Unlocking local government biodiversity information: new frontiers in biodiversity informatics

Local governments are critical contributors to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and attainment of the Aichi Targets. They also have access to a wealth of fine-scale biodiversity data, which if shared in a consistent format, enable effective policy implementation at a local level, as well as contributing to improved data resolution across the landscape. Free and open access to these data will result in evidence-based science and informed decision-making at all levels.

Local government data publishing came to the forefront at the CBD COP11 held in Hyderabad, first at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) side event on 8 October: “From the sidelines, to the mainstream: engaging newer communities in biodiversity data publishing,”. There Russell Galt, ICLEI – Cities Biodiversity Center, Manager of Policy, Strategy and Development, highlighted some of the opportunities and constraints experienced by local governments using biodiversity data to influence management decisions on the ground.  In another event, the Cities for Life: City and Subnational Biodiversity Summit on 16 October, Tim Hirsch, Senior Programme Officer for Engagement of the GBIF Secretariat, stated in his presentation that: “there is a lot of data being generated by local governments that at the moment is done so in a form that is not readily useable by scientists and decision-makers.”

In an attempt to address the biodiversity data challenge, on 17 October, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability in association with the GBIF and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), held a training workshop. This was a first of its kind, to empower local government practitioners with the available tools to standardise, publish and make their biodiversity data publicly accessible via the internet. This workshop is part of a GBIF mentoring programme, involving SANBI and ICLEI’s Cities Biodiversity Centre. Individuals attending the workshop included delegates from Japan, São Paulo, the Deputy Mayor of Brest, France and representatives of a number of research institutes, and organisations in India.

Tim Hirsch commenced the workshop with a thorough overview of the GBIF portal and in an interactive session facilitated the workshop participants in navigating through the website. Thereafter, facilitated discussions in breakaway groups highlighted some of the constraints and opportunities that local government practitioners encounter with their biodiversity data publishing.  This information will be utilised to inform ICLEI’s strategy in facilitating more local governments to overcome these challenges. Lastly, the GBIF best practice guide for data publishing by local governments was highlighted and participants were introduced to the various tools and guidelines freely available to them for biodiversity data publishing.  This guide is available here.

As the world’s largest network of local governments working on sustainable development, ICLEI with guidance  from SANBI, is in the final stages of becoming a ‘GBIF Node Manager’ for local governments; a role which entails capacitating and encouraging local government practitioners to use the facility. By publishing their data, local governments will enhance the quality, predictive value, verifiability and transparency of their planning processes, thus improving land-use decisions and the confidence civil society can place in these decisions. This is certainly a new frontier for local governments and biodiversity informatics.