Objectives
The strategic goal of the IODE International Coastal Atlas Network Project (IODE/ICAN) is to encourage and help facilitate the development of digital atlases of the global coast, based on the principle of distributed, high-quality data and information. These atlases can be local, regional, national or international in scale. This can be achieved by sharing knowledge and experience among atlas developers in order to find common solutions for coastal web atlas development whilst ensuring maximum relevance and added value for the users. Many of these atlases will play an important role in informing national and regional decision- and policy-making across several themes:
- Marine spatial planning
- Climate change impacts, coastal vulnerability
- Coastal governance (boundaries, protected areas, etc.)
- Coastal conservation and protected areas management
- Coastal hazards monitoring and planning
- Coastal disaster management and mitigation
- Population pressures
- Resource availability and extraction
The current ICAN web site is hosted by Oregon State University on http://ican.iode.org/
In the next few months the site will be migrated to the IOC Project Office for IODE, Oostende.
Establishment
The IODE International Coastal Atlas Network project (IODE/ICAN) was established by the IODE Committee at its 22nd Session (2013) through Recommendation IODE-XXII.12 (see below).
The IODE/ICAN was preceded briefly by a Pilot Project, endorsed by the IODE Officers during their 2012 meeting. The Pilot Project discussed the terms of reference of the project which was then submitted to IODE-XXII.
Governance
The IODE/ICAN Project is managed by the IODE Steering Group for the IODE International Coastal Atlas Network Project (SG-ICAN). The Terms of Reference of the Steering Group are detailed in Recommendation IODE-XXII.12 (below). The current membership of the Steering Group is available HERE.
Recommendation IODE-XXII.12
THE IODE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ATLAS NETWORK PROJECT (IODE/ICAN)
The IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange,
Acknowledging the importance of atlases as interdisciplinary products that assist decision makers,
Noting with appreciation that ICAN has already influenced, guided and informed users on development and use of coastal and marine web atlases, through periodic workshops and international conferences held between 2006-2009, and in 2011,
Further noting that ICAN members have produced a suite of open source tools for creating integrated web atlases and a major peer-reviewed published guide,
Recommends the establishment of the IODE International Coastal Atlas Network (IODE/ICAN) Project with the Terms of Reference as attached in Annex A to this Recommendation;
Recommends the establishment of the IODE Steering group for the IODE/ICAN Project with the Terms of Reference as attached in Annex B to this Recommendation;
Urges Member States and donors to support the development of IODE/ICAN.
Annex A to Recommendation IODE-XXII.12
Terms of Reference of the IODE International Coastal Atlas Network (IODE/ICAN) Project
Objectives of the Project
The strategic goal of the IODE International Coastal Atlas Network Project is to encourage and help facilitate the development of digital atlases of the global coast, based on the principle of distributed, high-quality data and information, at local, regional, national or international scale. This will be achieved by sharing knowledge and experience among atlas developers in order to find common solutions for coastal and marine web atlas development while ensuring maximum relevance and added value for users. Many of these atlases will play an important role in informing national and regional decision- and policy-making across several themes, including:
• Marine spatial planning
• Climate change impacts, coastal vulnerability
• Coastal governance (boundaries, protected areas, etc.)
• Coastal conservation and protected areas management
• Coastal hazards monitoring and planning
• Coastal disaster management and mitigation
• Population pressures
• Resource availability and extraction
The Participants in the Project
All experts previously involved in ICAN are invited to participate in the Project, as well as other relevant experts designated by IOC Member States.
Annex B to Recommendation IODE-XXII.12
Terms of Reference of the IODE Steering Group for the IODE International Coastal Atlas Network (IODE/ICAN) Project
Objectives
The SG-ICAN shall:
- Advise the IODE Committee on the global vision, mission, policy and strategy, including partnerships of the IODE/ICAN project with IOC and other projects/organizations;
- Advise the IODE Committee on IODE/ICAN’s strategy for its sustainability and further development including resource mobilization;
- Assist with the preparation and implementation of work plans, and review progress;
Membership
The Project will be managed by an IODE Steering Group for IODE ICAN (SG-ICAN), initially composed of members of the former ICAN Steering Group and Management Working Group, the project coordinators of the Caribbean Marine Atlas and African Marine Atlas, as well as representatives from other regions.
Background
IN 2006 and 2007 two workshops were organised by the Coastal and Marine Research Centre of University College Cork, Ireland and the Geosciences Department, Oregon State University, USA and were held in Ireland and the United States respectively to discuss issues around development and use of coastal web atlases. Out of these workshops emerged the idea for an International Coastal Atlas Network. This informal network has since captured the interest of local and state governments, non-governmental organizations, universities and internationally well-known organisations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. The Network now has more than 50 member organisations from over 14 different countries. Reports from the past international workshops can be found here.
ICAN has thus far proven to be an organic, highly motivated, productive group that is capable of generating tangible, useful products that are attractive and helpful to users. These products to date include a working atlas interoperability prototype, a peer-reviewed handbook on coastal web atlas design and implementation (published in 2010 by IGI-Global Publishers), scores of technical articles and mini-workshop materials, and a comprehensive web site.
In addition to the first two workshops, further international workshops have been hosted by the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen (2008), UNESCO's International Centre for Theoretical Physics Trieste (2009) and UNESCO'S IODE headquarters, Oostende (2011). Proceedings have been issued from these workshops. Moreover, ICAN participants have contributed to a number of training events worldwide and includes activities at Oostende and in the regions for the Caribbean Marine Atlas and the African Marine Atlas and software developed by one European ICAN organisation is being re-used in the national atlas development within the African Marine Atlas project.
IODE started with the development of coastal atlases within the framework of the Ocean Data and Information Network for Africa (ODINAFRICA) through the African Marine Atlas, launched in February 2007. Later, in 2010, IODE also started with the Caribbean Marine Atlas. Through these two atlas projects IODE initiated collaboration with ICAN experts and with ICAN. In 2011 ICAN then proposed to merge into IODE as an IODE (pilot) project recognizing the common interests and objectives of IODE and ICAN related to coastal and marine atlases. This proposal was approved by the IODE Officers in January 2012.
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Created on: Wednesday, 23 May 2012 13:16
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Last Updated on: Tuesday, 01 June 2021 15:31
