Data availability and coverage

Improvements in types of measurements and storage in archives is a high priority. An important aspect of data use, by which degradation can be detected and monitored, is improved access.  Archives and data bases (Section 4.4.3.5.) are increasing in number and size, but tend to concentrate on data for large-areas, while more local data remain with those who made the observations. “Data users often find it difficult to locate and obtain consistent and comparable data, even within a single country. Nearly all nations collect some data-  –often in more than one agency – but these frequently have different procedures and rules for making data available, or cannot do so at all since data distribution is not their mission. Some public data archives have been established by international organizations (Biancalani et al., 2013; GEO, 2017; Global Observing System, 2018; UNEP, 2006; WOCAT, 2015), and several national agencies (e.g., ESA, 2017; Government of Canada, 2017; NASA, 2017; NCEI, 2017) and also more specialized agencies (e.g. GFOI, 2017; ISMN, 2017; Ulloa et al., 2017)[1

However, there is a critical need to expand data collection and monitoring, to enhance the types and coverage of data collected, and proactively to search for existing data and to make them accessible. The current status of national to global biophysical data and its availability for land degradation and restoration is unacceptable. Only with new, intensive, focussed programmes at national and international levels will biophysical research and applications to control degradation advance. »

[1] See Full Assessment for reference lists