Lise Schrøder

Open Government Data --- A Key Element in the Digital Society

During the last decade several initiatives have worked towards open and freely available data. First, the success by the OpenStreetMap and partly the free use of Google Maps have been a revelation for many users, both in the public sector as well as in the private sector. Additionally, several legal frameworks like the EU directive on Re-use of Public Sector Information and the INSPIRE Directive on geographic information have in various ways encouraged the re-use of public sector information. As a consequence, a minor group of European countries have launched their own open government data projects, and the current research focuses on the role of open public sector information as a major step towards a digital society by analysing the background, extent and expected impact of the Danish open government data initiative.

E-government and geographical information based collaboration patterns

In order to achieve an efficient e-Government many factors must be considered. In the UN e-Government Survey from 2008 a holistic approach is recommended incorporating human capacity, infrastructure development and access to information and knowledge. In the same survey Denmark is ranked second in regard of e-Government readiness. In Denmark the development of e-Government is characterised by a very informal, bottom-up approach, with a focus on standardisation, the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and IT-architecture. The organisational aspects have not been an issue of much attention. A national survey conducted by the University of Aalborg and Geoforum Denmark shows that the way the different players actually collaborate is a determining factor for a successful development in the field of e-Government.

A System Architecture for a Transnational Data Infrastructure Supporting Maritime Spatial Planning

The use of the seas and oceans is overall regulated by the United Nations through the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which defines the rights and responsibilities. However, with the rapidly increasing use of the sea and oceans it is inevitable that conflicts may arise. Accordingly, there has been an increasing international recognition of the need to manage human activities that influence the marine environment and its ecosystems in an integrated, cross-sectoral manner. Recently, Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) has gained significant attention as a new paradigm aiming at minimising the conflicts among different sea uses through involving various stakeholders and sectors while aiming for sustainable growth. The aim of this research is to build a conceptual model for a Data Infrastructure to support marine space in a transnational context addressing the challenges related to the increasing use of marine areas and resources. The work was carried out in a close cooperation between several public authorities and research institutes in the Baltic Sea Region.