Database Management System for a Regional Integrated Observing Network for Environmental Change in the Wider Caribbean
The “Database Management System for Regional Integrated Observing Network for Environmental Change in the Wider Caribbean (DBS) is executed by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) with the financial support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Coastal and marine environments in the wider Caribbean are facing increasing threats from population growth, unchecked development, land based sources of pollution, natural disasters and climate change. Environmental problems, such as loss of critical habitat, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, coral bleaching, and contamination of freshwater resources by salt water intrusion are among the impacts shared by nations throughout the region, and which are affecting national economies and overall social welfare, including food security and tourism revenue.
Currently the region lacks an integrated observing network that can enable comprehensive assessment of environmental change at the regional and national levels and that can be effectively used to meet the needs of adaptation and planning. There are various sensors deployed in the region, but the data output is disparate and there are no regional controls over data products. The core of such a network is a regional database management system (DMS) that will provide standardized data products useful for analyzing, predicting and forecasting environmental changes (oceanographic, atmospheric and ecological) and trends in the region.
The need for such a regional DMS is informed by previous initiatives in the region which sought to address the impacts of climate change as well as integrated coastal management and watershed planning, including the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) and the Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) projects, implemented by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from 1997 to 2001 and 2002 to 2007 respectively. An important outcome of these efforts was a further recognition by CARICOM countries of the need for data and information that can improve the understanding of environmental change and impacts of sea-level change at the national and regional levels, in support of effective decision making in climate change adaptation.
The goal of the project is to build regional capacity to respond to the challenges and adverse impact of climate change in the Caribbean. The purpose is to develop a regional operational Database Management System to facilitate the open access to data products useful for observing environmental change in the wider Caribbean, in support of a regional observing network, as a Regional Public Good.
Seven countries were proposed as the pilot beneficiary countries for this “Regional Public Good” project; these being Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Components of the Project include:
I: Gap Analysis and Regional Plan of Action – This will involve the following activities: (i) gap analysis of existing geospatial infrastructure, including a survey of existing regional and national sensors deployed across the Caribbean, planned deployments, and desired deployments, and (ii) development of a regional plan to address identified gaps in hydrographic capacity and tidal and geospatial framework.
II: Selection of DMS Inputs and Outputs and Conceptual Design – This component provides for (i) selection by participating countries of existing and planned data inputs and outputs for the DMS; (ii) development of DMS conceptual design, taking into consideration the need for sustainability; and (iii) compilation of data protocols and standards.
III: Creation and Implementation of DMS – The objective of this component is to develop a basic, expandable operational DMS through the enhancement of existing systems at the CIMH. It will include the following:
(i) Agreement by participating countries on the characteristics of the enhanced DMS;
(ii) Purchase of computer hardware for the CIMH and participating countries;
(iii) Development and installation of software program;
(iv) Population of national databases in four countries and associated capacity building in the use and updating of the DMS;
(v) Training of national specialists in DMS programming and software development, in order to facilitate expansion of the DMS; and
(vi) Testing of the databases once installed.
IV: DMS Outreach and Sustainability – This component ensures the sustainability of the DMS after the life of the RPG. It will involve: (i) creation of a management structure for the operation of the DMS; (ii) design and implementation of an outreach and education program to a broad user base including the marketing of the DMS, data, data products and the compiled protocols and standards to potential national, regional and international users; (iii) development of a sustainability plan, to be implemented by the CIMH, to facilitate continued use and enhancement of the products generated by the project and to leverage regional growth and user support and (iv) a regional workshop to promote the project outputs.
Expected Results
The expected results are:
(i) Improved access to data, data products and decision support tools for addressing climate and other environment changes at the regional and national level;
(ii) Increased regional and national level institutional capacity for knowledge based decision making and for mainstreaming climate information into this process; and
(iii) A framework for the establishment and operational implementation of an integrated regional observation network for monitoring environmental change in the Caribbean.
Project Update: May 2014
The first consultancy under this project has now been completed. A consulting firm DE Design and Environment Incorporated was contracted to carry out certain assignments funded by the project. These included:-
I: Conducting a Gap Analysis of existing geospatial infrastructure, including a survey of existing regional and national sensors deployed across the Caribbean, planned deployments, and desired deployments, followed by the formulation of a Regional Plan of Action designed to address the identified gaps in hydro-graphic capacity and tidal and geospatial framework. The results of this exercise are described in the document entitled “Gap Analysis and Action Plan Report” dated 15th November 2013.
II: Selection of the Database Management System Inputs and Outputs and development of a Conceptual Design. This component provided for (i) participating countries to select existing and planned data inputs and outputs for the DMS; (ii) development of the DMS conceptual design, taking into consideration the need for sustainability; and (iii) compilation of data protocols and standards. The outputs of this exercise are presented in the documents entitled “Conceptual Design Document” dated 24 February 2014, and the “System Requirements Document” of 10 October 2013.
III: The Database Management System Outreach and Education Component seeks to ensure the sustainability of the DMS after the life of the project. It proposes: (i) creation of a management structure for the operation of the DMS; (ii) design and implementation of an outreach and education program targeted to a broad user base including the marketing of the DMS, data, data products and the compiled protocols and standards to potential national, regional and international users; and (iii) a sustainability plan, to be used by the operator/manager of the system to facilitate continued use and enhancement of the products generated by the project and to leverage regional growth and user support.
Selected project reports and products
DE Design + Environment Inc., 2014: PHASE 1: GAP ANALYSIS AND ACTION PLAN REPORT- Database Management System for A Regional Integrated Observing Network for Environmental Change in the
Wider Caribbean
IDB project: ATN/OC-12554-RG. Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Belmopan, Belize.
DE Design + Environment Inc., 2014:C-READ SYSTEM DESIGN CONCEPTUAL DESIGN DOCUMENT FINAL VERSION- Database Management System for A Regional Integrated Observing Network for Environmental Change in the Wider Caribbean IDB project: ATN/OC-12554-RG. Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Belmopan, Belize.
DE Design + Environment Inc., 2014: PHASE 2: C-READ SYSTEM DESIGN SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT FINAL VERSION- Database Management System for A Regional Integrated Observing Network for Environmental Change in the Wider Caribbean IDB project: ATN/OC-12554-RG. Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Belmopan, Belize.
Regional Meeting to Present the C-READ Management System Workshop Presentations
