The efficient and effective use of data is the backbone of any Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system or application, both in terms of cost-efficiency and the reliability and quality of its outputs. To address this need, MARVIC has recently deployed an open metadata catalogue specifically tailored to MRV applications. The catalogue aims to facilitate the easier discovery of data, knowledge and information resources by collating metadata from a variety of sources in a single location and providing enhanced search functionality.
Metadata is information about data. It explains what a dataset or document contains, when it was produced, where the information comes from, and other relevant characteristics. In the context of MRV, knowing this information makes it possible to determine whether a dataset or knowledge source is suitable for a specific application. However, metadata is not always provided in a systematic and standardised manner, and much of it is scattered across different online and local platforms, limiting its findability and use in structured analyses.
MARVIC’s Metadata Catalogue, which can be accessed here, aims to become a one-stop online hub for MRV operators, land managers, advisors, researchers and governmental organisations seeking easy-to-find project and external resources relevant to all data-driven aspects of MRV. The catalogue is built on existing open-source software and current metadata standards, and currently contains around 1,500 records sourced from MARVIC Benchmark sites, EJP SOIL research activities and stocktakes of national soil data sources, as well as the BonaRes and ESDAC repositories.
One of the key customisations of MARVIC’s Metadata Catalogue is its MRV-specific filtering system. These filters enable users to selectively find datasets, models, services, software and other resources according to their spatial scope (from local to continental level), land use and monitoring network. In addition, users can filter resources by themes such as soil, atmospheric conditions, farm management and crops, among others.
The catalogue was developed according to a set of guiding principles, including the objective of making metadata, and ideally the data to which it refers, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). Moreover, whenever possible, the catalogue supports the MARVIC-developed “4R” concept as applied for MRV, which focuses on identifying the Right data source, for the Right MRV use, with the Right data quality and at the Right data resolution.
In addition to the metadata catalogue, MARVIC experts Fenny van Egmond (Wageningen Research), Joost Cruijsen (Wageningen Research) and Andrea Ferrarini (USCS) have recently published a report that provides further insights into the catalogue and offers guidance on applying the “4R” principle in MRV. Follow this link to access the document.
