1 the medias distributed databases for environmental information. planned applications to central...

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THE MEDIAS DISTRIBUTED DATABASES FOR THE MEDIAS DISTRIBUTED DATABASES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION. ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION.

PLANNED APPLICATIONS TO CENTRAL ASIAPLANNED APPLICATIONS TO CENTRAL ASIAENVIRONMENTAL ISSUESENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

PRESENTED BYPRESENTED BY

Dr. G. BEGNIDr. G. BEGNI, MEDIAS-France, France.

H. MAKHMARAH. MAKHMARA, MEDIAS-France, France.

Dr. S. NIKULINADr. S. NIKULINA, UNDP, Uzbekistan.

Pr. E. ZAKARIN, Pr. E. ZAKARIN, Space Research Institute, Kazakhstan.

Pr. E. GORDOVPr. E. GORDOV, SCERT/IOM, Russia.

at the CITES CITES International Conference, September 2003, organised by SCERT, INM, IOM, Tomsk State University with the support of the EC INCO programme & under the auspices of the national IGBP Committee.

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"Think globally, act locally”"Think globally, act locally”

• Global change issuesGlobal change issues are a major scientific and socio-economic concern for the whole mankind.

• Nevertheless, its origins and impacts are of specific concern at the regional, national and local scales, which bring the actual attention of citizens and policy makers.

• Addressing these issues need a multidisciplinary and a multi-scale a multidisciplinary and a multi-scale approachapproach, integrating complex scientific researchcomplex scientific research, and major socio-major socio-

economic challengeseconomic challenges, implementing heterogeneous information heterogeneous information setssets.



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• Communication between scientists and decision/policy-makersCommunication between scientists and decision/policy-makers is most often a hard workhard work at all levels and scales!

• Having federative structuresfederative structures bringing together scientific scientific (at large) and managerialmanagerial approaches appear as a relevant solution to

help filling these gaps. • Having dedicated regional interdisciplinary scientific dedicated regional interdisciplinary scientific

networksnetworks, closely linked to major international programs dealing with global change issues, are a part of the answer. International programmes evolve in that way.

• Accepting to share access to informationshare access to information is mandatorymandatory.



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• Such an idea led to develop the MEDIAS networkMEDIAS network and its federative structure, MEDIAS-FranceMEDIAS-France.

• From its very beginning (1994), this initiative has been pushed forward by ENRICH and START:

– The leading objective of ENRICHENRICH is to pursue a major coherent European contribution to international actions in global change research,

– STARTSTART (IGBP/IHDP/WCRP) focuses on training and capacity building to strengthen the participation of developing countries in global change research. Regional research networks are established and developed.

– Other structures encouraged regional initiatives - see further.



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The main goals of the MEDIAS network areThe main goals of the MEDIAS network are:

• to fosterto foster appropriate interdisciplinary studies that address global environmental issues from a regional perspective,

• to developto develop data archiving and management of long term observing systems, analysis and synthesis of results,

• to organiseorganise training and capacity building activities, as well as outreach actions towards decision makers,

• to promotepromote dialogue with the socio-economic world, mainly at regional scale.



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• MEDIAS-FranceMEDIAS-France is the co-ordination unit of the MEDIAS MEDIAS networknetwork (about 2300 members).

• At the beginning, it was mainly focussed on the Mediterranean and Africa. Now, it is encouraged to spread over other key regionsother key regions and to address innovative issuesinnovative issues.

• Namely, its acts as the secretariat of the START Mediterranean Committee (MEDCOM).



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• MEDIAS-France is neither a research centre nor a MEDIAS-France is neither a research centre nor a operational information archival and processing unitoperational information archival and processing unit.

• Its objective is to act as a service structure to the benefit of service structure to the benefit of the scientific worldthe scientific world.

• Its role is to encourage scientists and researchers to have a better dialogue and proper synergies, to help them to have a friendly access to better information tools and training opportunities, and to have their voice better heard by their own colleagues, international donors and decision makers.



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• MEDIAS-FranceMEDIAS-France acts in close connection with several scientific organisations, among which STARTSTART and LUCCLUCC.

• LUCCLUCC is a joint IGBP/IHDPIGBP/IHDP interdisciplinary programme aimed at improving the understanding of the land use and land cover change dynamics and their relationships with the global environmental change. LUCC engagesengages actively actively both the physicalphysical and social sciencesocial science communities. It encourages and endorses the development of relevant projectsprojects and regional networksregional networks.



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• The Aral seaThe Aral sea basin is one of the major hotspots region in the world where economic development led to a very severe very severe environmental situationenvironmental situation.

• The question of a sustainable developmentsustainable development taking into account all the components of the systemall the components of the system has to be addressed in a comprehensive scientific way.

• Some international structures as INTASINTAS, START START, APN APN, are paying a specific attention to these issues.



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• The economic developmenteconomic development of the Aral Sea basin was based upon cotton monoculturecotton monoculture.

• It implied an important water consumptionwater consumption and evaporationevaporation, which could no longer compensateno longer compensate the Aral sea natural evaporation

• In addition, fertilisers and pesticides led to an heavy water heavy water and soil salinisationand soil salinisation by water and wind transportation.



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• The negative impactsnegative impacts of that situation make it not sustainablenot sustainable on the long run.

• These negative impacts should in particular be evaluated in terms of resource availabilityresource availability and adequate consumption, irreversible environmental degradation, economical lossirreversible environmental degradation, economical loss for several sectors, human health. human health.

• These issues should be addressed in line with the WSSD WSSD implementation planimplementation plan.



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• Such studies imply an integrative approachintegrative approach, bringing together Land Use and Land CoverLand Use and Land Cover issues, resources availability and resources availability and consumptionconsumption, and socio-economicsocio-economic considerations and criteria at several temporal and spatial scales.

• Nevertheless, an emphasis should be made on long term and long term and regional scaleregional scale aspects.

• Water resourcesWater resources issues at large should be acknowledged as a federative theme.



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• This implies by definition a LUCC oriented approachLUCC oriented approach (plus some WCRP aspects).

• Appropriate skillsAppropriate skills exist in the region. Nevertheless, no no endorsed LUCC networkendorsed LUCC network or LUCC project exist in the region so far.

• It was decided to face that paradox and set up such a set up such a networknetwork and the related activity. First steps and promising iterations were already made.



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• MEDIAS-FranceMEDIAS-France launched the idea of the network in close consultation with SRISRI, Kazakhstan (E. Zakarin), then with LUCC IPO, START and APNLUCC IPO, START and APN. Links were set up with LUTEALUTEA. Several other organisations in Europe and Central Asia joined the nascent network.

• MEDIAS-FRANCEMEDIAS-FRANCE may host the network management (including the metadatabases and multiproxy databases) as a regional sub-networkregional sub-network of the world-wide MEDIAS MEDIAS networknetwork. The scientific co-ordination should be in the The scientific co-ordination should be in the Aral Sea regionAral Sea region.



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Indeed, the core networkcore network was set up by::

• Kazakhstan: SRI, Environment InstituteKazakhstan: SRI, Environment Institute

• Uzbekistan: SANIGMI, UNDPUzbekistan: SANIGMI, UNDP

• Russia: SRI, IOM (SCERT)Russia: SRI, IOM (SCERT)

• France:France: MEDIAS-France, Université de ReimsMEDIAS-France, Université de Reims

• Germany: DLR/DFD, IFUGermany: DLR/DFD, IFU

• Now, formally involving other partnersother partners to set up a comprehensive multidisciplinarycomprehensive multidisciplinary network is mandatorymandatory.



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Several actions were led to start the initiative:Several actions were led to start the initiative:

• A projectproject was set up and submitted to INTAS funding, unfortunately without success,

• “Side meetings” were held during the LUTEA Conference in Ulan-Bataar, June-July 2001, and the ENVIROMIS-2002 Conference in Tomsk, July 2002, leading to the following key decisionskey decisions.



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Key decisions:Key decisions:

• Send a proposalproposal to LUCCLUCC for regional network regional network endorsementendorsement. Encouraging iterations are on the way.

• Prepare a kick-off workshopkick-off workshop. That workshop will take place in Tashkent, January 2004, under the aegis of START, APN, MEDIAS-France, UNDP and the Uzbekistan University.

• In parallel, fruitful contacts were taken with INTASINTAS. A key person of the network was invited to the mid-term symposium of the ARAL SeaARAL Sea INTAS projects.



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• Technically, the water resources issues at large in connection water resources issues at large in connection with land use and land cover with land use and land cover are considered as the key issue to build upon.

• Regional and globalRegional and global factors have an impact on resources,

• Political decisionsPolitical decisions have a key impact on regional issues,

• Water consumptionWater consumption in connection with land use and land land use and land covercover have key impacts on regional water balanceregional water balance and socio-socio-economic aspectseconomic aspects, with strong feed-backs.

• These aspects in turn have an impact on policy makingpolicy making.

• The simplified overall diagram can be shown as follows:



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Central Asia Network: thematic and problematicCentral Asia Network: thematic and problematic

Land Use & Land Cover Change

Water Consumption & Use

Global Factors

Climate Change

Regional Factors(Man & Use) Political decisions

Water Resources AvailabilityOther Factors

(Natural)

Various Socio-Economic Impacts

(Poverty, Health care)

Regional Water Balance

(Natural)



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• The work should be led through electronic communication (forafora), dedicated workshopsdedicated workshops and lead to synthesessyntheses in line with LUCC LUCC objectivesobjectives.

• Key inputs are results of research programsresults of research programs and updated key information, in particular relevant indicatorsrelevant indicators.

• This should lead to identify consolidated scientificconsolidated scientific resultsresults and research gapsresearch gaps to be filled.

• Network endorsed reportsNetwork endorsed reports could then be issued and transmitted to START, LUCC, the scientific community and the relevant policy makers.

• Capacity buildingCapacity building has to be taken in due consideration.



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Central Asia Network Central Asia Network Organisation SchemeOrganisation Scheme



• Physical (Land Use and land Cover Change)• Socio-economic

Updated Information and Indicators

• Electronic forum• Synthesis• Dedicated Workshops

Organisation of:

•Validated results• Research gaps

Identification of:

Network Endorsed Reports

Drafting of:

Research Programsand

Initiatives

Capacity Building

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• The issue of multidisciplinary information databases The issue of multidisciplinary information databases should should not be neglectednot be neglected! !

• Relevant information should be located, formatted, put into proper proper databasesdatabases and referenced through metadatabasesmetadatabases.

• Databases are kept under control, while an access through a metadata base should be made availablemade available through acknowledged standards and efficient friendly interfacesefficient friendly interfaces.

• A Meta Catalog portal should allow first to retrieve metadata, then to choose and retrieve datasets.

• Sophisticated techniquesSophisticated techniques developed by MEDIAS-France proved efficient to build up such a information systems.



ARALSEA-MDB INFORMATION SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

Meta Catalog (Portal to the ARALSEA I.S)

Meta database(ISO 19115 AND/OR FGDC)

Data source1

Data sourcen

Data source2

Exchange protocol Exchange protocol Exchange protocol

2.Query metadata 3.Retrieve metadata

4.Choose datasets

4.Query data

5. Locate and query datasets from relevant data sources

6. Retrieve datasets

1.Search by criteria(User friendly interface)

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CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS - LOOKING FORWARDLOOKING FORWARD

• Environment, socio-economic future and sustainable development raise major concernsmajor concerns in Central Asia.

• The MEDIAS networkMEDIAS network can be regionally developedregionally developed in synergy with START,START, LUCC & other actors LUCC & other actors to encourage regional research, promote international dialogue and channel new scientific developments.

• It also fosters the dialogue between scientists and decision/policy makers at all levels to

"Think globally, act locally”"Think globally, act locally”



1 the medias distributed databases for environmental information. planned applications to central...

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medias distributed databases

environmental information

medias network

planned applications

global environmental

heterogeneous information

global change research

regional research networks