DMWG "Full and Open" Definition (1997)

October 6, 1997

Dr. J. Baker, Chair
Subcommittee on Environment and Natural Resources

The Subcommittee on Global Change Research requests that the CENR adopt a common definition of the term "full and open" when applied to the access of environment and natural resources data and information produced or commissioned by the federal government. Further, that you use your good offices to have such a definition endorsed by the Science Advisor to the President.

The term "full and open", or "free and unrestricted", in data and information exchange has been broadly used in national and international contexts. A summary is attached. The U.S. representatives to international organizations need to have a common definition of this term for consistent U.S. leadership. The U.S. does not now have such a definition.

However, the NAS/NRC has adopted and published a definition of "full and open" based on internationally agreed upon Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1994) and World Meteorological Organization (1995) publications. This year the NRC has issued it's "Bits of Power" report whose recommendations included the adoption of "full and open" data access as the international norm. Based on these NAS/NRC reports, the definition for which approval is requested is:

"Full and open availability is defined as being available without restriction, on a non-discriminatory basis, for no more than the cost of reproduction and distribution."

Adoption of this definition appears consistent with OMB Circular A-130, which does not specifically use the term "full and open", and the "Policy Statements on Data Management for Global Change Research." These policy statements were endorsed in 1991 by the Science Advisor to the President on Science and Technology Policy and reiterated by the present Science Advisor in 1994.

Thank you for your consideration of this request,

R. Corell, Chair
CENR Subcommittee on Global Change Research

"Full and Open" Background

1. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Executive Council Resolution, Adopted November 1990

   "Requests members to reaffirm their commitment to the `free and unrestricted international exchange of basic meteorological data and products' among national meteorological services."

2. Scientific and Technical Statement of the Second World Climate Conference (SWCC), Adopted November 1990

   "Data should be available at no more than the cost of reproduction and distribution. A Full and open exchange of global and other data sets needed for climate related studies is required."

3. International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), ICSU Report No. 12, November 1990

   "Data should be provided at the lowest possible cost which, as a first principle, should be no more than the cost of reproduction and distribution."

4. Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), Terms of Reference Amendment, adopted November 1990

   ". . . provide non-discriminatory and full access to data which will be made available to the international community."

5. U.S. Data Management for Global Change Policy Statements (1991)

   "Full and open sharing of the full suite of global data sets for all global change researchers is a fundamental objective."

   "Data should be provided at the lowest possible cost . . ., as a first principle, be no more than a specific user request."

6. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Ministerial Communique, Adopted January 1991

   ". . . promote a full and open exchange of environmental data and information."

7. Agreement Establishing the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, May 1992

   ". . . promote the full, open, and efficient exchange of data and information . . ."

8. Agenda 21, UN Conference on the Environment and Development (UNCED), June 1992

   "This requires full an open sharing of data and information among scientists and decision makers."

9. Framework Convention on Climate Change, June 1992

   "Promote and cooperate in the full, open, and prompt exchange of relevant scientific, technological, technical, socio-economic and legal information related to climate change, and to the economic and social consequences of various strategies"

10. Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Resolution, December 1992

    ". . . non-discriminatory access to satellite data by all users for global change/climate and environmental research and monitoring is essential."

    ". . . programs should have no exclusive use period."

11. Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) policy on data access, January 1993

    ". . . ensuring the unrestricted international exchange of GCOS data for non-commercial scientific and applications purposes."

    "Data should be provided at the lowest possible cost to users."

12. UN Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Data Management Policy for Global Ocean Programmes, Adopted March 1993

    "Overall purpose of this policy statement is to facilitate full and open access to quality ocean data . . ."

    ". . . should be provided at lowest possible cost to global ocean researchers in the interest of full and open access to data. This cost should, as a first principle, be no more than the marginal cost of processing copying, and shipping to fill a specific user request."

13. Intergovernmental Meeting of the World Climate Programme, Statement on the Climate Agenda, April 1993

    "established . . . a coordinated international framework for the standardization and full and open exchange of such data."

14. OMB Circular A-130, Management of Federal Information Resources, July 1993

    "Government information is a valuable natural resource."

    "The free flow of information between the government and the public is essential to a democratic society."

    "Federal information resources should protect the public's right of access to government information."

    "The open and efficient exchange of scientific and technical information . . . fosters excellence in scientific research and effective use of Federal research and development funds."

15. American Meteorological Society, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, April 1994, pp. 549-551

    "It has been long-standing U.S. policy to make its meteorological satellite data and the products of its National Meteorological Center freely available internationally."

    ". . . sees the present (WMO) restrictions as ominous harbingers of further deterioration of the global free data exchange system unless actions are taken to reverse these restrictions."

    "Weather data at all timescales and space scales will be needed to address various aspects of the climate problem."

16. International Social Science Council General Assembly, Social Science Data Management Policy, adopted December 1994

    "Full and open sharing of the full suite of datasets for all social scientists is a fundamental goal."

    "Data should be provided at the lowest possible cost . . . This cost should, as a first principle, be no more than the marginal cost of filling a specific user request."

17. National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Committee on Geophysical and Environmental Data. "On the Full and Open Exchange of Scientific Data". National Academy of Sciences Press, 1995.

    ". . . global change research and environmental monitoring depend crucially on the principle of full and open data exchange (i.e., data and information are made available without restriction, on a non-discriminatory basis, for no more than the cost of reproduction and distribution)."

    ". . . terms like `full and open exchange' and `free and unrestricted exchange' are effectively equivalent."

18. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, XVIII Assembly, June 1995

    ". . . to continue to foster the concept of rapid full and open exchange of data."

19. Bits of Power, Issues in Global Access to Scientific Data, National Research Council, April 1997

    "Underlying the committees approach, however, and informing its conclusions and recommendations, is the principle that full and open exchange of scientific data--the "bits of power" on which the health of the scientific enterprise depends--is vital for advancing the nation's progress and for maximizing the social benefits that accrue from science worldwide."

    "Full and open access to scientific data should be adopted as the international norm for the exchange of scientific data derived from publicly funded research."

    "By `full and open exchange' the committee means that the data and information from publicly funded research are made available with as few restrictions as possible, on a nondiscriminatory basis, for no more than the cost of reproduction."