Uplifting FAIR and CARE Across Earth and Environmental Science Data: A Discussion Paper

Read our discussion paper outlining the core challenges and recommendations for the earth and environmental sciences in delivering Consistent Standards for Data Collection, Curation and Access (Outcome 3) of Australia’s 2024 National Data Research Infrastructure (NDRI) Strategy.

  • Senior researchers
  • Infrastructure providers (including research facilities)
  • Data custodians/managers
  • Government
  • Industry

By the end of reading/using this resource, you should be able to understand challenges, opportunities, and proposed solutions for uplifting FAIR and CARE across earth and in environmental science facilities.

This discussion paper, prepared by the ARDC Planet Research Data Commons, identifies key challenges and recommendations for the earth and environmental sciences in achieving Outcome 3 of Australia’s 2024 National Data Research Infrastructure (NDRI) Strategy. Outcome 3 aims to establish consistent standards for data collection, curation, and access by 2030 through a cross-sector data management framework that supports the FAIR and CARE Principles.

Executive Summary

The scope of this discussion focuses on how the machine-actionability of data – aligned with the FAIR Principles – may be uplifted across environmental and earth sciences (E&ES) National Research Infrastructures (NRIs), institutes and National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) Facilities. In the context of the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, our focus is on those elements of implementing the CARE Principles that can be supported by improvements in FAIR data capability, specifically by improving machine-actionability of data and metadata across E&ES research. 

E&ES deals with vast, diverse, heterogeneous datasets, creating significant challenges to ensure data aligns with the FAIR and the CARE Principles. Across the E&ES domains, there are different data norms, capacities and standards. There are limitations to data integration and reusability, including for data engineering and responsible AI, due to a need for more rich, standardised and machine-actionable metadata and data. Furthermore, current repository systems often have limitations in data curation and storing metadata that meets FAIR and CARE requirements. There is also limited support and few incentives for researchers and National Data Research Infrastructures to fully implement the FAIR Principles in a machine-actionable way, including capturing metadata that supports the CARE Principles.

The Discussion Paper authors propose a combined approach that addresses the technology and social challenges of E&ES researchers and research data facilities to uplift FAIR data and elements of CARE Principles in the collection, management, curation and publication of their research input and output artefacts, including data, samples, software and models.

The authors propose a combined approach to address both technological and social challenges faced by E&ES researchers and research data facilities to uplift FAIR and CARE. The discussion proposes the following 3 recommendations:

  1. converge toward a national framework around core principles and standards for progressing FAIR and elements of the CARE Principles in E&ES
  2. uplift core data services and outreach to support FAIR and elements of the CARE Principles for E&ES
  3. activate leadership and coordination to uplift FAIR and elements of CARE for E&ES data. 

The anticipated benefits of an uplift include: 

  • improved machine-actionable FAIR E&ES data infrastructures
  • enhanced international competitiveness
  • efficient tracking of impact and investment
  • equitable access to FAIR services
  • responsible data reuse that respects Indigenous Data Governance principles.

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