As I write this on World Ocean’s Day, I’m reflecting on recent earth and ocean science events that I’ve attended this spring. This week, June 9-13, the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference is convening in Nice, France. Representatives of WDS ocean data repositories will be in attendance, including from Ocean Networks Canada (the host organization of the WDS-ITO). We are mid-way through the Ocean Decade, but have much work to realize the goals of the Ocean Decade Vision 2030 white papers. In particular, the digital representation vision outlines five tools and services ambitions: ocean discovery and data access services, ocean forecasting structures, digital atlas of the ocean, marine knowledge exchange mechanisms and capacity development and training.
Earlier in March, I attended the International Ocean Data Exchange conference and meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia. The conference focussed on ocean biodiversity, capacity development, federated ocean data systems, and sustainable ocean management (refer to this summary of highlights). Meeting decisions for WDS In section 3.6.9 of the Summary Report emphasize continued collaboration to increase data repository contributions to the Ocean Data Information System and the Ocean Biodiversity Information System, in addition to other mutually beneficial areas of interest such as data preservation, sustainability, FAIR data and Indigenous data governance.
In late April, I presented at the European Geophysical Union (EGU) General Assembly 2025 in a session on Collaborations, Tools and Services Towards an Integrated Research Data Infrastructure. In this presentation, I outlined the 2025 to 2027 Action Plan objectives, highlighting activities and collaborations that are underway or planned to progress open science, integrated data infrastructures and FAIR/CARE/TRUST Principles. Amongst other data professionals, I devoted some of my time to the Open Science and Data Help Desk organized by the Earth System Information Partners (ESIP), the American Geophysical Union and EGU. For more about it, check out this ESIP blog post. For me, a major takeaway from the informatics sessions were the advancements and increased uptake of data-reliant platforms like digital twins and data spaces in Europe, highlighting the importance of data repository services, both in terms of access services as inputs, but also as preservation for outputs. I also appreciated being able to attend the Ian McHarg medal being awarded to Lesley Wyborn “for achievements in enabling collaboration among international organisations and leadership with regard to global, multidisciplinary data infrastructure in the fields of Earth and space sciences.”
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Group of Earth Observations (GEO), the GEO Global Forum 2025 was held in Rome, Italy, in early May. GEO exists to provide a cohesive global layer to fragmented earth observation and data sources, in order to attain Earth intelligence solutions for a sustainable future. As a significant portion of WDS members represent the earth sciences, it was important that we attend. The event was divided into two main parts, community events and the GEO plenary. I presented on “Earth System Information Partners’ AI Data Readiness Checklist and related progress through the World Data System partnership” within the Earth Observation Data and AI: a Revolution for Earth Intelligence and Information Services session. In that same session, Taylor Campbell presented “The Creative Commons efforts for machine-actionable licensing in support of AI.” Last fall, WDS featured Campbell and her colleagues in a webinar on Open Climate Knowledge and Data (video, slides). The plenary agenda included presentation of the GEO Post-2025 Strategy Implementation Plan (not yet publicly released) and adoption of the GEO Work Programme. Earlier in January, WDS provided feedback to the draft implementation plan. Worth noting, GEO highlighted the development of their GEO Data Sharing and Data Management Principles as a key success of their prior strategy. Overall, this event brought together a very diverse and international stakeholder group, enabling meaningful conversations and driving the post-2025 strategy forward.
These events continue to underscore the importance of investing in earth and ocean sciences, as well as the data sharing and preservation systems that serve them. Unsurprisingly, geopolitical circumstances that reduce funding or hinder international cooperation were a prevalent concern. As we go forward, the WDS is committed to advocate for the importance of sustained funding to maintain and extend capabilities of data repositories, and to develop frameworks for improved resiliency.