Data Foundation for Actionable Science

The field of climate and environmental research heavily relies on scientific data to understand the complex interactions between the Earth’s systems and the impacts of human activities. High-quality data is critical to informing evidence-based policies and decision-making that address global environmental challenges. This chapter discusses the importance of a robust data foundation for actionable science within the realm of global environmental change. It overviews the historical transformation of climate research, highlighting the growing significance of data in the field. It then delves into the various types of scientific data, including observational data, remote sensing data, and model output data. The chapter further examines the challenges and limitations associated with these data types, such as data quality, availability, and accessibility. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of data management and sharing practices to promote open and reproducible science. It also discusses emerging data technologies and trends, such as big data and machine learning, and their potential applications in climate and environmental research.