ICSU World Data Centers David Clark Secretary ICSU WDC Panel eGY Meeting March 5, 2008 Boulder, Colorado, USA FAGS Meeting, April 2, 2007 J.B. Minster

ICSU WDC Panel meeting, 21-24 April 2008 Strategic Committee for Information and Data (SCID) Review of WDCs ( See Peter Fox’s report) ICSU WDC Panel meeting, 21-24 April 2008 29th ICSU General Assembly, Maputo, Mozambique,13-25 October 2008 FAGS Meeting, April 2, 2007 J.B. Minster

WDC Panel meeting WDC Panel meeting, 21-23 April 2008 at the new ICSU, Paris, Headquarters Joint meeting with the FAGS Governing Council Major agenda item will be WDC Panel response to SCID recommendations Review WDC certification process Plan IPY and GEO activities for the WDC system FAGS Meeting, April 2, 2007 J.B. Minster

ICSU General Assembly 29th ICSU General Assembly, Maputo, Mozambique,13-25 October 2008 Adoption of SCID recommendations for changes in ICSU data activities May include several major recommendations for the WDC System IPY, Natural and Human-Induced Environmental Hazards and Disasters and Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Follow-up will be highlighted FAGS Meeting, April 2, 2007 J.B. Minster

2008 Activities Expansion of the WDC system to as many as 15 new World Data Centers within the next year. These new WDCs will be with existing data centers in developed countries. Establishment of a new data center in the LEDCs, using a new paradigm for its establishment. Possibly in Africa Continue WDC certification process with the help of the eGY Implementation of the SCID recommendations Continue to work with IPY and GEO FAGS Meeting, April 2, 2007 J.B. Minster

What can Earth and Space Science Informatics Can do….. A WDC Panel opinion: For all the GEO participating countries and organizatons: full and open access to metadata, data, and information for education, research and disaster response provided free or for the cost of reproduction in a timely manner. Modern networking capabilities extended to the LEDCs; promoted and implemented by major global IT companies like Microsoft, Google, Intel, etc. Perhaps also supported by major corporations like Exxon, Shell, and others who have profited recently by world economic conditions. Best practices for geoinformatics that includes data management and stewardship activities. This is an excellent opportunity to include data management in a framework which also deals with state-the-art IT applications. FAGS Meeting, April 2, 2007 J.B. Minster