Geographic Information Systems are diagonal systems with roots in multiple disciplines and applications.
Globally, Geographic Information Systems are the specialized component of Information System. Therefore, the foundations elements of Information Systems are the basis of Geographic Information Systems, such as business processes , geographic data, and technology. The main goal is improving the processes of decision making.
Nevertheless “Where” is the key question GIS addresses.
GIS is today a mature technology applied to multiple domains related to data location.
The monitoring of our planet’s vital signs in the NASA’s Eyes on the Earth[1] site is one example. Some of these signs such as the earth’s atmospheric temperature, the atmospheric carbon dioxide or ozone concentrations can be capture and analysed from satellite sources.
The European Space Agency’s[2] Earth from Space programme is the Europe’s Eyes on Earth version. This programme started in 1998.
Nonprofit organizations, such as Open Street Map, are contributing to the capture and to the analysis of data.
The Climate Impact Lab[3] from the University of Chicago is a nonprofit organization with a mission to measure and communicate the impacts of climate change on people to empower effective decision-making.
These initiatives are targeting different areas boundaries: at global, regional or local levels with different scales of resolution.
In France Keraunos[4] is providing observations of tornadoes and violent storms.
Vigicrues[5] provides information on risks of flooding and submersion of land under water. The recent images from the Pas-de-Calais department show the catastrophic consequences of flooding on the population, land, properties and activities.
The air[6] quality we breath is an important indicator for our health. Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk in Europe.
The GIS technology is evolving continuously.
Private players, non-profit and research organizations are contributing with obviously different perspectives and interests to the development of the GIS map-centric technology.
This paper is a general introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its applications to environmental issues. It has been initially thought as a support for the Master 2 EMSD GIS English course of the Université Catholique de l’Ouest (UCO) in Angers.
Learning by doing through exercises is the main approach of the blog and its articles.
Carlos Salguero, 2026.
[1] https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/earth/#/
[5] https://www.vigicrues.gouv.fr/
[6] Air quality monitoring refers to continuous measurement of specific air pollutants also known as “criteria air pollutants”. Obtained air pollution data (together with natural background/trace gas monitoring and stationary source emission monitoring) helps to define what kind of air pollution people are exposed to.