WINDHOEK, March 28 — Namibia on Tuesday launched the National Infrastructure Atlas 2023 and the National Land Cover Classification Standard in Windhoek, the Namibian capital, signaling significant strides in spatial planning and environmental management. Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) spokesperson Iipumbu Sakaria stated that the National Infrastructure Atlas 2023 is a comprehensive database of location-specific information on major infrastructure projects across the country. “Covering various areas of infrastructure, the Atlas serves as a guide for evidence-based spatial planning, supporting governments at all levels to improve infrastructure for societal well-being,” he explained.
According to Sakaria, in parallel, the unveiling of the National Land Cover Classification Standard is a standard gazetted by the government to harmonize all official land cover classification maps in the country for harmonized spatial planning and national reporting. “The harmonization of land cover data will now be able to ensure proper environmental accounting at the national level and changes in different land covers will assist the government to monitor development planning as well as address issues relating to climate change,” he said, declaring that these standards and atlas now offer basic statistics of the national infrastructure by region and constituency, providing benefits to the nation. The data can hence provide a platform for spatial planning of public service delivery across the country, he said, further adding that data collected will serve as a vital resource for informed decision-making and strategic planning in various sectors. The development of the National Infrastructure Atlas and the Land Cover Classification Standard dates back to 2019 when the environmental technical working group was established by the Committee for Spatial Data. The objective was to address discrepancies in national land cover maps and establish a legislative framework for land cover classification, which reflects Namibia’s proactive approach to environmental management and sustainable development.
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