Free and open access to biodiversity data

Biodiversity loss and climate change interact in many ways, reflecting two sides of the same problem: humanity’s unsustainable relationship with the natural world. Explore the research relying on data from the GBIF network to understand and assess the growing impact that changing temperatures, precipitation and other climate-related phenomena are having on biodiversity.

Information is the single most important variable necessary to support research, monitoring and management of alien and invasive species. From identifying and predicting potential invasions to improving management applications, detection strategies, and risk assessments, GBIF plays a pivotal role in fulfilling data needs about these costly and disruptive forces of change.

Knowing where the species that transmit disease-causing pathogens occur is important for recognizing, managing and preventing potential threats to human communities. Data shared through the GBIF network enables scientists and researchers to map the wild host, vector and reservoir species involved in cycles of disease transmission and how their distributions are changing.

GBIF-mediated data is used for mapping species distributions and for calculating Area of Occupancy (AOO) and Extent of Occurrence, measures key to assessing threat level and categorizing species on the Red List.

GBIF hosted portals offer simple, customizable websites that support biodiversity data use and engagement at national, institutional, regional and thematic scales. This service, which Participant nodes and their partners can apply to anytime, lowers the technical demands for delivering relevant biodiversity data to communities around the world.

Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) is a multi-year programme funded by the European Union and led by GBIF with the aim of enhancing capacity for effective mobilization and use of biodiversity data in research and policy in the ‘ACP’ nations of sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

BIFA—the Biodiversity Information Fund for Asia—provides supplementary support for existing activities within the GBIF network, addressing the needs of regional researchers and policymakers through mobilization and use of biodiversity data. The programme is the outcome of a contribution from the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan, earmarked for activities in Asia.

This programme aims to address specific capacity needs identified by GBIF Participants by facilitating collaboration at regional and global levels, providing co-funding for capacity enhancement projects based on combinations of mentoring activities, regional training workshops and documentation.

Starting in 2018, the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF), the GBIF national node for Finland, has provided funding directed toward support of projects that mobilize biodiversity data and promote national training and capacity-building activities around data publishing in the region.