| Abstract |
A vast amount of spatial sets from multiple sources, especially with the advent of global observation capabilities, continues to grow. Fragmentations of datasets and sources, with gaps in availability, lack of interoperability or harmonization between datasets at different geographical scales and duplication of information collection are obstacles to facilitate spatial data use and sharing, exchange of information and data integration. Organizational arrangements on the regional or national levels have caused much heterogeneity in the standards implemented. This has created the need for unified standardization of Spatial Data Structures (SDI) to share data evaluation and eliminate duplicate efforts in data evaluation, make spatial data globally accessible, and support seamless integration of spatial data. The aim of this study is to provide an introduction to handling spatial data through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Data Structures (SDI). An overview of the standardization process in terms of the development and implementation of international standards for spatial data infrastructures, i.e. INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) is given. Spatial data standards are standards developed for defining, describing and processing spatial data. Globally, the development of spatial data standards is occurring at government, national, regional and international levels. Some user/application communities may develop SDI standards, while others endorse and/or adopt SDI standards, as in Turkey. INSPIRE is a directive passed by the European Commission on 15 May 2007 with full implementation required by 2019 of various stages to establish a European -wide spatial data infrastructure (SDI). Its goal is for an internet-accessible infrastructure of technologies and permissions to tie European geospatial information producers and users together into a single geospatial information -sharing community to improve decision making and operations in service of a productive and sustainable Europe. INSPIRE is based on the infrastructures for spatial information established and operated by the 28 member states of the European Union. The directive addresses 34 spatial data themes needed for environmental applications, with key components specified through technical implementing rules for geospatial data from such diverse domains as addresses, transport networks, geology or natural hazards. |