Nunn School Faculty Candidate Job Talk:   Mariel Borowitz, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Maryland.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the global community, and understanding and addressing this issue requires the collection of environmental data. Although satellites can best collect much of this data, it is not possible for one nation to collect all relevant climate data on its own, and there are currently gaps and overlaps in relevant satellite data collection. Further, much of the data that is collected is not shared freely, but has barriers to access that limit its use for both scientific research and operational purposes. Quantitative analysis of satellite data-sharing policies for Earth observation data collected after 2000 as well as case studies of domestic agencies in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, show that arguments in three areas are key to the development of data-sharing policies. Policy development is

driven by 1) economic viewpoints, in particular whether data is viewed as a public good or a commodity, 2) philosophical views on whether government should act as a public trust for publicly collected data or whether data belongs to the general public, and 3) views on the global nature of the climate problem and the necessity for international cooperation in this area. This has important implications for public policy.

For example, additional research on the economic effects of free and open data sharing versus cost recovery efforts could provide useful input and allow for better-informed policy-making. Also, innovative public-private partnerships would be most effective in increasing data sharing and availability where data is viewed as a commodity and treated as a public trust. Finally, increased international cooperation that focuses on ensuring mutual benefits from data sharing is an effective method to influence policy development.