The effort of reaching Net Zero by 2050 will need a combination of global investment and innovation on a scale never seen before.
Many business sectors and countries are already developing their plans to achieve this target, by significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and even looking at ways to reverse the effects. But these efforts need to be accurately measured, not only to assess their impact but also to provide proof that individuals, organisations and nations are indeed doing what they say they are doing. In short there is no decarbonisation without data.
Therefore we need new ways to make data related to Net Zero F.A.I.R. .. Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. This means that every organisation’s data strategy now needs to explain, not only how it can collect and analyse data to achieve its targets, but also how it will allow its Net Zero data to be discoverable and sharable.
But what is F.A.I.R. Net Zero data?
Findable
Data that can be discovered can be more easily used. Therefore data providers should present their Net Zero Data sources in a searchable and browsable catalogue, categorising each with the relevant meta data, to explain what they contain.
Accessible
Providing data sources just using propriety approaches makes them harder to share with consumers. Therefore, Net Zero data must be made available via commonly used and open / free technologies such as: http(s), REST, JSON, XML, etc.
Note: Even providing a simple CSV file of carbon emission data can be more useful than providing it in a bespoke file type that only users of a specific application can utilise.
Interoperable
Data saved and made available in such a way that is it compatible both with other similar sources and future versions is usually much easier to work with. When Net Zero data is shared, it should therefore be done using an open standard, so that others can use it and do the same.
Note: If such a specific standard does not exist, different representatives from across a sector can work together to create such an open standard. But wherever possible, this should use or align with existing data standards (e.g. common date & time, geospatial, language or financial specifications).
Reusable
Data limited in its use by the owner, such as it is not allowed to be subsequently enriched or combined with other sources, can have less value that truly Open Data – that which is entirely free, perhaps with just the condition that the owner / source is credited somehow.
But if this cannot be the case (e.g. the Net Zero data has to be restricted in some way), then the license conditions for usage and re-sharing must be clearly documented and can only place the minimum level of restrictions possible on the data.