The AQUACROSS project is excited to announce its new AQUACROSS Information platform, launched by the AQUACROSS partner UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). The AQUACROSS Information Platform (IP) was developed to represent the central access point for project partners and scientists for publishing data on different types of aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity and Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) practices in the context of the AQUACROSS project.

Take a look at the AQUACROSS Information Platform

What is its aim?

The Information Platform will facilitate the use of AQUACROSS datasets for further analyses by both the AQUACROSS team and external users. Data and information gathered and produced within the AQUACROSS project and its different case studies are continuously made available to the public through the Information Platform.

How does it work?

All AQUACROSS partners participating in the project are registered at the Information Platform, which covers around 40 scientists from 17 organisations. Each organisation has at least one administrator responsible for managing the data and the information published at the IP. The same is true for the Case Studies (Groups).

The IP allows users to publish, manipulate, interrogate and visualize any type of information in digital format including: multimedia materials, reports, publications, etc., related to aquatic ecosystem services.

For more information on how to use the platform, check out the AQUACROSS IP Manual.

Compliant with the INSPIRE Directive

In its structure, the AQUACROSS IP follows the European INSPIRE Directive, which aims to improve joining up of and access to existing spatial data across Europe at a local, regional, national and international level, facilitating improvements in the sharing of spatial data between public authorities and improving public access to spatial data to overall facilitate better environmental policy across the European Union to be achieved by improving the.

The Open Source Software Strategy and the New Interoperability Framework recommendations of the European Commission were applied to develop the AQUACROSS IP based on existing open source software. Furthermore, recommendations form the INSPIRE Directive were considered for the platform development through the selection of a powerful open source data management system, called CKAN.