A Linked Data representation of the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics

The recent publication of public sector information (PSI) data sets has brought to the attention of the scientific community the redundant presence of location based context. At the same time it stresses the inadequacy of current Linked Data services for exploiting the semantics of such contextual dimensions for easing entity retrieval and browsing. In this paper describes our approach for supporting the publication of geographical subdivisions in Linked Data format for supporting the e-government and public sector in publishing their data sets. The topological knowledge published can be reused in order to enrich the geographical context of other data sets, in particular we propose an exploitation scenario using statistical data sets described with the SCOVO ontology. The topological knowledge is then exploited within a service that supports the navigation and retrieval of statistical geographical entities for the EU territory. Geographical entities, in the extent of this paper, are linked data resources that describe objects that have a geographical extension. The data and services presented in this paper allows the discovery of resources that contain or are contained by a given entity URI and their representation within map widgets. We present an approach for a geography based service that helps in querying qualitative spatial relations for the EU statistical geography (proper containment so far). We also provide a rationale for publishing geographical information in Linked Data format based on our experience, within the EnAKTing project, in publishing UK PSI data

Developing a comparative marine socio-economic framework for the European Atlantic Area

Availability and easy access to a wide range of natural and human-activity data on the oceans and coastal regions of Europe is the basis for strategic decision-making on coastal and marine policy. Strategies within Europe’s Integrated Maritime Policy, including the Maritime Strategy for the Atlantic Area, Blue Growth, Maritime Spatial Planning and Marine Data and Knowledge, require coherent and comparable socio-economic data across European countries. Similarly, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires member states to carry out economic and social analysis of their waters and the reformed Common Fisheries Policy includes a social dimension requiring socio-economic data. However, the availability of consistent, accessible marine socio-economic data for the European Atlantic Arc regions is limited. Ocean economy studies have been undertaken in some countries (for example, Ireland, France, and UK) but timescales and methodologies are not necessarily comparable. Marnet is an EU transnational co-operation project involving eight partners from five member states of the Atlantic Area (Ireland, Spain, UK, France and Portugal). Marnet has developed a methodology to collate comparable marine socio-economic data across the Atlantic regions. The comparative marine socio-economic information system developed by Marnet could provide a template for other European States to follow that could potentially facilitate the construction of a Europe-wide marine economic information system as envisaged under the EU Integrated Maritime Policy

Spatial indicators for the analysis of peri-urban dynamics in the Languedoc Mediterranean area

International audienceEn zone méditerranéenne languedocienne, les dynamiques d'étalement urbain qui accompagnent la croissance des villes sont particulièrement intenses. Le desserrement et la délocalisation des populations et des activités des villes-centres vers les périphéries se traduisent par l'accroissement et la dispersion des surfaces bâties aux dépens des espaces naturels et agricoles. Dans un contexte de forte attractivité démographique et de crise foncière, de nouveaux outils de planification territoriale émergent (SCOT, SRADDT). Depuis la loi SRU de 2000, les politiques d'aménagement s'orientent désormais vers des objectifs de durabilité des systèmes territoriaux. Le décret n°2006 -821 du 7 juillet 2006 (Loi sur le Développement des Territoires Ruraux) donne aux départements de nouveaux moyens pour développer une politique de protection et de mise en valeur des espaces agricoles, forestiers et périurbains (périmètres de protection, droit de préemption). Pour accompagner ces dispositifs d'actions les acteurs de l'aménagement ont besoins d'indicateurs sur l'état actuel de l'occupation des sols ainsi que sur les dynamiques de changements en termes qualitatif et quantitatif. A l'issue d'une étude méthodologique sur le suivi de l'artificialisation des terres agricoles commanditée par la DRAF Languedoc Roussillon, auprès de l'UMR TETIS (Cemagref) et de l'UMR LISAH (INRA), une série d'indicateurs spatiaux ont été développés. Cette communication présente la réflexion menée pour la production de ces indicateurs. Ceux-ci sont destinés à constituer une aide à la décision, à la communication et à la sensibilisation sur les problématiques de disparition du potentiel agronomique des sols. En effet, la possibilité de disposer d'outils et de méthodes apparaît pour les acteurs agricoles un enjeu fort dans leur implication "récente" à l'élaboration des documents d'urbanisme. L'objectif des travaux de recherches de la thèse, menée en parallèle de cette étude, sont d'évaluer la pertinence de ces indicateurs spatiaux à révéler les spécificités des dynamiques en ½uvre et ainsi à répondre aux enjeux de planification « durable » des espaces périurbains languedociens. / France set up new regional development and urbanism rules with national laws: Voynet Law (1999) which gives sustainable development tools like SRADDT (regional scheme for territorial planning and sustainable development) for the level of Regions, urban solidarity and renewal law (2000) which gives new planning tools like SCOT (scheme for territorial coherence) and PLU (Local Urbanism Plan) at the inter-communal cooperation level. A law on the Development of rural areas (2006) gives Departements new ways to develop a policy for the protection and enhancement of agricultural, forest and peri-urban spaces (protected area, pre-emptive right). These planning policies now move towards the principles of sustainable territorial systems. To accompany these policies, the actors of the local and regional development and planning need indicators about the state of land cover and dynamic changes in terms of quantity and quality. In the context of the Mediterranean area of Languedoc, urban sprawl dynamics are particularly intense with a massive population growth and land crisis. Increase and dispersion of built-up areas from city centre towards periphery are made at the expense of natural and agricultural spaces. To accompany these plans of action planning actors need indicators about the current state of land cover and about the dynamic changes in terms of quantity and quality. After a methodological study about monitoring of agricultural land urbanisation command by DRAF Languedoc Roussillon, to the UMR TETIS (Cemagref) and the UMR LISAH (INRA), a series of spatial indicators have been developed. The communication presents the thought which has been conduct for the production of these indicators. These are intended to provide a decision, communication and awareness help on issues of loss of the agricultural soil potential. Indeed, availability of adapted tools and methods is a very important stake for actors of the agricultural sector with the application of the local planning tools (PLU, SCOT). The main objective of this research is to evaluate the relevance of these spatial indicators to show explicitly specificities of current dynamics and to throw light on challenges of sustainable planning of the Mediterranean peri-urban spaces

Techniques for Representation of Regional Clusters in Geographical In-formation Systems

This paper provides an overview of visualization techniques adapted for regional clusters presentation in Geographic Information Systems. Clusters are groups of companies and insti-tutions co-located in a specific geographic region and linked by interdependencies in providing a related group of products and services. The regional clusters can be visualized by projecting the data into two-dimensional space or using parallel coordinates. Cluster membership is usually represented by different colours or by dividing clusters into several panels of a grille display. Taking into consideration regional clusters requirements and the multilevel administrative division of the Romania’s territory, I used two cartograms: NUTS2- regions and NUTS3- counties, to illustrate the tools for regional clusters representation.Geographic Information Systems, Regional Clusters, Spatial Statistics, Geographic Data Visualisation

Non-farm income diversification of rural farm households in Central and Southeastern Europe: an application of fuzzy set theory

A fuzzy logic model for quantifying farm households’ potential for non-farm income diversification is developed and applied to 1,077 farm households in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia. About three quarters of households have a diversification potential, but not all households use it. An analysis of diversification potential and diversification behaviour shows that there are seven household types in the sample. Not all development options, i.e. farm development, farm exit, or starting non-farm employment, are equally suitable for all households thus fine targeting of policy measures according to the household type could be important for policy makers.rural development, non-farm rural employment diversification, fuzzy logic, transition countries, Community/Rural/Urban Development, C65, D33, J24, Q12,

Convergence, Patenting Activity and Geographic Spillovers: A Spatial Econometric Analysis for European Regions

In this paper, we investigate the impact of geographical spillovers in the patenting activity and convergence process for a sample of 131 European regions over the 1981-2001 period. Using spatial econometrics methods (Anselin, 1988, 2001), we detect spatial autocorrelation and heterogeneity in the regional distribution of patent applications to the European Patent Office. Then, we include successively these spatial effects in a convergence analysis. A first specifcation taking into account the spatial dependence reveals a global convergence process between European regions as also a positive effect of geographical spillovers on this convergence process. Secondly, the spatial heterogeneity is taking into account by a specification with two spatial regimes, a "Core-Periphery" type. Finally, ours results show that the global convergence process is hiding disparities and different convergence processes for the two regimes. Only regions that belong to the "Core" of the EU are converging.

General health and residential proximity to the coast in Belgium : results from a cross-sectional health survey

The health risks of coastal areas have long been researched, but the potential benefits for health are only recently being explored. The present study compared the general health of Belgian citizens a) according to the EU's definition of coastal ( 50 km), and b) between eight more refined categories of residential proximity to the coast ( 250 km). Data was drawn from the Belgian Health Interview Survey (n = 60,939) and investigated using linear regression models and mediation analyses on several hypothesized mechanisms. Results indicated that populations living 50-100 km. Four commonly hypothesized mechanisms were considered but no indirect associations were found: scores for mental health, physical activity levels and social contacts were not higher at 0-5 km from the coast, and air pollution (PM ic , concentrations) was lower at 0-5 km from the coast but not statistically associated with better health. Results are controlled for typical variables such as age, sex, income, neighbourhood levels of green and freshwater blue space, etc. The spatial urban-rural-nature mosaic at the Belgian coast and alternative explanations are discussed. The positive associations between the ocean and human health observed in this study encourage policy makers to manage coastal areas sustainably to maintain associated public health benefits into the future

Exploring pig trade patterns to inform the design of risk-based disease surveillance and control strategies

An understanding of the patterns of animal contact networks provides essential information for the design of risk-based animal disease surveillance and control strategies. This study characterises pig movements throughout England and Wales between 2009 and 2013 with a view to characterising spatial and temporal patterns, network topology and trade communities. Data were extracted from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)’s RADAR (Rapid Analysis and Detection of Animal-related Risks) database, and analysed using descriptive and network approaches. A total of 61,937,855 pigs were moved through 872,493 movements of batches in England and Wales during the 5-year study period. Results show that the network exhibited scale-free and small-world topologies, indicating the potential for diseases to quickly spread within the pig industry. The findings also provide suggestions for how risk-based surveillance strategies could be optimised in the country by taking account of highly connected holdings, geographical regions and time periods with the greatest number of movements and pigs moved, as these are likely to be at higher risk for disease introduction. This study is also the first attempt to identify trade communities in the country, information which could be used to facilitate the pig trade and maintain disease-free status across the country in the event of an outbreak