Guidance for local authorities on publishing through the GBIF network, helping preserve knowledge about biodiversity.

Local governments around the world have a new tool to help share and use vast amounts of biodiversity knowledge collected in the course of their work.

A best practice guide published by GBIF and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, details the simple steps needed to preserve data and make them accessible via the Internet.

The intention is to increase awareness of the tools and protocols available to publish biodiversity data collected as part of local government planning processes, which are often lost after completion of reports or collected in inconsistent formats that cannot be easily archived or shared.

The guide notes that local governments are becoming increasingly important as managers and users of biodiversity assets, with their responsibilities for environmental management and planning, regulation of land use, and supporting implementation of policies and strategies relating to biodiversity.

In planning, provision of services and management of urban green spaces, local governments are both significant users and generators of biodiversity data. The steps outlined in the guide will help improve the availability of and access to readily usable and verifiable biodiversity data.

The guide, supported by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), describes how biodiversity data publishing can be incorporated into planning, policy development and decision-making processes in local government.

Among the advantages to local governments of publishing data using the tools outlined in the guide are:

• It enables free and open access to biodiversity data, essential for biodiversity-inclusive planning at local level;
• It facilitates expansion and improvement of local, national and global biodiversity databases leading to more sustainable decision-making;
• It helps practitioners doing specialist work for local government to gain recognition by enabling them to be cited in future uses of data they collect.

GBIF Executive Director Donald Hobern said, “This guide demonstrates that by following simple guidelines and procedures, data collected through local planning processes can be saved and usefully deployed for the benefit of all.

“The document has been a successful partnership between GBIF and our colleagues at ICLEI and the CBD, and shows the potential for combining local and global action to advance biodiversity knowledge. We hope it will be widely taken up and used.”

Kobie Brand, ICLEI's Global Biodiversity Coordinator added, “Sound policy is underpinned by sound data. For local governments committed to the conservation of ecosystems and sustainable use of natural resources, this guide constitutes an essential management tool.

“It will help to accelerate the mobilization of high-quality strategic data, thereby underpinning local government planning with a growing knowledge base. We encourage all local governments to make good use of the guide."

The guide also has the endorsement of the CBD Executive Secretary, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, who said, “Local governments have a critical contribution to make towards the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the achievement of its Aichi targets. It is well known that they are responsible for much of the action required to fulfill these aims but their role is also essential when it comes to the assessment.

“Local governments have access to a wealth of fine-scale data which, if shared in a consistent format, enables effective policy implementation at local level as well as contributing to improved data resolution across the landscape for the benefit of biodiversity practitioners at all levels. GBIF plays a central role in driving this process and has now facilitated it further with this set of guidelines.”
       
In addition to the full guide giving comprehensive background and details of GBIF tools and services, a concise version is available for local government practitioners.

For further information, please contact:
Vishwas Chavan
GBIF Secretariat
vchavan@gbif.org

For press enquiries, please contact:
Tim Hirsch
GBIF Secretariat
thirsch@gbif.org

Notes to editors:
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) was established by governments in 2001 to encourage free and open access to biodiversity data, via the Internet. Through a global network of 57 countries and 47 organizations, GBIF promotes and facilitates the mobilization, access, discovery and use of information about the occurrence of organisms over time and across the planet. For more information please visit www.gbif.org

ICLEI: Local Governments for Sustainability is an international association of local governments and national and regional government organizations committed to sustainable development. ICLEI’s mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments committed to achieving tangible improvements in global sustainability through cumulative local actions. For more information please visit: www.iclei.org

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 193 Parties, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. The Secretariat of the Convention is located in Montreal. For more information visit: www.cbd.int.
For additional information, please contact: David Ainsworth on +1 514 287 7025 or at david.ainsworth_@If you can read this, please upgrade to a modern browser.cbd.int; or Johan Hedlund on +1 514 287 6670 or at johan.hedlund_@If you can read this, please upgrade to a modern browser.cbd.int.