Data Management Principles

To further maximize the value and benefits arising from Earth Observation data, The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) will continue to work with partners to promote the use of Data Management Principles , which are based on discoverability, accessibility, usability, preservation and curation. These principles address the need for common standards and interoperability arrangements. This will ensure that data and information of different origin and type are comparable and compatible, facilitating their integration into models and the development of applications to derive decision support tools.

Since its inception in early 2000s, GEO has been working tofacilitate ‘data management approaches that encompass a broad perspective of the observation data life cycle’. Several aspects of data management, e.g., access, documentation, data quality and interoperability, have been addressed by some working teams; GEO-X Plenary endorsed the establishment of a Data Management Principles Task Force (DMP-TF) to identify Life-Cycle Data Management Principles, starting from:

The three principles initially drafted by the Infrastructure Implementation Board (IN-Board):

• (i) Ensure long time data preservation and distribution;
• (ii) Ensure the quality information of Earth observation (EO) data; and
• (iii) Answer EO user needs.

These principles have been subsequently reviewed by the DMP-TF which has assessed their feasibility and proposed a new formulation. The DMP-TF worked with GEO collectively, including the Implementation Boards, the Data Sharing Working Group (DSWG) and the Implementation Plan Working Group (IPWG). The work of the DMP-TF concentrated on developing principles for:

• Ensuring data are properly managed (including data citation), accessible, archived and long term preserved (when appropriate);
• Ensuring data are properly documented (metadata), quality controlled and quality assessed, delivered, and updated in ways to facilitate access and re-use of information made available through the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI);
• Facilitating the link between user needs and data availability, especially with regard to the needs of users from developing countries (e.g. by identifying existing sources of requirements already approved by the relevant user community);
• Facilitating interoperability of GEOSS data resources by promoting a progressive harmonization/standardization of content (data models, thesauri, coding list) and dissemination and usage rights in order to facilitate their re-use at global or regional scales.

At the GEO-XI Plenary, draft principles have been discussed by GEO Members and Participating Organizations. The Data Management Principles Task Force has been extended by one year, with the direction to interface with the IPWG and the DSWG, to continue to benchmark areas in which GEO has an interest and to develop Implementation Guidelines for GEOSS Data Management Principles. The current TF agreed version of the principles are as follows:

• Data Management Principles - long version (April 2015 - pdf)
• Data Management Principles - condensed version (April 2015 - pdf)

At the GEO-XI Plenary, the DM-TF has submitted the Data Management Implementation Guidelines that have been discussed by GEO Members and Participating Organizations and endorsed.

They constitute the reference for actual implementation. The associated activities are now part of the 2015 Work Programme activity GD-07 GCI Development.

Document

• Data Management Principles Task Force TOR
• Data Management Principles - long version (April 2015 - pdf)
• Data Management Principles - condensed version (April 2015 - pdf)
• Data Management Implementation Guidelines

The GEOSS Data Sharing Principles Post-2015

GEO recognizes that the societal benefits arising from Earth observations can only be fully achieved through the sharing of data, information, knowledge, products and services. GEO has therefore promoted fundamental principles for data sharing, expanding the trend towards open data worldwide. Thus, as it embarks on its second decade, GEO now aims to implement the following GEOSS Data Sharing Principles:

• data, metadata and products will be shared as Open Data by default, by making them available as part of the GEOSS Data Collection of Open Resources for Everyone (Data-CORE) without charge or restrictions on reuse, subject to the conditions of registration and attribution when the data are reused;
• where international instruments, national policies or legislation preclude the sharing of data as Open Data, data should be made available with minimal restrictions on use and at no more than the cost of reproduction and distribution; and
• all shared data, products and metadata will be made available with minimum time delay.

The Rationale

The main reasons for the new Data Sharing Principles are the following:

1. Asserting that sharing data as part of GEOSS Data-CORE is the default standard for GEO elevates the status of this mechanism, as well as its overall importance for the successful operation of GEOSS and achievements of the GEO goals, including expanded commitment to sharing of Earth observations as emphasised in the Vision for GEO 2025 document adopted by the GEO X Plenary;
2. Reference to the term “Open Data” provides context for the interpretation of the use conditions pertinent to data shared as part of GEOSS Data-CORE, as well as brings GEOSS Data Sharing Principles in line with the relevant international, regional, national and organizational developments;
3. The option of sharing data through GEOSS with restrictions on use is presented as a deviation from the default mechanism, with the emphasis on imposing as few restrictions on the use of shared data as possible. This shift in emphasis better recognizes the motivations for GEOSS: encouraging and facilitating reuse of EO data and products, as well as helping make informed decisions within nine societal benefit areas.
4. The definition of Open Data means that data are shared free of charge, for any purpose and to any user.  This reflects the current move by many governments towards Open Data and is in accord with the GEO objectives of encouraging data sharing in order to tackle stated societal objectives and promote economic benefits. The current wording of the third Principle that limits free-of-charge sharing to research and education purposes is less apt to achieve these objectives.
5. Various legal mechanisms of making data available as part of the GEOSS Data-CORE are presented and analysed in the White Paper “Mechanisms to Share Data as Part of GEOSS Data-CORE” as approved by the GEO Plenary in November 2014.

Past data sharing principles

Our Members and POs view on Data Sharing

Formal statements at Plenary mentioning Data Sharing

Armenia

In February 2014 the Government of Armenia, who places a special emphasis on the importance of spatial data sharing and data management, adopted a resolution (Resolution N136 of Goverment of Armenia) about building a spatial data infrastructure on a national level. In late 2014 Armenia became a 94th member of GEO community. This fact proves that Armenia has a proper strategy of making her contribution to the general policy of GEO. Read full statement here.

Canada

We are proud to highlight and reiterate our support and engagement in the development and implementation of GEO and GEOSS. In particular, I would like to underscore that it is through GEO that Canada has been able to obtain and share critical data and information to support the management of sectors highly affected by climate change.
Canada acknowledges the potential of Open Data to deliver and measure priority issues in the global agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals. Read full statement here.

EC

Sentinel satellite data and Copernicus service information is available open and free of charge through our website 'Copernicus.eu' as a European contribution to building GEOSS. Read full statement here.

Germany

The German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) has linked several important German geodatabases with its National Geodata Infrastructure, which itself is linked to the GEOSS Common Infrastructure. In total, some 210 thousand mainly marine and atmospheric datasets are now newly available through the GEOSS. Read full statement here.

India

The joint realization of Megha-Tropiques and SARAL with French Space Agency has contributed significantly to the global user community. The data from three payloads (SAPHIR, SCARAB & ROSA) of the Megha-Tropiques satellite are open to global users across the globe. Everyday data is being processed and uploaded to NRSC website in near real time.

ISRO’s portals (Bhuvan, NNRMS Data Base and MOSDAC) are being used to provide the satellite data, geophysical and biophysical products as well as thematic information derived using EO data. Bhuvan Geoportal has entered its sixth year of operations which provides selected satellite data sets, geophysical products, and thematic layers for consumption at user end through either as Web Services or as free download. As of today, there are more than 280 thousand downloads through this portal. Read full statement here.

Iran

Let me assure you that I.R of Iran for its part will do its best to remain a reliable partner in continuation of GEO and highly appreciates all the valuable efforts made by GEO members in improving Earth observations infrastructure, as well as increasing the availability of Earth observations data and information to a wide range of users, including government, science, industry, and the public both through technological means and through open data policies. Read full statement here.

Korea

As a member as well as Executive member, the Republic of Korea strongly advocates the objectives and strategies of GEO and we greatly emphasize the importance of data sharing.
The Republic of Korea in pursue of Government 3.0 has established the legal legislation to make government data accessible to the public. Based on this, national organizations as well as central and local governments are preparing to provide access to their large volume of data. This will have a positive impact on civil society to encourage their participation in the policy making process.
Data and Information sharing will also boost job creation and spur economic growth. Government-held data in such fields as weather, transportation and health care has considerable commercial value. It will help small and medium entrepreneurs to start up a new business.
Facing the new decade of GEO, the Republic of Korea will promote Korean Group on Earth Observation to enhance the common infrastructure for data and information sharing through the innovative Research & Development in science. Particularly, there will be an intensive cooperation on earth observation data standardization among related administrations and research institutes. This will be a great contribution to enlarge the earth observation from national to regional as well as global scale. Read full statement here.

South Africa

In partnership with China and Brazil, South Africa through SANSA will be contributing to the data democracy objectives of GEO by the provision of CBERS 4 data to the SADC countries and has already started receiving the CBERS 4 data at its ground receiving station. Progress has already been made in partnering with SADC MESA project to advance this initiative. SANSA will further the data democracy goal by processing and disseminating archived SPOT data older than 5 years in support of the SPOT Heritage Program announced a year ago by CNES.
South Africa remains committed to the promotion and coordination of EO initiatives and activities on the African continent through the advancement and implementation of data sharing and data management principles underpinned by the need for human capital and sustainable technical infrastructure. Read full statement here.

Sweden

Full, free and open access to environmental data for well-founded decision-making is at the heart of GEO. GEO will therefore play an important role when implementing the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda, not least in the follow up of the Sustainable Development Goals. Particular focus should be on developing countries, because they lack Earth Observations to greater extent and are often struck harder by natural disasters and effects of climate change.

It is important to take advantage of new benefits from the rapid development of technology for data collection, data management and data dissemination, which makes it possible to increase the pace of implementation of GEOSS. I am happy to report that since the last Summit, Sweden has made even more datasets of earth observations free and publically available. This includes reference data from the Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority as well as data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, and there is yet more to come in the near future. I would like to encourage my fellow GEO-members to do likewise and report progress on a regular basis at future GEO meetings as a standing obligation. Read full statement here.

USA

A core tenet of GEO is the provision of open and timely access to Earth observation data and tools to enable better decision-making. At last year’s Plenary, we announced that the United States was releasing high-resolution elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and I am pleased to tell you that we completed the release of these datasets. Further, in partnership with the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites, we held capacity-building workshops in Africa and Mexico with more planned in other regions to accelerate global use of these data.
Our many national and international Earth observation activities underscore the strong U.S. commitment to open data and international cooperation. In the coming decade, we will strive to provide the data and tools that our communities and decision makers require to address global challenges, sustainably manage our planet’s resources, and enhance societal resiliency to climate change. Read full statement here.

CODATA

"Full and open access to Earth observation data, information and knowledge is crucial for humanity as it faces unprecedented social, economic and environmental challenges at global, regional, national and local levels." CODATA fully supports this statement from the Mexico City Ministerial Declaration.

I would like to highlight important contributions that CODATA is making to the GEO mission and call on GEO Members and Participating Organizations to redouble efforts to ensure full and open access to Earth observation data.

Data sharing lies at the heart of the GEO mission and the updated Data Sharing Principles encapsulate the ideals by which National Members and Participating Organizations contribute to the GEO mission.

The simple sharing of data is not enough: data must be well-managed, usable and interoperable. For this reason we have the Data Management Principles and guidelines for their implementation, which will help all organizations making Earth observation data available through GEOSS.

The activities of GEO are part of a far wider movement to make various types of public, governmental and research data more available to improve science, accountability and citizen participation. Read full statement here.

COSPAR

An open and free data policy is critical for COSPAR to advance understanding of the global Integrated Earth system. COSPAR is co-chair of the GEO Data Sharing Working Group and co-chair of the GEO Data Management Principles Task Force. Read full statement here.

ECMWF

ECMWF recognizes the important role played by GEO in advancing the availability of long-term, global data and modelling information as a basis for sound decision-making for improving human welfare. Expanding further the availability of consistent and complete datasets with full and open access is crucial, as is its aim to consolidate observing networks, to improve global coverage and availability of data.

ECMWF contributes to GEO in several ways: it carries out research on the utilisation of Earth observations for ensemble weather analysis and prediction; it provides access to global analyses and predictions of the atmosphere via maintaining open access databases; it contributes environmental information services through its involvement in the EU Copernicus Programme. Read full statement here.

EEA

GEO has contributed to the EEA in a variety of ways as it: encourages and improve data access, (data policy related and also technical access; e.g Open data and data sharing taskforce); ... Read full statement here.

ESA

ESA operates a fleet of satellites, the latest being Sentinel-2 that was launched on 23 June 2015, which together provide data to more than 12 thousand user projects worldwide, more than 750 Terabytes of data per year free of charge. We anticipate, enthusiastically, that this will increase substantially in the coming years. Read full statement here.

IIASA

IIASA welcomes the efforts of GEO to improve monitoring in developing countries and to make data and information more openly accessible. In particular, IIASA sees GEO as having a very important role in monitoring the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Read full statement here.

UNEP

In full accordance with the GEOSS data sharing principle, UNEP is committed to disseminate and to make fully accessible data and information generated through its programme or contributed by its partners as widely as possible. UNEP Live and the National Reporting System are key components of the overall GEOSS architecture through which countries and citizens can gain simple access to Earth observations data and related information relevant for policy processes and decision-making. Read full statement here.

WCRP

WCRP has been a key partner of GEO and a major contributor to the GEO “Climate” Societal Benefit Area (SBA). Numerous WCRP-affiliated scientists are engaged with GEO to mainstream climate knowledge and help using climate research outcomes to address societal needs and support decision-making. WCRP benefits strongly from the GEO high-level advocacy for sustained Earth Observations, open and free access to data, and the data interoperability. Read full statement here.

 

Formal statements at Ministerial Summit mentioning Data Sharing

China

In order to fully implement this plan, the Chinese delegation would like to make the following proposal:

(3) Member states and participating organizations should be encouraged to open and share more earth observations data. The construction and services of earth observations data sharing platform should be accorded enough importance. This platform should be connected to the data sharing platforms of member states and participating organizations. It should be made sure this will truly give a support to the Initiatives and Flagships as well as construction of the GOESS at global, regional and national levels. Read full statement here.

Estonia

We recognise the ground-breaking role of GEO in advocating full and open access of Earth observation data. Changing the paradigm in this field has been one of the greatest achievements of GEO during its first ten years implementation.

Estonian Government sees GEO as a flexible tool to achieve these targets through coordinating the necessary actions, advocating full and open data access, identifying information and observation gaps, advocating the importance of Earth observations, engaging stakeholders and delivering data, information and knowledge for evidence-based decision-making. Read full statement here.

France

Participants gathered here will recall the announcement made by France at the last Ministerial Summit in Geneva in January 2014 concerning the opening of the SPOT World Heritage program. I therefore wish to inform you of its development, and renew our call to the GEO community to participate.

The processing of 200,000 images chosen among 25 million images acquired by SPOT satellites during the last 29 years is underway. Approximately 45,000 of these images are already available and can be downloaded for free on the Internet for non-commercial use. The areas covered by these first images were selected after consultation with users around the world, in particular those of GEO programs, GEOGLAM, GFOI and disaster prevention.

I am also able to announce that discussions are very advanced with the South African space agency SANSA regarding their participation in the program by the processing and the provision of SPOT images acquired by the receiving station they are operating since many years. France would welcome similar contributions of the countries that benefited from SPOT receiving station, to continue to enrich the SPOT World Heritage program. Read full statement here.

Japan

(Japan’s contributions in the coming decade)

Japan is one of the strongest proponentsofGEOSS,and has state-of-the-artscience and technology.Japan will actively contribute in the following three areas during the next 10 years.

First, to help solve these global challenges, Japanwill acquire earth observation data and share them globally.

Specifically, we will develop, launch, and operate new satellites such as “GOSAT-2”, which will contributeto the monitoringof greenhouse gas, and “GCOM-C”, which willhelp to understand the climate change mechanisms. Read full statement here.

Korea, Republic of

Open data sharing is of great importance to climate change and the open data policy will contribute for the long-term transparent framework by monitoring climate targets through innovative science and technology development. As a member as well as Executive member of GEO, the Republic of Korea strongly advocates to the objectives and strategies of GEO and we empathize the importance of data sharing. Read full statement here.

Norway

One of GEOS most successful achievements for improving availability of data is the development of principles for data management and the promotion of values of open data sharing. Norway fully supports the efforts being made to establish common principles for full and open data access, and thus supporting the GEOSS Data Sharing Implementation Guidelines. Read full statement here.

South Africa

In November 2007, the South Africa became the CEOS chair and adopted a theme of ‘Data democracy for developing countries’ as its special project during its tenure as CEOS chair. This initiative laid a foundation for GEOSS Data Sharing Principles. Read full statement here.

Sweden

Full, free and open access to environmental data for well-founded decision-making is at the heart of GEO. GEO will therefore play an important role when implementing the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda, not least in the follow up of the Sustainable Development Goals. Particular focus should be on developing countries, because they lack Earth Observations to greater extent and are often struck harder by natural disasters and effects of climate change. Read full statement here.

Zimbabwe

The Government of Zimbabwe understands that science-driven policies will lead to equitable long-term economic benefits, and to sustainable behavior by humankind in relation to Earth’s available environmental resources.

The Government of Zimbabwe is wholly convinced that open access to Earth Observation data and information fosters science driven policies.

The Government of Zimbabwe therefore commit to GEO and to its core Data Sharing Principles, and open access to data, information and knowledge and to sustaining observing systems to provide high quality base-lines and time series Earth observations data. Read full statement here.

CEOS

 We welcome the important commitments in the proposed Ministerial Declaration. Specifically, we note our strong support for the emphasis placed on: the convening power of GEO; the need to increase data sharing; and the importance of engaging proactively and strategically with United Nations institutions and programmes, development banks and philanthropic organizations. Read full statement here.

IEEE

We must further global knowledge with open data and open information. As a large publisher, we in IEEE commit to greater access to technical literature and data, to what is commonly being described as "open access" and "open data." Read full statement here.

OGC

Open data policies are central to the success of the efforts of the GEO community. Equally we note the importance of open standards as a critical enabler for GEOSS. Over the next decade, OGC looks forward to continuing our support to GEO as we focus more deeply on applying standards and related best practices to improve access to and use of GEOSS resources across a range of user communities. Read full statement here.

UNEP

In full accordance with the GEOSS data sharing principle, UNEP is committed to disseminate and to make fully accessible data and information generated through its programme or contributed by its partners as widely as possible. UNEP Live and the National Reporting System are key components of the overall GEOSS architecture through which countries and citizens can gain simple access to Earth observations data and related information relevant for policy processes and decision-making. Read full statement here.

The value of Open Data

The report on the Value of Open Data Sharing was first prepared for the GEO-XII Plenary by the GEO Participating Organization CODATA (the ICSU Committee on Data for Science and Technology). Through showcasing diverse benefits of open Earth observations data, the report is designed to facilitate the process of transitioning from restricted data policies to more open policies for government data.

At the GEO-XII Plenary the report received positive feedback from GEO Member countries and Participating Organizations, who also expressed willingness to contribute supplementary case studies. Therefore, it was decided to maintain this report as a living document, with this version for the record as version 1. The GEO community will provide periodic updates, examples and case studies.

To help us on more examples and case studies, please contact:

• Simon Hodson, CODATA, simon@codata.org
• Paul Uhlir, CODATA, pfuhlir@gmail.com
• Wenbo Chu, GEO Secretariat, wchu@geosec.org