Archives: Expert Predictions

Historical databases of environmental observations and information distributed across the nation at scores of sites can be seamlessly integrated along with other-agency environmental databases into a virtual national database and placed at the fingertips of the researcher, policy maker, lawyer, businessman, educator, or any other user; national policy with regard to sustainable development can be made with the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and best environmental information available, integrated with economic and human-dimension information; the geometrically growing volume of environmental data and information can be effectively and automatically quality- controlled, integrated, synthesized, archived, and retrieved.

Recent relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and the Los Angeles earthquake are compelling demonstrations of the need for a National Information Infrastructure … One conclusion in a post-Hurricane Andrew report was the need to have federal information systems that could visually display “areas of need” on electronic maps that could be shared with the broadcast media.