Increasing Importance

摘要

It is inevitable that 2014 will see an increase in the importance of geospatial information as a tool in decision and policymaking with governments at all levels, all around the globe. Not least, thanks to high-level efforts by the United Nations and the World Bank, supported by many organisations and learned societies in our field, such as FIG, ICA, ISPRS, GSDI and IAG and, in particular, their specialists who are lobbying for geomatics to take its rightful place in the palette of decision-supporting tools. This is very good news for our business, because it is bound to end up in an increasing demand for geospatial techniques and products, and even geospatial professionals in the years to come. This process in which geomatics has been maturing, and during which it will need to look beyond borders, has been ongoing for the last few years and will not be finished in 2014. As I wrote last year in this same place, our industry is an industry in transition, and this year I would like to add: it will be for years to come.