The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) received the Excellence in GIS Implementation (EGI) Award 2018 for its interactive Environmental Geographic Information System (GIS).
Rolled out in April 2018, the Environmental GIS offers a fully integrated and effective spatial database for the UAE’s environmental sites. It has three main products: GeoEnvAE smart application for smart phones and tablets – compatible with Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS operating systems, the MOCCAE GIS website, and the ‘Environmental Atlas’ maps system. The bilingual system is aimed at facilitating and expediting users’ access to environmentally significant locations. It provides niche maps that can be of great value to the Ministry’s customers, environmental and agricultural researchers, as well as control and awareness teams from the Ministry and local entities. The new system serves as a guide for the Ministry’s services, ecotourism sites, environmental development and research activities, among many others.
Speaking on the award, Fatma Tawakul, Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services at MOCCAE, said: “The sought-after award is a recognition of the Ministry’s commitment to upgrading the services delivered to customers through the use of latest technologies. Through offering such detailed information as open data, we hope to create a federal environmental spatial database in the UAE.”
The EGI Award has been instituted to promote innovation and experimentation in GIS implementation. Since its birth in 2007, EGI has become the most prominent and prestigious award conferred upon organizations that use GIS in unique and innovative ways in the GCC region. The award selection criteria are: clear business objectives, the infrastructure and in-house capabilities to support the GIS community, productivity, scalability and user satisfaction, and usage of the latest technology. The judging panel is made up of industry-leading experts who choose the most deserving winners across 23 categories.
About the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment:
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment was established in February 2006 as the Ministry of Environment and Water. The Ministry acquired its new name following the UAE Cabinet reshuffle in February 2016 and the subsequent integration of the climate change function.
Under its redefined scope, the Ministry has taken on a dual mandate. On the national level, the Ministry aims to strengthen the UAE’s efforts in preserving the environment and promoting food diversity in accordance with the nation’s aspiration to emerge as a key benchmark for sustainable development. On the global level, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is working collaboratively with international stakeholders in combating climate change and highlighting the UAE’s path-breaking achievements in the sector at thought leadership platforms worldwide.