The Global Biodiversity Information Facility’s (GBIF) objective is to enable users throughout the world to openly share and put to use vast quantities of global biodiversity data, thereby advancing scientific research in many disciplines, promoting technological and sustainable development, facilitating the conservation of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of its benefits, and enhancing the quality of life of members of society.
Ireland became a member of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility in 2008, and the National Biodiversity Data Centre serves as the GBIF node for Ireland. Biodiversity data contained in the Data Centre’s database feeds into the GBIF portal to ensure that future international and global maps can include Irish data. It also means that the GBIF data resources of more than 3 billion global biodiversity records are available to the Irish research community. Data can be accessed through the GBIF data portal.
Dr Liam Lysaght (NBDC) is the Chair of the GBIF Governing Board, Gemma Weir (NPWS) is Ireland’s Head of Delegation to GBIF and Dr Michelle Judge (NBDC) is Ireland’s GBIF Node Manager.
