Infrastructure for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research

1. Infrastructure for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research

2. Introduction to LifeWatch • LifeWatch as a European research infrastructure • Structure of the proposed ERIC • LifeWatch (draft) Statutes • Current status and implementation

3. 1. Introduction to LifeWatch • Concept • Developments up to date and challenges ahead • Landscape of stakeholders • European and international position of LifeWatch

4. The big questions in biodiversity research Ecosystems Time and evolution Species DNA, proteins and genes Scale @ Robert Guralnick & Andrew Hill (Univ Colorado)

5. doing what IPCC did for Climate Change for biodiversity Nagoya – 2010 – CBD targets The mission of the Strategic Plan is to “take effective and urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that by 2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services, … Thereby securing the planet’s variety of life, and contributing to human well-being, and poverty eradication ……

6. Biodiversity Observation Network

7. The biodiversity system is complex and cannot be described by the simple sum of its components and relations Experimentation on a few parameters is not enough: Limitations to scaling up results for understanding system properties LifeWatch adds a new technology to support the generation and analysis of large-scale data-sets on biodiversity. Find patterns and learn processes.

8. 4a. Technical architecture Composition: Sharing data and algorithms; scientists can address questions not otherwise considered. User groups can create their own e-laboratories or e-services within a common architecture of the infrastructure A Service Centre supports the ‘community driven’ infrastructure, which promotes innovation E-Infrastructure secures fast access to data, data integration and operational performance.

9. Some external relations

10. International liaisons • Global • GEO BON – GEO Biodiversity Observatory Network • GBIF – Global Biodiversity Information Facility • International • US – DataOne environmental data infrastructure • Brazil – CRIA Centro de Referencia em Informação Ambiental • China – Chinese Academy of Sciences • South Africa – Ministry of S&T; SA National Biodiversity Institute • US- DataONE • Cooperation in EU funded project: Coordination of Research e-Infrastructures Activities Toward an International Virtual Environment for Biodiversity

11. 2. LifeWatch as a “European” ERIC • LifeWatch necessary for European research • Added value for the ERA • Users access to LifeWatch • Mobility of knowledge and research • Innovation, dissemination and knowledge transfer

12. 2a. LifeWatch necessary for European research • League of European Research Universities (LERU), June 2010: • Biodiversity research would greatly profit from a synthesis of the data on taxonomic identity, species’ indicator values, geo- physical data, distribution data, climate data, remote sensing observations, and sensor networks. • The transition to a transparent, efficient, open access infrastructure where data, resources, analytical and modelling tools and, foremost, people and expertise come together is imperative to meet the challenges of the future. • Europe must invest in adequate infrastructures to support biodiversity research • European-wide biodiversity infrastructures, such as the ESFRI ́LifeWatch ́ project, are of key importance. • The main concerned EU Networks of Excellence initiated the design plan for LifeWatch with their understanding that breakthroughs in biodiversity science require a sufficient large European-scale research infrastructure capable of providing the advanced capabilities for data integration, analysis and simulations to complement reductionist experimentation.

13. 2b. Added value for the ERA ERA 2009 report ‘Preparing Europe for a New Renaissance’: • A new, holistic way of thinking is required. • We need to develop better tools to predict trends, to supply evidence for decisions. This is exactly for which the LifeWatch infrastructure provides the instruments to empower scientists and other users. • Opportunities for joint large-scale projects and services • Prioritisation of data capture plans at the European scale • Change the ways we are doing our science • Facilitate large scale cooperation in virtual environments and physical exchange of researchers • Increase the scientific, technological and economic spin-off and competitiveness

14. 2c. Users access to LifeWatch • Access to LifeWatch is open and effective for any user through the infrastructure portal. • This facilitates joining existing virtual labs or the creation of new virtual labs, while benefitting from data sources and analytical tools. • In case of limited infrastructure capacity, a selection process with focus on excellence provides access under the independent scientific evaluation policy.

15. 2d. Mobility of knowledge and research • Unrestricted access with respect to the mobility of knowledge within the infrastructure digital environment. • Virtual laboratories are promoting mobility with new approaches for collaboration and interaction. • Physical access supported in the distributed LifeWatch Centres of choice. • Independent scientific evaluation supports the priority for excellent researchers and their ideas.

16. 2e. Innovation, dissemination and knowledge transfer • Infrastructure support for (open access) publications with on-line availability of the data and algorithms underpinning the conclusions in the publications. • Sharing of data and algorithms users as public domain policy embedded in the LifeWatch operations. • Encouraging the publication of scientific results in open access journals and comparable media. • Facilitation of the dissemination and transfer of results for community research, technological development and demonstration, as well innovation.

17. 3. Structure of the proposed LifeWatch ERIC • Outline of the technical structure • Construction plan • LifeWatch as a distributed research infrastructure • Legal and financial implications

18. LifeWatch comprises an infrastructure with • access to distributed observatories/sensors • Interoperable and integrated databases • computational capability • and computational capacity. • A single portal for researchers, policy makers, industries and public at large • Find data and model to analyse statistical relationships • Accelerate data capture with new technologies • Structure the scientific community • with new opportunities for large-scale projects

19. LifeWatchMasterplan Quality Assurance and RiskManagement Plan Construction Phase Plan Operational Phase Plan Strategic level: LifeWatch Business Plan Strategic level: LifeWatch Construction Strategy Tactical level: LifeWatch 5-year forecasts Tactical level: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally Operational level: LifeWatch 2-year planning Operational level: LifeWatch Construction Plan

20. 4c. LifeWatch is a distributed research infrastructure Data grid monitoring sites sensors collections Soft/Middleware grid Computing grid Part of an international infrastructure grid

21. General Assembly Representation of member states LifeWatch Central and common Facilities Distributed LifeWatch Centre Distributed LifeWatch Centre Distributed LifeWatch Centre Distributed LifeWatch Centre

22. 4. LifeWatch ERIC Statutes • Meets the ERIC regulation. • Concerns the LifeWatch Common Facilities as ‘owned’ and controlled by the ERIC. • Not-ERIC entities operating within a service-level-agreement. • Open access; quality selection when limited service capacity.

23. Governance and management GENERAL ASSEMBLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE OFFICERS MANAGERS Operating the organisation

24. Cost book based on Construction projects • Construction Start-up and Management (STARTUP) • Organisation and governance (ORG) • Corporate Communication (COMM) • Technical construction (TECH) • Service Centre (SERV) • Application Services (ICTSERV) • Biodiversity Themed Research Tasks (RESTASKS) • Enabling accelerated and targeted data generation (DATAGEN) • Innovation Lab (ILAB) • Scientific Networks Community Engagement (SCSUPP) • Breeding environment for Temporary Collaborative Networks (BTCN)

25. Cost Book principles • All investments and activities recorded on full costs • Includes building space, equipment, hardware, software (development), licences, overhead costs • Construction costs time line • Assumed start in 2011; 5 years construction; year 6 is full operation • Costs assessed for different categories • Capital, staff, service, running, third party, overhead and depreciation costs • Release planning to accommodate real cash flow development • Core and not core • Low and high priority

26. Model for country contributions • Cost book adds up to € 219.910.000 over 5 years. • The minimal contribution of a country is based on its relative GDP, with a minimal threshold and % reduction for countries with highest GDP. • 15% of calculated contribution is in-cash for the ERIC (Common Facilities); 85% is in-kind (in country). • All contributions are fixed for 5 years.

27. 5. Where is LifeWatch now? 1 Feb 2008 1 Feb 2011 1 Sept 2012 Preparatory Phase Start-up phase Construction phase Policy & Science Board Stakeholders Board General Assembly Governance Project Consortium Start-up Team in 3 countries ERIC Organisation Execution Distributed LW Centres

28. Country status 21 Letters of Interest (2007 – 2010) Slovenia Spain Sweden Turkey United Kingdom Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Albania Austria Belgium Denmark Hungary Italy Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovak Rep. 8 Memorandums of Intent (2010) Finland Greece Hungary Italy Spain Sweden Netherlands Romania Memorandum of Understanding (Jan 2011, for the Start up phase) Hungary Italy Netherlands Romania Spain European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) (starting with a MoU for the ERIC application)

29. MoU to start the pre-application procedure 19th October 2011: 5 countries (and at least two following) agreed to sign a MoU, stating: • Proposed Statutes to establish the LifeWatch ERIC are concluded. • The Kingdom of Spain acts as the Statutory Seat of the LifeWatch ERIC. • The Technical and Scientific Description of LifeWatch explains the principal tasks and the boundaries and the planned agreements between the LifeWatch ERIC and its distributed legal entities. • Tax exemptions of the future ERIC, as foreseen in the ERIC regulation, are according to the limits and conditions of these tax exemptions as specified in the ERIC Statutes, Annex 3

30. ERIC Common Facilities: LifeWatch ERIC organisation in three sites Statutory Seat & ICT core technology Spain Service Centre Italy Virtual Labs & Innov. Lab The Netherlands

31. Negotiation Legal regulations Currently an one year start-up phase: also to put the administrative organisation in place Organisation Financial projections Personnel

32. Further tentative schedule • Final draft of Statutes to be confirmed by the Stakeholders Board in mid November 2011. • Agreement with Spanish authorities about taxes exemption declaration by end of November 2011. • Pre-submission of the ERIC documents to the Commission by December 2011. • Official application (step 1) for the ERIC by January-February 2012.

33. Thank you for your attention