Abstract
Copernicus is the European Union's earth observation programme, providing information services that draw from satellite earth observation. The programme consists of a space segment and a ground segment. The ground segment provides access to earth observation data and services. One of the services is the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS). The aim of CLMS is to address the data and information needs of a wide range of policies such as environment, including biodiversity, climate change, agriculture and forestry, regional and urban planning, as well as water management, transport, energy or neighbourhood policy, at global, European, national and local level. CLMS is a wide-ranging programme aiming to provide information to support regional and urban planning at the local level. Therefore, it is pertinent to study the user uptake and the correspondence between systems and data provided by CLMS and the needs and requirements in the planning sector. This research primary purpose is to identify the needs related to geospatial Land Cover, Land Use and Land Use-change information for urban and spatial planning in Poland and Norway and to examine the actual use of CLMS data in the planning system. Where previous studies mainly focus on what kind of data is needed for spatial planning, our attention is equally given to what kind of data management spatial planning requires. The broader context is to explore the preconditions for increased use of data from the CLMS in spatial planning in these two countries. It is assumed that a better understanding of the requirements in terms of metadata, ownership, and data management will have universal relevance. The research used data obtained from literature review, examination of practice in spatial planning and an online questionnaire on spatial planning needs concerning geospatial information on Land Cover and Land Use and Land Cover and Land Use change conducted in Poland. The cross-validation methods within the framework of scientific cooperation with experts and practitioners of spatial planning, spatial databases were also explored. The review of international documents, European acts and national legislation, and planning strategies were proceeded. The system of spatial planning in Poland and Norway was described systematically in order to enable comparison. Map data used in spatial planning in the two countries were analysed in order to define the problems and challenges of geospatial information on land cover and land use in Poland and Norway. Finally, a survey was conducted in the form of an online questionnaire. The survey was conducted from February 1 to February 28, 2021, among designers, researchers and people using spatial data. Official national data are reliable and usually very detailed. However, they do not consider the elements of development that were created without a proper building permit or are the own initiative of the property owner. The research confirmed that Copernicus Land Monitoring Services is an accurate tool supporting evidence-based spatial planning, especially in decision making. The following pressing planning needs concerning spatial data were identified: reliable, accurate, up-to-date, high-quality spatial databases showing actual land use and land cover. Finally, the most important is the need to introduce standard and integration of currently scattered geospatial databases for the purpose of spatial planning. The open, user-friendly geospatial data platform being developed by InCoNaDa team will enable viewing, visualising, and analysing CLMS and national data essential in effective spatial planning on a local level, is in line with these goals and needs.
