In August 1989, a Summer Institute was held at the Academie van Bouwkunst, the seventeenth century home of Amsterdam's School of Architecture, Town Planning and Landscape. The meeting brought together experts in Geographical Information Systems from throughout the world to address an international audience of planners. The contents of this book reflect many of the themes that were presented and discussed at the conference. The Summer Institute, let alone this volume, would not have been possible without the support of the International Association for the Development and Management of Existing and New Towns (INTNAIVN), the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISoCaRP), The National Physical Planning Agency of the Netherlands (RPD) and the Berlage Studio. We wish to acknowledge the assistance provided by these organisations and by the various sponsors: The Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment, the Municipality of Amsterdam, Logisterion b.v., ESRI, UNISYS, MABON b.v., SPSS, PRIME Computer Inc., PANDATA. The provision of hardware facilities by the various computer companies allowed immensely valuable 'hands on' experience to be gained by all the participants.

In Indian context.

Geographical Information is defined as the collection of data on real virtual objects which have a fixed place above, on, in or beneath the surface of the earth. Geographical information involves all information on buildings, roads, pipelines, cabling, etc. as well as boundaries, air corridors, topography and postcode areas, the information can be administrative and geometric. Changes in social and economic interests have caused the emphasis to shift over the years. Virtual objects (areas, postcode areas) in particular have attracted more interest in recent years. This is closely related to the increased desirability of analysing and presenting policy information within certain spatial limits, in which the introduction of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and systems like GIS has played a significant role. Geographical Information cannot be regarded as the informational side of one policy area. Geographical information is not only necessary for the layout and management of space, but also for such things as taxation, environmental policy, water management, maintenance and protection of pipeline systems and making maps. The volumes address the latest developments with respect to technological innovation, scientific progress and advanced professional application in the field of geographical information. In addition, articles dealing with the state of the art and coming innovations with respect to major fields of GI research and application are included. The books cover the following areas of specific interest topics with the current scope of geographical information research: geographical information technolgy; geographical information and environment; geographical information planning; geographical information in urban and regional government; geographical information inutilities, telecom and private enterprise; geographical information education and awareness; geographical information in Spain.

The ability to manipulate spatial data in different forms and to extract additional meaning from them is at the heart of GIS, yet genuine spatial analysis tools are rarely incorporated into commercial software, thus seriously limiting their usefulness. The future of GIS technology wil depend largely on the incorporation of more powerful analytical and modelling functions - and there is agreement within the GIS community of the urgent need to address these issues. This text attempts this task. It presents the latest information on incorporating spatial analysis tools into GIS, and includes concepts and applications from both the environmental and socio-econimc sciences.

The first worldwide overview of Planning Support Systems (PSS) and their application in practice. PSS are geo-technology related instruments consisting of theories, information, methods, tools, et cetera for support of unique professional public or private planning tasks at any spatial scale. The aim is to advance progress in the development of PSS, which are far from being effectively integrated into the planning practice. The text provides an Internet-based worldwide inventory of innovative examples and successful applications of PSS in a number of different planning contexts. In-depth insights into the purposes, content, workings, and applications of a very wide diversity of PSS are given.

The 1990s have seen some remarkable changes in geographical information (GI) provision and computer technology that have impacted on many of the activities that constitute planning in all its different forms. However, relatively few texts in the field of geographical information systems (GIS) and planning have been published since Henk Scholten and John Stillwell edited Geographical Information Systems for Urban and Regional Planning in 1990. This volume seeks to redress the balance by showing how GI of various types is being used in urban, physical, environmental, socio-economic and business planning contexts at local, regional and national scales with the assistance of GIS and modelling methods, and how the uses of GI and GI technologies have evolved over the last decade. During this period, a number of meetings took place in Europe in different locations organised initially by European Geographical Information Systems (EGIS, 1990- 94) and more recently by the Joint European Conference and Exhibition (JEC) on Geographical Information (1995-97). These meetings brought together members of the GI community from across the world to discuss GI research and GIS applications. One of the Special Interest Groups associated with the JEC gatherings was that on 'Geographical Information and Planning' and several of the contributions in this book have their origins in papers presented to the group's meetings.

"This book provides a comprehensive treatment of collaborative GIS focusing on system design, group spatial planning and mapping; modeling, decision support, and visualization; and internet and wireless applications"--Provided by publisher.

In Indian context.

To date, no one volume in the Innovations in GIS series has been given over to solely highlighting the use of up-to-date GIS-based techniques in a range of socio-economic applications. This monograph redresses this gap. The book begins with a short introductory chapter on the fundamental principles of GIS, followed by an examination of recen

Health for all by the year 2000 is the blueprint for change agreed to by the Member States of the World Health Organization. In Europe, this blueprint is built on 38 regional targets, many of which have the underlying aim of uncovering new knowledge and of using existing knowledge more effectively. The targets related to a healthy environment have the ultimate goals of safeguarding human health against environmental hazards, and of enhancing the quality of life by providing clean and safe water, air, food, and working and living conditions. Allied to these goals is the need to reduce the sense of jeopardy that many people feel about what they perceive as 'the risks of everyday life'. These goals are an integral part of the European Charter on Environment and Health, adopted by 29 European Member States and the Commission of the European Communities in December 1989. The Charter stresses the shared responsibility of everyone to protect the environment, to be given adequate and accurate information, and to be involved in decision-making. It outUnes the principles for public policy as well as what needs to be done to transform them into action. In this, strong information systems have a vital role to play by helping to monitor the effectiveness of measures taken, of trends analysed, of priorities set and of decisions made.