Change Climate Action with Open Data
Our climate is changing. Observed changes over the 20th century include increases in global average air and ocean temperature, rising global sea levels, long-term sustained widespread reduction of snow and ice cover, and changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation and regional weather patterns, which influence seasonal rainfall conditions.
– Australian Government: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Climate change is an urgent global threat that sorely needs effective and immediate action. For decades, scientists have warned that the impact of climate change poses a threat to humanity and nature, such as a recent study by AGU’s Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, that finds Greenland’s ice sheet is shrinking at a significantly accelerated rate. Their observation records project that future ice loss could impact ecosystems and communities as ice sheet reconfiguration changes the flow of water and nutrients.
All around the world we are experiencing climate change impacts. Addressing the climate change requires many agents, but the move towards climate action must begin with unrestricted access to climate data.
For facts and evidence of global climate change, explore Nasa’s Vital Signs of the Planet website.
The advancement of knowledge and innovation is based on the open flow of information.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), “Openness [open exchange of data] means access on equal terms for the international research community at the lowest possible cost at no more than the marginal cost of dissemination. Open access to research data from public funding should be easy, timely, user-friendly and preferably Internet-based.”
There are many benefits of sharing data. Open exchange of data builds public confidence in research processes and its outcomes and speeds the advancement of knowledge and innovations. It also improves international cooperation because researchers extend their knowledge off of the data and conclusions of others, thus reducing duplication of efforts and enabling innovators and policy makers to use the information to create products, services, and policies that respond to climate change.
Some organizations provide access to data. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides a digital Data Distribution Center where researchers and the general public can access climate data. The Task Group on Data Support for Climate Change Assessments aims to provide guidance to the IPCC’s Data Distribution Centre on curation, traceability, stability, availability and transparency of data and scenarios related to the reports of the IPCC.
Despite the many benefits of sharing data, there are situations that limit data access.
Cost
As data collections grow in size and complexity, small research groups may not have the funds to manage and share data. Costs associated with managing and sharing data include,
Curating data and developing supporting documentation, including funds or capabilities to create metadata. Data is useless for anyone outside the research team if basic information about the data isn’t provided to make finding and working with instances of data easier, and investing the time to create the metadata could slow down the progress of the research. Cost would also include formatting data for transfer to and storage at a repository for long-term storage and access.
Considering a data management system to provide local management and preservation (before deposit into a repository). Although there are low-cost systems, prices may increase for large and complex data collections that will require more storage space and functionality.
Preparing and sharing data through established repositories such as deposit fees necessary for making data available and accessible.
For more information on building a robust and affordable data management plan, visit Research Services + Sciences.
Data Ownership
The right to control and share data depends on who owns the researched data. The owner could be the researcher, the institution, the sponsor, or nobody, depending on the particular meaning of “ownership” and the context. To review the laws and policies relevant to the ownership of research data and rights to control its distribution and use, read National Academy of Sciences: Ownership of Research Data and Related Products.
Outside Pressure
Open data could be inhibited especially in cases where research has a potential to affect private interest and public policy, as in the case with climate scientist Michael Mann whose research was subjected to debate and relentless political attacks over the reality and causes of global warming.
The science is clear enough to the relevant scientific community: we cannot go down that path without guaranteeing that we leave youth and coming generations a more desolate planet, with continuing, growing repercussions.
– Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions
There is a need for researchers and the public to develop a balance for accessible data with academic freedom and the need for researchers to continue their studies free of harassment and intimidation. Only by sharing climate data and its results can new knowledge be transformed into policies and innovations that limit and reduce the climate change crisis.
I really enjoyed reading this. You make some great points. I feel like this is one of those issues that people would care more about if more information were available. I also wonder how much information is too much before people start to panic? There seems to be a fine line between providing information and preventing everyone from freaking out. I definitely agree though that more needs to be done before it’s too late.
Great post! Climate change is one of the most important issues on the global table right now. It’s a shame that information, even if it is beneficial to the entire planet, is so difficult to obtain because of politics and fear.
I totally agree! The subject of Global Warming needs to be first tackled by scientists and then world leaders, but if every country is keeping their research private how can we solve a global issue? Open source information, as you explain, could help every one of us on this planet. Thank you for sharing such vital information. This was a great read and I really enjoyed it!
Thank you for approaching the topic as a real issue. A lot of people want to pretend that climate change is an opinion or something, but most of us can clearly see the threat, as you said. Your links are all very helpful and appreciated. I also thought your emphasis on open exchange of data is crucial to fighting climate change—it’s a global issue, and it must be tackled on a global scale to affect any change for the better. Pertinent agencies that work on this issue need access to the most current and accurate data, and I hope the consensus stays logical and that we can all work together to fix this issue.
Side note: In the spirit of “open data”, one thing I think will help is using hemp plastic in packaging—if all the major manufacturers switched to hemp plastic instead of petroleum-based products, we could recycle more and use less. Hemp products are the key to saving the planet, I’m telling you: https://nationalhempassociation.org/hemp-plastics/
It’s not a “fix” to solve climate change, but I think it could help the cause greatly.
Great article. You really lined out the need for open data. On of the most frustrating things I run into as a student is finding a research article I can’t access. Often this is because the article is behind a pay wall. I recognize researchers need to be payed for their work. But often the paywall is set up from the publisher.
Without access to information, we are limiting our ability to learn. Sharing information allows for more flexibility to deal with current and future crises.
Great post! Climate change is very important issue and it should be talked about more. People would agree about the ongoing issue, but they don’t seem to do anything about the issue. This is very dangerous threat. We should learn more about the climate change and try to resolve the issue.
This is such an interesting post! I love how the tone you adopt in the introductory paragraph is urgent. My hope is that more people understand the gravity to the climate crisis we are living and experiencing. I also agree that data, even unrelated to climate change, should be accessible to all. I think that’s one of the reasons people are so skeptical to believe these horrific facts, because the data is missing. I also see this happening with the Coronavirus now. People are so quick to deny facts, and claim to be subject experts after reading one meme off instagram. All of a sudden we all have PhD’s in climate science and biomedical engineering.