Information, Data, Action
Lately, there has been a lot of talk about data. And rightly so.
For those who think in numbers, data is comforting. It’s clear, structured, and tells a story. Biodiversity data has long been fragmented and underfunded — so it’s about time it got the spotlight. Without data, we don’t know where we are, what’s at risk, or what’s working. So yay to data.
At the same time, many feel like: enough with the data. We already know that life’s support systems are being pushed beyond their limits. We know biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. We don’t need any more charts to prove that destruction is happening. What we need is action.
That tension between wanting more knowledge and demanding more urgency is a sign of awareness, of being awake, and paying attention.
That’s exactly what Target 21 is about:
Ensure that data and knowledge are available and accessible to guide biodiversity action.
It’s another long description — 73 words this time — but it holds up pretty well:
“Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge are accessible to decision-makers, practitioners and the public to guide effective and equitable governance, integrated and participatory management of biodiversity, and to strengthen communication, awareness-raising, education, monitoring, research and knowledge management and, also in this context, traditional knowledge, innovations, practices and technologies of Indigenous peoples and local communities should only be accessed with their free, prior and informed consent in accordance with national legislation.”
It’s powerful that this target doesn’t just focus on scientists and policymakers. It emphasizes the public. Because in a time of disinformation and doubt, access to reliable knowledge isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity.
Science and data are fantastic tools. Once we have the information, we can, and need to, make our own, more emotional choices. And since biodiversity means life, it shouldn’t be a hard choice.
Ensure That Data and Knowledge are Available and Accessible to Guide Biodiversity Action
Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge are accessible to decision-makers, practitioners and the public to guide effective and equitable governance, integrated and participatory management of biodiversity, and to strengthen communication, awareness-raising, education, monitoring, research and knowledge management and, also in this context, traditional knowledge, innovations, practices and technologies of Indigenous peoples and local communities should only be accessed with their free, prior and informed consent in accordance with national legislation.