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PAGES Databoard

Internationally accessible data archives are one of the primary foundations for paleoclimatic research that seeks to go beyond reporting results on a site-by-site basis. PAGES is committed to the IGBP (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme) principles of ensuring the preservation of all data needed for long-term, global change research and making them openly available as soon as they become widely useful. PAGES recognized the value of such data libraries at its outset and was an important early supporter of the World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder.

The WDC-Paleoclimatology is now a key source of paleoclimatic information that is made freely available to scientists across the globe. In addition to data repositories, PAGES, through the decisions of its Databoard, encourages the development of thematic (e.g., WDC-MARE / PANGAEA) and regional (e.g., MEDIAS) paleoclimate databases. Future progress in understanding climate history will depend increasingly on the provision of well-documented data by such data centers.

PAGES supports a Databoard with the primary responsibility of assuring compatibility and accessibility of available existing paleo-databases. The PAGES Databoard includes members from most major database centers but is open to anyone interested in participating.

The first Databoard meeting was held in Kandersteg, Switzerland from 4-6 March 2002. A second meeting was held in Bern at the PAGES IPO, from 20-21 May 2006.