During its 32nd Session (June 2023) the IOC Assembly adopted the new IOC Data Policy and Terms of Use (2023):
IOC Decision A-32/4.4
IOC Data Policy and Terms of Use (2023)
The Assembly,
Recalling that the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy was published in 2003 (IOC Resolution XXII-6, 2003) and since then has only had one minor change: Clause 5 revised in 2019 by Decision IOC-XXX/7.2.1(II) of the Assembly at its 30th session, Paris, 26 June–4 July 2019,
Recognizing that:
- the timely and unrestricted international exchange of oceanographic data is essential for the efficient acquisition, integration and use of ocean observations gathered by the countries of the world for a wide variety of purposes including the prediction of weather and climate, the operational forecasting of the marine environment, the preservation of life, the mitigation of human-induced changes in the marine and coastal environment, as well as for the advancement of scientific understanding that makes this possible,
- the global digital data, information, and knowledge ecosystem has radically changed since 2003,
- rapidly advancing technologies have altered the Data Stewardship paradigm,
- there is a need to improve interoperability and align the IOC data policy with those at national, regional, and international levels,
- more and more Public-Private Partnerships are being established. To allow the best use of the data in this context as well as in the context of using data in journals from private publishers, the IOC data policy should provide clear guidance for commercial use of data,
Noting that partner and sister organizations are changing their data policies, which can serve as a model for updating the IOC data policy,
Noting also that principles of data sharing and licensing are becoming globally recognized and adopted, e.g., FAIR Principles and Creative Commons licences,
Decides to close the IOC Intersessional Working Group on the Revision of the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (2003, 2019) (IWG-DATAPOLICY);
Adopts the IOC Data Policy and Terms of Use (2023) as detailed in Annex to this decision;
Decides to develop guidelines for the development of detailed data and metadata sharing guidelines by all IOC programmes and projects.
Annex to Dec. A-32/4.4
IOC Data Policy and Terms of Use (2023)
Section 1. Preamble
The timely, open and unrestricted international sharing, in both real-time and delayed mode of ocean metadata, data and products is essential for a wide variety of purposes and benefits including scientific research, innovation and decision making, the prediction of weather and climate, the operational forecasting of the marine environment, the preservation of life, economic welfare, safety and security of society, the mitigation of human-induced changes in the marine and coastal environment, as well as for the advancement of scientific understanding that makes this possible. Innovation of specialised products can be stimulated and encouraged by timely, open and unrestricted access to metadata and data. Metadata, data and products should be accessible, interoperable and openly shared with minimum delay and minimum restrictions.
Section 2. Purpose
The purpose of this data policy is to outline the requirements with respect to sharing, access, preservation, and attribution to facilitate the broad use and reuse of metadata, data and products.
Section 3. FAIR & CARE principles
To support knowledge discovery and innovation both by humans and machines and to acknowledge indigenous data governance, data should meet the FAIR Guiding Principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable)[1] and In the case of indigenous data and information, data should meet the CARE principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics)[2] to the greatest extent practicable.
Section 4. Conditions of use
Data should be licensed (respecting Section 8) under a minimally restrictive and voluntary common-use licence[3] that grants permission, ensures proper attribution (for example, citable using a persistent identifier) and allows others to copy, distribute and make use of the data.
Section 5. Data Repositories and the IOC ocean data and information system (ODIS)
Data should be quality controlled (using community adopted and documented best practices or standards), accompaniedby complete metadata and stored in an openly discoverable and accessible long-term data repository and made available through standards-based data services. Member States shall encourage convergence and interoperability and, where possible, use IODE data centres (National Oceanographic Data Centres or Associate Data Units) or other IOC programme related data centres that share metadata and data using the IOC Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS). ODIS is an interoperability layer and supporting technology, to allow existing and emerging ocean data and information systems to interoperate with one another.
Section 6: Secure long-term data archives
To support long-term and secure archival, data and associated metadata should be submitted, to the best practicable degree, to IODE’s World Ocean Database (WOD), the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS), other IOC related global data archives, and data centres linked to the World Data System (WDS), their successors or other global data archives.
Section 7. Access restrictions
Data and associated metadata should be made available with minimal restrictions on use unless there are valid reasons to restrict access. Legitimate reasons to restrict access to, and reuse of, data include, inter alia, privacy and confidentiality, protection of species, populations or habitats of concern, and national security.
Section 8. Data sharing policies of Member States
This Policy acknowledges the right of Member States and data owners to determine the terms of metadata, data and products sharing in a manner consistent with national jurisdictions, international conventions, and treaties, where applicable.
Section 9. Data and metadata sharing guidelines
IOC programmes, projects as well as other communities of practice should develop and/or apply, where applicable, detailed metadata, data and products sharing guidelines that are consistent with this IOC Data Policy and Terms of Use.
Section 10. Definitions
‘Data’ is a set of values, symbols or signs (recorded on any type of medium) that represent one or more properties of an entity[4].
‘Metadata’ is 'data about data' describing the content, quality, condition, and other characteristics of data that allows their inventory, discovery, evaluation or use.
‘Timely’ in this context means the distribution of data and/or products, sufficiently rapidly to be of value for a given application.
‘Openly’ means data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone - subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and share alike.
‘Product’ means a value-added enhancement of data applied to a particular use.
[1] Wilkinson, M., Dumontier, M., Aalbersberg, I. et al. The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship. Sci Data 3, 160018 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18
[2] CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance. https://www.gida-global.org/care
[3] For example: the Creative Commons family of licences https://creativecommons.org/about/cclicenses/
[4] Ocean Decade Implementation Plan
------ PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF THE IOC DATA POLICY ----
During its 30th Session (June-July 2019) the IOC Assembly revised (clause 5) the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (2003) as follows:
IOC OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA EXCHANGE POLICY (2019)
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission,
Recalling Resolution XX-11 on Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (1999),
Noting:
(i) WMO Resolution 40 (Cg-XII) which defined a policy and practice for the international exchange of meteorological and related data and is intended to promote the free and unrestricted exchange of basic data,
(ii) The “Statement on Data Management Policy for Global Ocean Programmes” as submitted by the IOC Committee on IODE (Recommendation IODE-XIV.6, December 1992) and adopted by the IOC Assembly at its 17th Session (Paris, 25 February–11 March 1993) (para. 220 of the Summary Report of the Session),
Considering the reports of deliberations of:
(i) The Ad hoc Working Group on Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (Paris, 15–17 May 2000),
(ii) The First Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (Brussels, 29–31 May 2001),
(iii) The Second Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (Paris, 17–18 June 2002),
Adopts the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy as detailed in the Annex to this Resolution.
_____________________
Financial implications: none
Annex to Resolution XXII-6
IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy
Preamble
The timely, free and unrestricted international exchange of oceanographic data is essential for the efficient acquisition, integration and use of ocean observations gathered by the countries of the world for a wide variety of purposes including the prediction of weather and climate, the operational forecasting of the marine environment, the preservation of life, the mitigation of human-induced changes in the marine and coastal environment, as well as for the advancement of scientific understanding that makes this possible.
Recognising the vital importance of these purposes to all humankind and the role of IOC and its programmes in this regard, the Member States of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission agree that the following clauses shall frame the IOC policy for the international exchange of oceanographic data and its associated metadata.
Clause 1
Member States shall provide timely, free and unrestricted access to all data, associated metadata and products generated under the auspices of IOC programmes.
Clause 2
Member States are encouraged to provide timely, free and unrestricted access to relevant data and associated metadata from non-IOC programmes that are essential for application to the preservation of life, beneficial public use and protection of the ocean environment, the forecasting of weather, the operational forecasting of the marine environment, the monitoring and modelling of climate and sustainable development in the marine environment.
Clause 3
Member States are encouraged to provide timely, free and unrestricted access to oceanographic data and associated metadata, as referred to in Clauses 1 and 2 above, for non-commercial use by the research and education communities, provided that any products or results of such use shall be published in the open literature without delay or restriction.
Clause 4
With the objective of encouraging the participation of governmental and non-governmental marine data gathering bodies in international oceanographic data exchange and maximizing the contribution of oceanographic data from all sources, this Policy acknowledges the right of Member States and data originators to determine the terms of such exchange, in a manner consistent with international conventions, where applicable.
Clause 5
Member States shall, to the best practicable degree, use data centres linked to the World Data System (WDS) and IODE’s NODCs, such as the World Ocean Database (WOD) and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), as long-term repositories for oceanographic data and associated metadata.
Clause 6
Member States shall enhance the capacity in developing countries to obtain and manage oceanographic data and information and assist them to benefit fully from the exchange of oceanographic data, associated metadata and products. This shall be achieved through the non-discriminatory transfer of technology and knowledge using appropriate means, including IOC’s Training Education and Mutual Assistance (TEMA) programme and through other relevant IOC programmes.
Definitions
‘Free and unrestricted’ means non-discriminatory and without charge. “Without charge”, in the context of this resolution means at no more than the cost of reproduction and delivery, without charge for the data and products themselves.
‘Data’ consists of oceanographic observation data, derived data and gridded fields.
‘Metadata’ is 'data about data' describing the content, quality, condition, and other characteristics of data.
‘Non-commercial’ means not conducted for profit, cost-recovery or re-sale.
‘Timely’ in this context means the distribution of data and/or products, sufficiently rapidly to be of value for a given application
‘Product’ means a value-added enhancement of data applied to a particular application.
----- PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE POLICY (2003) ------
During its twenty-second session (24 June - 4 July 2003) the IOC Assembly adopted Resolution IOC-XXII-6 entitled 'IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy.
IOC OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA EXCHANGE POLICY
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission,
Recalling Resolution XX-11 on Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (1999),
Noting:
(i) WMO Resolution 40 (Cg-XII) which defined a policy and practice for the international exchange of meteorological and related data and is intended to promote the free and unrestricted exchange of basic data,
(ii) The “Statement on Data Management Policy for Global Ocean Programmes” as submitted by the IOC Committee on IODE (Recommendation IODE-XIV.6, December 1992) and adopted by the IOC Assembly at its 17th Session (Paris, 25 February–11 March 1993) (para. 220 of the Summary Report of the Session),
Considering the reports of deliberations of:
(i) The Ad hoc Working Group on Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (Paris, 15–17 May 2000),
(ii) The First Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (Brussels, 29–31 May 2001),
(iii) The Second Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy (Paris, 17–18 June 2002),
Adopts the IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy as detailed in the Annex to this Resolution.
_____________________
Financial implications: none
Annex to Resolution XXII-6
IOC Oceanographic Data Exchange Policy
Preamble
The timely, free and unrestricted international exchange of oceanographic data is essential for the efficient acquisition, integration and use of ocean observations gathered by the countries of the world for a wide variety of purposes including the prediction of weather and climate, the operational forecasting of the marine environment, the preservation of life, the mitigation of human-induced changes in the marine and coastal environment, as well as for the advancement of scientific understanding that makes this possible.
Recognising the vital importance of these purposes to all humankind and the role of IOC and its programmes in this regard, the Member States of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission agree that the following clauses shall frame the IOC policy for the international exchange of oceanographic data and its associated metadata.
Clause 1
Member States shall provide timely, free and unrestricted access to all data, associated metadata and products generated under the auspices of IOC programmes.
Clause 2
Member States are encouraged to provide timely, free and unrestricted access to relevant data and associated metadata from non-IOC programmes that are essential for application to the preservation of life, beneficial public use and protection of the ocean environment, the forecasting of weather, the operational forecasting of the marine environment, the monitoring and modelling of climate and sustainable development in the marine environment.
Clause 3
Member States are encouraged to provide timely, free and unrestricted access to oceanographic data and associated metadata, as referred to in Clauses 1 and 2 above, for non-commercial use by the research and education communities, provided that any products or results of such use shall be published in the open literature without delay or restriction.
Clause 4
With the objective of encouraging the participation of governmental and non-governmental marine data gathering bodies in international oceanographic data exchange and maximizing the contribution of oceanographic data from all sources, this Policy acknowledges the right of Member States and data originators to determine the terms of such exchange, in a manner consistent with international conventions, where applicable.
Clause 5
Member States shall, to the best practicable degree, use data centres linked to IODE’s NODC and WDC network as long-term repositories for oceanographic data and associated metadata. IOC programmes will co-operate with data contributors to ensure that data can be accepted into the appropriate systems and can meet quality requirements.
Clause 6
Member States shall enhance the capacity in developing countries to obtain and manage oceanographic data and information and assist them to benefit fully from the exchange of oceanographic data, associated metadata and products. This shall be achieved through the non-discriminatory transfer of technology and knowledge using appropriate means, including IOC’s Training Education and Mutual Assistance (TEMA) programme and through other relevant IOC programmes.
Definitions
‘Free and unrestricted’ means non-discriminatory and without charge. “Without charge”, in the context of this resolution means at no more than the cost of reproduction and delivery, without charge for the data and products themselves.
‘Data’ consists of oceanographic observation data, derived data and gridded fields.
‘Metadata’ is 'data about data' describing the content, quality, condition, and other characteristics of data.
‘Non-commercial’ means not conducted for profit, cost-recovery or re-sale.
‘Timely’ in this context means the distribution of data and/or products, sufficiently rapidly to be of value for a given application
‘Product’ means a value-added enhancement of data applied to a particular application.
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Created on: Monday, 05 February 2007 02:00
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Last Updated on: Monday, 30 October 2023 08:35