[UN] Introducing MapX, a spatial data infrastructure for the management of natural resources

[Pierre Lacroix]

Dear Suchith,

Following you email let me introduce the MapX initiative.

MapX -- a partnership between UN Environment, the World Bank and
GRID-Geneva‹ is a spatial data infrastructure that aims to support the
sustainable use of natural resources by improving access to geospatial
information and related monitoring technologies. MapX is based on an online
application that provides authoritative spatial data at various geographical
scales (local, national and global). MapX has a data integrity framework
using a scorecard to assess the reliability, technical accessibility,
openness and sustainability of geospatial data. Originally set up for
stakeholders involved in the extractives sector, the MapX initiative has
recently expanded to other fields where spatial data can help inform
stakeholder dialogue, prioritisation of investments and impact monitoring
such as disaster risk reduction, chemicals management, biodiversity
planning, renewable energy and environmental security.

MapX is open source and offers tools such as data catalogue, support of OGC
standards, data visualisation, data upload, styling and publication, spatial
overlap analysis, data download, time slider, story map viewer and editor,
dashboards and private sandbox to allow users share geospatial data in a
secure space. Bridges between MapX with Kobo, QGIS and GeoServer are under
development.

The backend is on Docker with Traefik as proxy/load balancer and Portainer
as management solution. The database is on PostgreSQL/PostGIS. The
application has been developed with R-Shiny and JavaScript using Mapbox GL
JS and custom server-side programs written in R. Turf JS is used client side
for vector tile analysis and Redis is used on the server side for caching
vector tiles. Javascript, HTML, CSS Editor and Highcharts are used in the
front-end. We are currently developing an API with Node JS.

The UNBiodiversityLab is a partnership between UN Environment and UNDP. It
includes an online platform (www.unbiodiversitylab.org, powered by MapX)
intended for countries who need to include geospatial features in their
report to the CBD. The UNBiodiversityLab  is an example of integration of
MapX into external applications (for the moment through iFrames and later
through the use of the API) in order for users to navigate through
geospatial layers from a custom application rather than directly from an SDI
like MapX. 

Useful links: 
Website: https://www.mapx.org/
Application: https://app.mapx.org/
Code repository: https://github.com/fxi/map-x-mgl ‹external contributors are
welcome!!
Knowledge base: https://www.mapx.org/knowledge_base/
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4mnadyjQ78xF8ceGka1LEA

Best regards.
Hi all,
It is good to see many projects in various UN agencies moving to open source
and OSGeo . For example, FAO http://www.fao.org/geonetwork/srv/en/main.home
It will be very helpful if those working in any UN projects using open
source. OSGeo tools , please send details to the OSGeo UN committee mailling
list at  https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/un
<https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/un >
I have interest in global forest protection and biodiversity work . Last
week, I came across  UNBiodiversity lab https://www.unbiodiversitylab.org
which <https://www.unbiodiversitylab.org   which>  is interesting work .
Looking through it, I came across MapX  and wanted to learn more. Thanks to
Barend Köbben , I got some  basic info that it is OS using many OSGeo tools
[2].
With lot of activities happening, it is very difficult to keep track of all
developments. I would like to request all project teams working in OSGeo
tools in UN projects to please share with  OSGeo UN committee mailling list.
Please share overview of the project with website links, overview of the
tools, links to public repository of the project etc as it will be very
helpful for the wider community to learn more ideas for the future. Many
thanks..
Best wishes,
Suchith
---------
Pierre Lacroix, PhD.
Lecturer - University of Geneva:
http://www.unige.ch/envirospace/people/lacroix/
SDI specialist - UNEP/GRID­Geneva
Science Division
UN Environment
Geneva - Switzerland
pierre.lacroix at unepgrid.ch
http://www.unepgrid.ch
Skype: pierrelacroix-univ-of-geneva


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