Leveraging Dataspaces to Operationalise Data Sharing for a Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF)

The Challenge

Environmental decision-making relies on accurate and accessible data. However, effective sharing of environmental data can be complicated by privacy, security, and ownership concerns. Trusted and secure data sharing frameworks and systems are needed to improve collaboration between the public and private sectors without compromising data sovereignty or security.

The Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF), an initiative led by the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute (WABSI) and the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), simplifies how we access, interpret, use, and manage environmental information. By creating a trusted data and information supply chain with easy-to-understand analytics, models and reports, SEAF translates science knowledge into timely information for use in research and decision-making.

To ensure SEAF’s data sharing framework is functional and interoperable, it needs to align with internationally recognised best practices. The International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) is a global organisation that establishes and promotes standards for dataspaces – trusted environments where organisations can share data while retaining full control over its use. Dataspaces are collaborative networks where trusted partners uphold high standards for data sharing to foster secure collaboration and unlock the potential of data in driving insights. The IDSA Rulebook provides a comprehensive framework that defines the principles, policies, and technical guidelines for governing and operating a dataspace to ensure secure, sovereign, and interoperable data exchange.

By aligning with the IDSA Rulebook, SEAF can integrate with other IDSA-compliant organisations and frameworks. This will position SEAF as a trusted platform for secure environmental data sharing.

The Response

The ARDC is supporting WABSI and WAMSI to assess the IDSA guidance and adapt it for SEAF, tailoring it for Australia’s environmental data sharing needs. The project will:

• evaluate how the governance, legal and technical standards from the IDSA Rulebook align with SEAF’s objectives
• establish a IDSA-certified pilot dataspace for SEAF.

A SEAF-equivalent of the IDSA Rulebook will be drafted to establish clear guidelines for data access, ownership and security. As part of this work, SEAF’s legal agreements and workflow quality system will be updated.

The project will also assess the technical requirements of IDSA dataspaces to understand how these can be adopted for SEAF, ensuring that data governance, privacy and interoperability are built into SEAF’s framework.

Who Will Benefit

Industry users will benefit from SEAF’s integration of the IDSA framework, which emphasises strong data control and robust security measures. Aligning with the IDSA framework enhances confidence in the governance of SEAF, allowing industry stakeholders to engage with data-sharing systems that are secure and well-regulated.

Government and research users can rely on consistent and robust data governance, which facilitates industry data sharing to enable research, evidence-based decision-making and regulatory processes.

The Partners

• Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute (WABSI)
• Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI)
• ARDC

Target Outcomes

The project will:

• evaluate how the governance, legal and technical standards from the IDSA Rulebook align with SEAF’s objectives
• establish a IDSA-compliant pilot dataspace for SEAF to determine what adjustments are needed to make them work in a SEAF context.
• draft a SEAF-equivalent of the IDSA Rulebook to establish clear guidelines for data access, ownership and security..

The project will also evaluate the technical requirements for integrating SEAF with IDSA-compliant dataspaces, ensuring interoperability and trust.

Key Resources

Learn more about dataspaces in an Australian context.