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Fresh commitments to turbocharge the UKs location data and technologies can revolutionise public services planning and boost business, the Science and Technology Secretary unveiled yesterday (Wednesday 14 June), in a keynote speech at London Tech Week.

The UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 will unlock billions of pounds in economic benefits through harnessing technologies, such as AI, satellite imaging and real-time data to boost location-powered innovation and drive the use of location data in property, transport, utilities and beyond.

Geospatial applications and services play a vital role in everyday life, from online maps used by billions across the world to speeding up delivery for online shoppers in turn boosting businesses and the economy.

They can also transform public sector delivery, from planning the countrys transport infrastructure to improving emergency responses such as during the pandemic ensuring taxpayers get the best service for their money.

Viscount Camrose, Minister for AI and Intellectual Property, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said:

Location data and technologies power our economy and our Geospatial Strategy 2030 will ensure the UK remains an innovating world leader, by building on our successes and harnessing new opportunities from rapidly evolving technologies.

Our new strategy will grow our economy, embed the application of geospatial data in key decisions that affect our day-to-day lives while driving the private and public sector creativity needed to cement the UKs status as a global science and technology superpower.

The renewed strategy sets out the Geospatial Commissions priorities for the rest of this decade, building on its landmark 2020 paper and ensuring the UK stays at the forefront of rapidly evolving technologies key to driving innovation and growing our economy.

The strategy sets out three renewed missions:

The strategy builds on the work to roll out the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) (a government-led programme creating a single, standardised data-sharing platform on the location and condition of underground pipes and cables) to the first cohort of users in North East England, Wales and London; our report on how location data can support the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charge points; and renewing and modernising key multi million pound contracts that give the public sector access to world leading geospatial data and services.

Sir Bernard Silverman, Chair, Geospatial Commission said:

Location-based insights have proven their enduring value again and again - during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, tracking outbreaks across the country was critical to inform public health decisions. The power of location will continue to underpin solutions to our biggest challenges including climate change, energy security and economic growth.

Our strategy supports the drive towards the adoption of critical technologies and continued investment in UK research and development.

Growing the UK geospatial sector

The strategy sets an ambition for the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) to be fully operational across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the end of 2025.

The Geospatial Commission will also conduct a review of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) to ensure it remains fit for purpose over the remaining seven years of the agreement. The PSGA sets out how Ordnance Survey providesworld-leading location data and expertise to the public sector across England, Scotland and Wales.

Further announcements include:

Notes to editors

Further stakeholder comments can be found below:

Sir Adrian Smith, Institute Director, The Alan Turing Institute said:

The new UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 is important to ensure that technologies developed using AI, machine learning and augmented reality continue to help researchers to better analyse and visualise data in new ways. Embracing these technologies to accelerate geospatial research will require effective partnerships across academia, industry and the public sector, and active public participation. We look forward to continuing our work with the Geospatial Commission to improve land use planning, resilience to climate change and infrastructure investment decisions.

Alison Lowndes, Senior Scientist, Global AI, NVIDIA said:

The updated UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 offers a clear vision for how the UK will realise the economic, social and environmental opportunities offered by location data. Building the UKs skills and capacity in this sector, as well as applying artificial intelligence to unlock the capabilities of satellite imagery, will be key to maintaining global leadership in geospatial applications and services.

Professor Mike Batty, Chair, Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis said:

This century is increasingly one in which our society and economy will be underpinned by digital data. As part of this, locational data is becoming focal to a multitude of activities that have hitherto ignored geography. In this report, the Geospatial Commission sets out a roadmap to enable this digital transformation to embrace and apply the latest technologies such as AI, remote sensing, and cloud computing to many private and public activities. The case they make is absolutely critical to the way business and government needs to evolve in the next decade.

Rachel Tidmarsh, CEO, Bluesky International Ltd said:

The UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 encapsulates the unlimited potential and opportunities of geospatial data and its applications. I was particularly pleased to read the continuing theme of innovation throughout the strategy as this is what will undoubtedly maintain the UKs position as a world leader in geospatial and enable the public and private sector to unlock its true value. It is key to this success that the steps already taken to increase geospatial skills in the workforce, and enthuse the next generation about geospatial, are continued and amplified.

Tom Knights, European Lead, Strava said:

The way Brits are living, working and moving around their towns and cities has changed. Communities across the UK are experiencing a boom in active mobility as people look to more efficient ways to get from A to B. We are proud to provide geospatial data from the Strava community to empower transport planners to build safe, efficient and enjoyable ways to move around the UK by bike or on foot.

Professor Anahid Basiri, Director, Centre for Data Science and AI said:

We welcome this timely update to the UKs geospatial strategy that draws on the opportunities of the emerging technologies, such as AI and autonomous vehicles, as well as their challenges and concerns associated with them to calibrate the UK plans as a world-leading nation in providing solutions to the grand challenges of our time, such as climate crises, equitable and sustainable societies, active travel, affordable housing and many more.

Adam Burke, Chair, Association for Geographic Information (AGI) said:

The AGI welcomes the publication of the refreshed UK Geospatial Strategy 2030. The strategy offers refreshed thinking for the UKs geospatial capabilities, allowing us to embrace change, innovation and drive greater use of location data opportunities to unlock the full potential of the power of location.

Professor Jon Mills, Director, Newcastle University / Centre for Doctoral Training said:

Specialist geospatial education and training in the UK currently stands on a precipice, so it is good to read that the refreshed UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 considers skills as central to building confidence in the future geospatial ecosystem. To secure an appropriate geospatial talent pipeline for the future necessitates endeavours at all levels of education, from awareness in schools to high-level doctoral training in universities and lifelong professional development in industry. We look forward to working with the Geospatial Commission to develop best practice in embedding geospatial skills into university programmes to help ensure a sustainable future and societal prosperity for the UK.

Sue Daley, Director of Technology and Innovation at techUK said:

We welcome the Governments continued focus on nurturing a thriving geospatial ecosystem. Investing and scaling our capabilities in geospatial technologies will help the UK in its journey to becoming a science and technology superpower. We look forward to seeing how this strategy is put into action to unlock opportunities across our economy

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