Improving data usability for environmental indicators in

Strategic Environmental Assessment

1Peter Mooney & 2Alison Donnelly

1National Centre for Geocomputation, NUI Maynooth.2School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin.

Environmental Research Centre, Environmental Protection Agency.IRELAND

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

There are many sources of baselinedata/information in SEA

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

“Data Gaps” occur in a variety of ways

Data does not/never did exist

Data is physically in-accessible

Data is too old or just not applicable

Data is of very poor quality

Wrong level of aggregation

(temporal or geog) or wrong scale

Data distributed in an in-accessible way political or human barriers

software or cost barriers

Dec

reas

ing

Opp

ortu

nity

For

Usa

ge

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

Responsibility for “Data Issues” from Collection to End Usage

-- (No Responsibility) ++ (Responsibility)

Data collectors

Data managers

Data

users

Data does not exist -- -- +

Data is physically inaccessible + + --

Data is too old – out of date -- -- --

Very poor quality ++ + --

Incorrect level of aggregation -- + --

Distribution/Access (human barriers) + ++ +

Distribution/Access (cost barriers) + ++ +

Distribution/Access (Software/Format) + ++ ++

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

Post-SEA can provide for feedback

EnvironmentalData

Stored

EnvironmentalData CollectionAnd Analysis

SEA

Predict SignificantEnvironmental Effects

Monitoring Actual Effects of the Plan

Used By

FeedbackInform/Identify Problems

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

Midlands Waste Management Plan

Are there any clues as to why there is a “lack of human health data”?

Are these data hidden from public access? Are they only available in paper format?

HUMAN HEALTH

There is a lack of human health data available at national, or regional level in relation to waste management, however an overview is given here. A literature review in 2003 on the effects of various forms of waste diaposal ‘Health and Environmental Effects of Landfilling and Incineration of Waste – A Literature Review’, concluded that Ireland has insufficientinsufficient resources to carry out adequate risk assessment.

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

Midlands Waste Management Plan

Which of these “data gaps” are as a result of data access problems?

Which of these “data gaps” are as a result of data not actually existing?

Data gaps:

Three are a number of areas where there is insufficient

data or where the level of detail is not sufficient for the

purpose of baseline.

•Groundwater vulnerability and aquifer classification data

for Westmeath, Longford and Offaly

•Air quality data that is specific to the impacts due to

waste (main source; Annual Environmental Reports)

•Human health data relevant to waste facilities

•Biological water quality data upstream and downstream

of significant waste facilities

•Traffic or number or journeys related to waste transport

and waste activities

•Energy consumption data for waste facilities

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

Greater Dublin Water Supply

What are the reasons for these gaps? Can the Environmental Report speculate or provide

examples?

Data Gap: Impacts on otter activityImpacts on breeding waterfowl listed in Annex 1 of the EU Birds DirectiveImpacts on the wetted perimeter downstream of Lough Ree and impacts of the predicted increase in the duration in minimum downstream flows of approximately 12m3/sec (54 days to73 days) on biodiversity and the River Shannon.

Data Gap: Unknown sites of cultural heritage

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

Draft Rural Development Plan Wales

Transboundary problems are evident here Ontological problems also evident Data Scale problems Data providers need to improve their service

A. Donnelly, 7 June 2007IAIA, Seoul, Korea

SEA can provide very useful feedback for data collection/management

SEA Breaks away from traditional producer/consumer data model

SEA needs - good data – quickly – at useful scales and levels of aggregation

In a unique position to provide feedback on problems encountered when collecting baseline data and information

Thank you for your attention!