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General News
DIUS: Plans to invest almost £1.3bn into research aimed at meeting the key challenges facing the nation have been outlined by John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). The funding will be shared across four programmes to spearhead research on major issues affecting people across the UK and the world, including climate change, the ageing process, energy and global security.
Press release ~ The Allocations of the Science Budget 2008/09 to 2010/11 ~ Research Councils UK ~ Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE)
MoD: The UK's front line forces are to benefit from a £43m contract that builds on the unique collaboration between the MOD and UK industry. The new contract for NITEworks(r) is working to improve the tactics used by troops operating in theatre particularly in developing techniques to alleviate the threat of IEDs.
NITEworks(r) has already improved the way intelligence is assessed & processed on operations and back in the UK. The MoD and industry partnership, NITEworks(r), creates simulated environments to test new ways of working and seek out innovative and practical solutions to challenges facing our armed forces.
NITEworks has overcome the traditional intellectual property constraints to create an innovative partnering model that brings together war-fighters, subject-matter experts and industry within an environment that stimulates new thinking in a spirit of openness and transparency.
Defra: The United Kingdom will contribute £15m to an initiative intended to reduce the impact of deforestation on the world's climate. The World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) will support developing countries to participate in pilot programmes that reduce emissions from deforestation.
The FCPF will provide support to prepare countries to participate in pilot schemes for reducing deforestation below an agreed national reference level. The UK hopes this will also help to catalyse much larger sources of funding, perhaps linked to the carbon market through any future climate change agreements negotiated between now and 2009.
Press release ~ World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility ~ DFID: Pushing for global action on climate change to beat poverty
Defra: A scheme to boost sustainable development and carbon market investment in Africa has been announced at the UN Climate Conference in Bali, by UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.
The African Springboard - a partnership between the UK Government and major UK-based financial firms - will be a for-profit company to develop Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in sub-Saharan African countries that have so far benefited little from carbon market investment.
The CDM permits industrialised countries, which have emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol, to invest in sustainable development projects in developing countries that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thereby generate tradable emission credits.
Press release ~ United Nations Climate Change Conference, Bali, Indonesia ~ Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects
OS: Every local authority creates freight route maps, which highlight the council recommended roads for hauliers. Ordnance Survey, which provides the underlying road network data to the satellite navigation industry, wants to consult with local government organisations on how it can help get these maps into satnav devices.
By using the recommended routes, hauliers can be sure that they’re being directed along the most suitable roads. Ordnance Survey made available information on the weight, width and height restrictions on Britain’s roads in October 2006. This information can further support HGV drivers by highlighting the roads that should be avoided due to low bridges or narrow lanes, for example.
C-NLIS: The Council for the NationalLand Information Service (C-NLIS) is concerned that the range & accuracy of property search information contained in Home Information Packs (HIPs) may not be enough for the home buyer to make a fully informed choice.
In a recent poll C-NLIS asked industry experts for their views on the accuracy and quality of search data, Peter Rodd, conveyancing partner at Boys & Maughan commented: “We have concerns as to the accuracy of some of the information contained in personal searches. Some personal search providers limit planning history to 10 years whereas official searches direct from Local Authority go back much further.”
Press release ~ Council for the National Land Information Service (C-NLIS) ~ Local Land Charges Institute ~ Home Information Pack
OS: Selected Web developers are currently able to preview a free online platform to help them experiment with some of the world’s most advanced geographic information. OS OpenSpace enables web-experts users to build mash-ups with a range of Ordnance Survey data in line with government aims to make public sector information more accessible.
Under an application programming interface (API) developers will register for a feed of data to experiment with non-commercially. It includes a range of mapping scales covering the whole of Great Britain down to street level. This week’s stage involves a hands-on preview to a dedicated group of developers who will have exclusive access to test functionality and build applications ahead of a public launch early in the New Year.
