ABSTRACT
This book provides a forum to address methodologies for valuing the benefits of geospatial data and services and presents case studies, which illustrate those methodologies. Drawing from the contributions to recent workshops on socioeconomic benefits of Earth information (Pearlman et al. 2016), this book explores the meaning of socioeconomic value and reviews the existing and evolving methodologies underpinning these value assessments. Examples in the following chapters illustrate the potential for geospatial data to contribute societal benefit over a wide and growing range of applications and uses. There are currently no standardized practices for measuring the contribution to society of geospatial information systems. In a world of increasing demands on shrinking resources, the future value of the proposed new geospatial information systems must become a component of an effective investment decision process. This book explores the convergence toward standardized practices and selection of use cases, which can further guide that process.
