PAS
Brief Outline: Public Attitudes Survey carried out for Structure Plan Reviews
Target: To analyse public perceptions on the environment and planning
MEPA’s Role: IR has a methodology role
• carries out the survey sampling, design and
• coordination of analysis and matrixing
• spss outputs and consultancy
Project Name: EU DG – Joint Research Centre (JRC)
Brief Outline: MEPA is in constant contact with the JRC in order to establish innovative ways to improve the data cycle
Target: knowledge and technology uptake and dissemination
MEPA’s Role: IR serves as Contact Point for the Information Unit
Various initiatives established through long-term activities such as:
Maltese delegation to JRC Milan in 2006
Visit on Sensors in 2008
Aarhus training in 2009
Review of all hi-end technologies for GI structuring in MEPA and nationally
Project Name: SEIS
Brief Outline: The Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) is a collaborative initiative of the European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA) establishing an integrated and shared EU-wide environmental information system that integrates all data and information flows related to EU environmental policies and legislation.
Target: To delineate all the information systems into one homogeneous system through the ERDF project
MEPA’s Role: Main Contact Point.
Project involves the analysis of the current systems in place to process environmental monitoring data, data flows required, the design of the SEIS for Malta, and the development of the system. Spatial datasets and spatial data services will be assessed with respect to the requirements of INSPIRE Directive (Directive 2007/2/EC). Project will also involve the design and development on the basis of existing platforms of a web-based environmental information system which will allow the public to access environmental monitoring data.
Project Name: ESPON
Brief Outline: ESPON is a programme in which all EU states and other countries in the ESPON space are members. The project covers the territorial agenda
Target: Spatial Planning and Information Dissemination
MEPA’s Role: ECP (Contact Point)
Stakeholders in 2 Projects: EUROISLANDS & Territorial Diversity
ECP TNAs: Transnational Activities - Proposed ITSIP – Strategic Planning Structures in EU
Project Name: GEO
Brief Outline: The Group on Earth Observations is coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. GEO was launched in response to calls for action by the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and by the G8 (Group of Eight) leading industrialized countries. These high-level meetings recognized that international collaboration is essential for exploiting the growing potential of Earth observations to support decision making in an increasingly complex and environmentally stressed world.
GEO is a voluntary partnership of governments and international organizations. It provides a framework within which these partners can develop new projects and coordinate their strategies and investments. As of June 2009, GEO’s Members include 79 Governments and the European Commission. In addition, 56 intergovernmental, international, and regional organizations with a mandate in Earth observation or related issues have been recognized as Participating Organizations.
GEO is constructing GEOSS on the basis of a 10-Year Implementation Plan for the period 2005 to 2015. The Plan defines a vision statement for GEOSS, its purpose and scope, expected benefits, and the nine “Societal Benefit Areas” of disasters, health, energy, climate, water, weather, ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity.
Target: Inplementation of 10-year Plan
MEPA’s Role: Principal Contact Point
Project Name: CLC
Brief Outline: Corine Land Cover Mapping is a generalised landuse exercise at EU level
Target: To this end, the three aims of the CORINE (Coordination of information on the environment) programme of the Commission European are:
• to compile information on the state of the environment with regard to certain topics which have priority for all the Member States of the Community;
• to coordinate the compilation of data and the organization of information within the Member States or at international level;
• to ensure that information is consistent and that data are compatible.
MEPA’s Role: NRC (National Resource Centre – through EEA).
Carried out CLC1990, CLC2000 and CLC2006
Project Name: LUCAS
Brief Outline: The aim of LUCAS (Land Us/Cover Area frame for Statistical survey) is to collect land cover/land use, agro-environmental and soil data by field observation of geographically referenced points. Observations are documented by filling in a field form and by taking photos.
Target: LUCAS data is used for deriving land cover and land use statistics at European level, for monitoring changes in agro-environment, for landscape monitoring, for analysing the sil quality and a ground truth for many space borne information collection activities (GMES, CORINE)
MEPA’s Role: Fieldwork and data entry in collaboration with NSO, JRC and Eurostat
Project Name: EURISY
Brief Outline: EURISY is a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), created in 1989 on the initiative of its founder President, with the aim of promoting the benefits of space for European society. Since then, Eurisy has expanded its membership, now including 40 governmental space offices and space agencies, international organisations, research institutions, and private businesses involved in space-related activities or, more generally, in scientific and technological activities.
Target: EURISY aims to bridge the gap between service providers and its users of Satellite Information Systems.
• To raise awareness of the strategic importance of space for sustainable economic, environmental and social development policies among decision makers
• To support the emergence of new needs and user communities
• To support the European space education agenda
MEPA’s Role: Currently a member since 2007
Project Name: State of the Environment Report (SOER)
Brief Outline: The aim of this Report is to support progress towards sustainable development by providing credible environmental information to policy makers, organisations and the general public. It should also provide guidance for the development of new policy directions and help identify investment requirements.
Target: The SOER is compiled by MEPA in partnership with the National Statistics Office (NSO), and draws upon detailed information sources including the environmental monitoring programmes carried out by numerous government agencies including the Malta Resources Authority and the Department of Public Health. .
MEPA’s Role: IR provides constant GI creation to all the maps created for the reports.
Project Name: GMES
Brief Outline: GMES is a European programme for the implementation of the European capacity for earth observation. The main objective is to monitor and better understand our environment.
Target: GMES will provide decision-makers who rely on strategic information with regard to environmental and security issues with an independent and permanent access to reliable data.
MEPA’s Role: Role is one of reviewing documentation and updates to enhance our remote sensing information systems and analytical processes.
Project Name: Aarhus
Brief Outline: Twinning Project MT/06/IB/EN/01 - Further Institution Building in the Environment Sector
Target: Strengthening of the administrative capacity of MEPA for full implementation of the Aarhus Convention
MEPA’s Role: Beneficiary:
Visibility and training seminars or civil servants
Seminar for civil servants (environmental permitting) on guidelines for industry
Visibility action for the general public, NGOs and Local Councils
Study visits for 10 Maltese civil servants/experts in other EU Member States
Experience exchange seminar on the study visits
www.ambjent .org.mt
Project Name: EEA/EU REPORTING
Brief Outline: IRU is responsible for all dataflows to the EEA/EU as part of the NFP Team
Target: Reporting Dataflows to the EU and EEA in time
MEPA’s Role: NFP and NRC (National Focal Point)
EIONET is a partnership network of the EEA and its member and cooperating countries. It is crucial to the EEA in supporting the collection and organisation of data and the development and dissemination of information.
EIONET provides timely and quality-assured data, information and expertise for assessing the state of the environment in Europe and the pressures acting upon it. This enables policy-makers to decide on appropriate measures for protecting the environment at national and European level and to monitor the effectiveness of policies and measures implemented.
Project Name: INSPIRE
Brief Outline: To ensure compliance to the INSPIRE Directive
Target: create tools and data processes that ensure GI data creation and full cycle in line with INSPIRE Directive
MEPA’s Role: National Focal Point, SDIC
metadata, spatial data sets and spatial data services
network services and technologies
agreements on sharing, access and use
coordination and monitoring mechanisms, processes and procedures.
Implementation rules – standardisation, National Data Infrastructure,
Metadata, Spatial Structures, Data Services, Discovery Services
Concluded Projects
Project Name: CONCLUDED PROJECTS: input to
DEDUCE
ARGOS
Turtle dove quail surveys
Cartruts
SENSOR
Cultura 2000
EEA effectiveness tender
EEA translation services (SOE)
ESPON Data Dictionary
IRENA (RDP)
Polymetrex Plus
Intermetrex
Leonardo
TF Insitution Building (IB200x)
EUROGI-GINI
Permitting and Monitoring Twinning Light Project (and Service Contract)
…etc
Main Issues: IRU has the legacy of all these projects and is the mainstay of all the MEPA GI analytical work, interactive outputs and spatio-analytical processes