The Belgian federal geo‐platform INSPIRE and environmental approaches

Nathalie Delattre (NGI Belgium), Olav Peeters (IRCEL ‐ CELINE)

INSPIRE Conference, Antwerp 18‐21 September 2018 

Agenda

1. Setting the scene: the federal geo‐platform and the collaboration approach

2. INSPIRE implementation at IRCEL‐CELINE and  collaborative approach with IGN

3. Main findings and conclusions

1.1 The federal partners10 departments as data & services providers

National Geographic Institute

Belgian Interregional Environment Agency

Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium 

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences 

Statistics  Belgium  & Continental Platform

1.Setting the scene

1.2 Working with federal partners  

security mechanisms, cloud system ( BOSA)

expertises and consultance (identifying datasets)

technical support / helpdesk ( Geonetwork)

INSPIRE validation / quality control

best practices exchange, training, workshops

setting up and hosting services on demand

federal discovery service, + Monitoring&Reporting

National Geographic Institute as geobroker supports:  

1.Setting the scene

1.3 Federal INSPIREgeocatalogue www.geo.be

INSPIRE data: Annex I available + SU

Download service: ATOM feed + WFS ( cadastrals parcels)

1.4 The Belgian Interregional Environment Agency (IRCEL ‐ CELINE)1.Setting the scene

National Focal Point (Eionet)

Air quality (in cooperation with the regions) Continuous forecasts (cf SMOG alert) Air quality information

(real-time and assessment) National reporting Interregional calibration laboratory Interregional data processing centre

(real-time data)

Cooperation agreement between the three Belgian regions

(VMM)

Leefmilieu Brussel -Bruxelles Environnement

Agence wallonne de l'Air et du Climat (AWAC)

2.1 Identified datasets for INSPIRE Reporting1. 2. INSPIRE at IRCEL‐CELINE

Air Quality o Air quality assessment zones o Interpolated Air Quality maps of

Belgium Nature and Biodiversity

o WFD Protected Area –Belgium Water

o WFD Surface water body –Belgium

o WFD Surface water body Line –Belgium

o WFD Ground water Body horizon – Belgium

o WFD Sub Unit – Belgium o WFD River Basin District –

Belgiumo WFD monitoring Site -Belgium

datasets INSPIRE Theme

metadata View Download Data encoding

Air quality assessment zones

Area management

INSPIRE WMS (OGC)

WFS + SOS, WCS (OGC)REST API for real-time

GML

Interpolated Air Quality maps of Belgium

Atmospheric Conditions

INSPIRE GML

WFD datasets

priority datasets

INSPIRE no no XML, GML on EIONET

New Implementing Provisions for E-Reporting (2011) air quality refer to INSPIRE

2.2 Collaborative approach with IGN1. 2. INSPIRE at IRCEL‐CELINE

Metadata INSPIRE and discovery service geo.irceline.be

Harvesting the geo.irceline.be in the federal geocatalogue

+ Validation + INSPIRE Reporting

Publication of view service (WMS) on the federal platform

Validate

Set up web services  

Data transformati

on

IRCEL‐CELINE

NGI

NGIIRCEL‐CELINE

3.1 Findings 1 2 3. Findings and Conclusions

Strenght: principles• Legal framework• Network architecture

Weakness: technical implementation- Complexity of the INSPIRE data

schemas ( Air quality not integrated)

- Web services technology a bit out-of-date, not really fit for time series, or real time datasets.

- Additional constraints not needed for environmental purpose

INSPIRE interoperability standards acceptance and suitability ?

3.2 Conclusions1 2 3. Findings and Conclusions

INSPIRE standards need to be extended ( evolve) so to betterfit to environment users community and E-reporting.

Alternatives, fit for purpose and simplicity:• Webservices : available IT solutions (OGC standards)

• SOS, SOAP/XML , REST API/Json• focus on efficiency of the data transmission• allow multiple encodings

• Datasets:• alternative encodings • alternative data schemas set-up by communities keeping

the INSPIRE features catalogues and attributes as the baseline

Contact: Nathalie DelattreEmail: Nathalie.delattre@ngi.be

National Geographic Institute of Belgium

Contact: Olav PeetersEmail: peeters@irceline.be

Belgian Interregional Environment Agency (IRCEL – CELINE)

EnvironmentINSPIRE