Open access to data and information: the need for strategies and policies in Brazil Dora Canhos

Some assumptions... Scientific progress depends on open access to data and information Information and communication technology are provoking an evolution on scientific thinking and organization and….. There are sensitive data Retaining data/information may be strategic to certain sectors requires policy …

Data dissemination/sharing data Analysis / Synthesis Publications

What happens to the data? data Analysis / Synthesis Publications Time

The data “pathway”... data Publications Reports Thesis Web Pages Storage With time No policy for data !!!

Scientific publications Are vital for scientific progress They are the interpretation of data at a certain time They reflect the vision of the authors at a certain time If the data is to be reinterpreted by the author or by future generations it has to be available

data Internet Interface A Interface B

Situation in Brazil Brazil holds 15 – 20% of the world’s biodiversity Only about 1% of the worlds specimens are deposited in biological collections in Brazil Brazil strongly depends on data from international collections

International Scenario: data intensive programs & initiatives Convention on Biological Diversity Global Taxonomy (GTI) International Pollinators Initiative (IPI) Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) 2010 Biodiversity Target Amazon Cooperation Treaty GBIF – Global Biodiversity Information Facility

National Scenario: Programs & Projects Ministry of Science and Technology Programs: PROANTAR, PPG7, Revizee, Institutos do Milênio, Xingó,... all generate/generated data and information – where is the data? No data / information policy Research Program on Biodiversity (PPBio): has a policy for data access and use. No long term policy

National Scenario: Programs & Projects Ministry of the Environment a complex system of organisms responsible for the public dissemination of information (CNIA, RENIMA, SINIMA) and a recently launched Brazilian Portal about Biodiversity – where is the data?

National Scenario: Programs & Projects Biota/Fapesp Program Three information systems developed aiming at free and open access to data (Sinbiota, Biota Neotropica on-line only journal, and speciesLink Network) all initiatives were project based (maximum 4 years) Where is the policy? What happens to data, databases, information systems when a project ends?

Final Comments: Opportunities Brazil’s megadiversity Communication infrastructure (RNP backbone, Red Clara) CBD requirements Established biological collections Research network (people, institutions, universities) Existing programs (such as PPBio) Amazon region as an national, regional, and international priority

Policy and Strategies Data providers : adoption of common standards and protocols, full control over data, strategy for data and information organization, storage, retrieval, dissemination. Data custodians : conform to international standards and protocols, help data providers, guarantee data integrity and due acknowledgement, respect restrictions and ownership, follow new developments, long-term commitment for data and information organization, storage, retrieval, and dissemination.

Government - financing agencies Policy for data that is born digital Create mechanisms for digitizing past data Develop long-term policies for the development and maintenance of data centers Develop clear policies concerning data that is obtained through public funding (by sector) Develop an inter-agency policy concerning the development, maintenance, and preservation of an infrastructure of biodiversity data Develop a public infrastructure for long-term data archiving

Thank you Dora Ann Lange Canhos