Analytical tools for environmental management : geographical information systems

Abstract

The issues pertaining to environmental management can be tackled from different perspectives, ranging from policymaking, through impact assessments to decision making exercises. Each sector can be taken as a research topic in isolation, however the main fulcrum of the process revolves around the data-management processes aimed at setting-up and maintaining information resources structures. Not exclusively anchored to the environmental management disciplines, this process nonetheless finds broad scope in this field particularly due to availability of specialized tools and user-friendly environments.

This paper reviews the data management process, gives an overview of the basic data definitions, looks at the tools available and delves into the spatial scenario. The main topic of discussion revolves around Geographical Information technologies and issues related therein. Data models are investigated with particular reference to the components of spatial analysis and how datasets in any sector can be analysed through a robust querying facility. The final section looks at innovations in the area and posits examples related to the final product, that of data dissemination. Case studies on urban development, coastal inundation and air quality data interpolation are reviewed.