Description

Access to and sharing of data is essential for biodiversity conservation. However, workers from
developing nations that harbor rich biodiversity often do not have access to biodiversity information
and often are not keen on making what data they have accessible to others. Open access initiatives
offer a great opportunity to make the world’s biodiversity information accessible to anyone, at any time
and in any place. This article reviews the state of open access in the developing world and argues for
the increase of data on biodiversity in the public domain. It makes specific suggestions about how the
developing world can reap the benefits of this global S&T movement to better conserve and sustain
biotic resources through the creation of a “virtual biodiversity research space”.