The Ministry of Environment and Water sponsored GISWORX, the 2015 edition of Geographic Information System (GIS) workshops and exhibitions organized for users of systems developed by Esri, the leading worldwide supplier of GIS software and geodatabase management applications, held from April 21 to 23, 2015 at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai. The event drew strong support and participation from distinguished companies specializing in geographic systems.
The three-day exhibit featured more than 50 workshops and forums which discussed the best practices and latest technological advancements which could be implemented to create a positive impact on the country’s geographic information systems.
His Excellency Sultan Alwan, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Water Resources and Nature Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Water, said on behalf of H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, that the conference is in line with the ministry’s commitment to uphold innovative concepts and integrate them with the government operating system. This is part of the ministry’s initiative to achieve the UAE’s National Vision 2021 which aims to make the UAE an internationally superior country through the national strategy of innovation as announced by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE, and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
He added that the information they have gathered serves as the foundation for developing successful strategies, sustainable solutions, and action plans. However, he noted that despite the value of the accumulated data, it has not yet provided significant results due to the lack of appropriate techniques to deal with it in a broader scale. The few decades, though, have witnessed the emergence of important advancements in computerized mathematical modeling techniques as well as communications monitoring and system controls in response to an increased reliance on accurate and available information. With the fluctuations in land use and consumption of resources as well as increased investments in infrastructure and environmental protection projects, GIS is expected to play an even more significant role in the coming years. This will in turn require more active efforts towards pursuing innovative applications to meet future demands, as well in supporting the development of GIS capabilities to keep up with the evolving role of technology in modern society.
H.E. Alwan added that the UAE has relied heavily on local GIS development in its move to invest in advanced technologies for integration into government systems. He also pointed out that the Ministry of Environment and Water has benefited from these advanced systems and the implementation of crucial studies and projects which include the production of digital maps for charting soil, protected areas, and the locations of dams, valleys, and hydrological sites. In addition, the Hydro Atlas of the UAE was officially launched during the ministry’s participation in the Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX).
The Acting Assistant Undersecretary further explained that the ministry is working with regional representatives to employ GIS techniques for realizing the GCC Smart government initiative which aims to provide important new information on environmental conditions in GCC countries enhanced with high-quality digital and interactive maps. The ministry has been emphasizing that the adoption of these technologies will continue to grow in light of the push towards even more ambitious projects in various areas of interest within the context of its current and future strategic plans.
Concluding his speech on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Water, H.E. Alwan expressed his gratitude to GISTEC, participating institutions and companies as well as the media present at the conference, which is recognized as an integral scientific platform that sheds light on technological developments in the GIS industry.
The ministry’s stand at the conference displayed a location map of the area’s marine and wildlife reserves that are sanctuaries to different types of plants and animals. The number of land and marine protected reserves in the state has reached 29, the most important of which are the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Reserve in Dubai, the island of Sir Bu Na’air, Al Wathba Wetland Reserve in Abu Dhabi, and the Ras Dodna Reserve, among others.