Module 9

• The Pacific region is often characterized by data paucity which is perpetuated by the lack of individual systemic and institutional capacity among national governments to properly collect, analyze and store data and information for policy making
• National EIA regulated abilities to effectively regulate for sustainable development are restricted to limited information or lack thereof at their disposal, often hampering reviews of EIA reports and monitoring for compliance activities
• Geographical Information System (GIS)


  A system for storing and manipulating geographic data in a computer system using software
• Remote Sensing


  The science of obtaining information about objects or areas from a distance, typically from aircraft or satellites
• Key components of GIS

  • Hardware
  • Software
  • People
  • Methods
  • Data
• Vector data


  Coordinate-based data model representing geographic features such as points, lines and polygons
• Raster data


  Matrix of cells or pixels, with each cell containing a value representing information such as temperature, land use type, etc.
• Coordinate system


  A method for identifying the location of a point on the Earth using two numbers - latitude (x-value) and longitude (y-value)
• Coordinate systems used in different countries

  • Fiji Map Grid 1986
  • Apia, Samoa
  • Tonga
  • Port Vila
• ArcGIS software


  • Extensive geoprocessing tools
  • Constantly updated and improved
  • Suitable for organizational use
• QGIS software


  • Free and easy to install
  • Friendly interface and easy to use for beginners
  • Wealth of plugins for data analysis
• GIS


  Geographic Information System
• GIS


  • Used for problem solving
  • Used for decision making and processes
  • Used for visualizing data in spatial environment
• Applications of GIS


  • Mapping location of things
  • Mapping quantities
  • Finding areas within a distance
  • Mapping change over time
• Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

  Geographic information is a component as environmental resources are directly affected by changes in proposed disturbances
• Steps in using GIS for EIA

  1. Ensure existing GIS setup

  2. Identify available data sources

  3. Assist authorities in environment monitoring and development

  4. Set up environment monitoring community
• GIS case studies in Fiji

  • EIA verification of rock resource extraction site
  • Mineral exploration boundary demarcation
  • Impact of landslide in protected area
  • Mapping of heritage buildings vulnerable to hazards
  • Change detection mapping of land cover
• GIS used for EIA site verification

  1. Identify area of interest from EIA report

  2. Ground truth the area identified

  3. Demarcate the river and extraction boundary using imagery

  4. Map access road
• Importance of ground truthing EIA reports to verify accuracy of information
• EIA report identifies one area


  Developer identifies a different area
• Using GIS, the actual area of interest was identified and mapped out
• The map at the top showed a different area from what was proposed in the report, and the developer identified another area
• The government team used Google Earth imagery to demarcate the portion of the river to be licensed out to the developer
• The government team polygonized the river area to map out the total extraction boundary
• The government team marked out the access road and identified downstream community living
• Ground truthing


  Verifying information reported in the EIA report on the ground
• Government agencies carry out water quality testing prior to issuing a license
• The water quality results are recorded and correlated against what was reported in the EIA
• If there are anomalies, the government and consultant need to work together to resolve it
• Ground truthing is important to ensure approving authorities can approve reports based on verified data
• The original mineral exploration boundary overlapped with a Ramsar conservation site
• Adjusting the exploration boundary

  1. Collaborate with other stakeholders

  2. Demarcate new boundary to exclude Ramsar site

  3. Ensure water sampling location is within adjusted boundary
• Importance of data collaboration


  • Identify data needed
  • Establish data sharing agreements with other agencies
• The adjusted boundary and water sampling locations were mapped and shared with all stakeholders
• The study in the Sigatoka Basin aimed to identify landslide prone areas to protect endangered species
• Data required for landslide hazard mapping

  • Protected area boundary
  • Digital elevation model
  • Soil type
  • Rainfall data
  • Species distribution
  • Roads
  • Topography
  • Cultural/natural heritage sites
• Remote sensing and satellite data were used to produce maps showing landslide risk categories
• The study uses remote sensing and satellite data to analyze changes in a protected area over 10 years
• Change detection analysis


  1. Collect satellite data from 2010 to 2020

  2. Classify land cover changes over time

  3. Quantify changes in sand extraction and other threats
• Protected area studied


  • Singapore Sands