Decision makers on biodiversity require up-to-date information to evaluate policy options effectively. Synthesising large volumes of data, employing advanced modelling techniques and utilising powerful computing tools are necessary for achieving this within relevant policy timescales.
Data on biodiversity come from a diverse range of sources, but integrating these data is a major challenge, if we are to create reliable information on biodiversity change. The B-Cubed project (Biodiversity Building Blocks for Policy) will use the concept of data cubes to simplify and standardise access to biodiversity data. These cubes will be used in conjunction with other environmental data as the basis for models and indicators of past, current and future biodiversity.
The overarching goal of the project is to provide easy access to tools in a cloud computing environment, in real-time and on-demand, with state of the art prediction models of biodiversity, that will output models and indicators of biodiversity status and change. The project envisages a future where primary biodiversity data are seamlessly integrated into monitoring and forecasting such that policy and management can proactively respond to problems while at the same time reduce the costs of monitoring and management, and the negative impacts of biodiversity change.
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