OGC Launched Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure Project

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) announced a new OGC Interoperability Program project called the Arctic Spatial Data Infrastructure Standards and Communication Pilot (‘Arctic SDI Pilot’).

The Arctic SDI Pilot is sponsored by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Natural Resources Canada. Its goal is to demonstrate to Arctic stakeholders the diversity, richness and value of a spatial data infrastructure (SDI) based on web services and standardised exchange formats in helping address critical issues impacting the Arctic. Stakeholders include national and pan-Arctic science and monitoring organisations as well as decision-makers engaged in Arctic research, socio-economic policy and environmental management. The organisations participating in the Arctic SDI Pilot will document and publicise best practices that can support a rich network of seb-accessible data and service resources for the Arctic.
Von William Troyer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - http://www.public-domain-image.com/public-domain-images-pictures-free-stock-photos/nature-landscapes-public-domain-images-pictures/water-dew-drops-public-domain-images-pictures/arctic-winter-landscape.jpg, Gemeinfrei, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24935541
The project is executed in two phases, the first being organized as an OGC concept development study, the second phase as an OGC pilot activity. The OGC Concept Development Study and Pilot initiatives are part of the OGC Interoperability Program, a collaborative effort that applies the OGC Technical Baseline and other (non-OGC) technologies to sponsor scenarios. Phase 1 develops an inventory of available geospatial Web services across the Arctic. The goal of Phase 2 is to articulate the value of interoperability and to demonstrate the usefulness of standards.
Source: OGC, http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/requests/149