IGF 2019 WS #277 Enhancing Partnership on Big data for SDGs

Information

Session

Theme:

Subtheme(s):

Big Data
Cross border data
Data Services

Organizer 1: CHANG LIU, China Association for Science and Technology、Chinese Institute of Electronics
Organizer 2: Rui ZHONG, Internet Society of China
Organizer 3: Yu Liu, China Internet Development Foundation
Organizer 4: Xiang Zhou, China Association for Science and Technology (CAST)

Speaker 1: Steven Ramage, Intergovernmental Organization, Intergovernmental Organization
Speaker 2: Daisy Selematsela, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Chuang Liu, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 4: Ricardo Israel Robles Pelayo, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Policy Question(s):

1.Consequences of Data Concentration This session will address developmental, legal and technical issues raised by increasing concentration of data, analyze the incentives of all stakeholders involved, and feasible approach to ensure equitable access to dataset, especially a case study on portal of earth observation data, i.e. GEO DAB (Discovery and Access Broker) . 2.Trans border data flows: What policy considerations, legal and technology frameworks should be developed for data transfers for various purposes at national, regional and global level, especially the advantages of cloud services and imported strategies in developing countries. 3.Accountability - responsibility, political and technical accountability apply to the publication and reuse of dataset and algorithms, and how to achieve fairness by introducing governance frameworks. How the proposed regulatory framework hold accountable the different stakeholders (e.g. governments, users, private sector both large and small businesses) in the transnational use of data; An example of Global Change Data Publishing and Repository using DOI will be analyzed and discussed.

Relevance to Theme: In 2015, countries agreed on adoption of a new sustainable development agenda, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. It will require the participation of all countries, stakeholders and people with support of science and technology. It is a common view for most countries that advanced technologies like the Big data, Internet and communication infrastructure can be used to promote economic growth and the well-being of the citizens. Nowadays, most developing countries are still struggling to bridge the "Digital Divide" with limited investments in ICT, education and innovation. In the coming decades, Big Data undoubtedly will be driving force for transforming the World and cross border data services will develop the knowledge for responding effectively to the risks and opportunities of society and economy development. The developing countries would benefit from data governance having readily available accepted principles and guidelines to explore and make accessible a wide range of data and efficient services. The data-driven technology and best practices on preservation and Open Access to data across countries and international communities will play important roles in enhancing joint efforts and achieving SDGs.

Relevance to Internet Governance: Globalization and sustainable development are the main trend at present, and there is lack of adequate balance, coordination or sustainability in the course of development. Population, resources and the environment still are great challenges for economic and social development of developing world. There are more and more big data programs and actions over the world in either global scale, such as Open Data in a Big Data Era (International Council for Sciences-ICSU), long term program, such as the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange" (IODE-UNESCO), regional scales, such as Global Change Research Data Publishing & Repository (Chinese Academy of Sciences – CAS), and many local scale data programs. The new challenges from the big data cover the data in not only local scale, but regional and global; not only issues on data sharing, but data quality, security, timely, intellectual protection, networking, inter-operational technology etc. New laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will frame a new big data environment, all these issues requires the deep understanding and discussion in the context of internet governance. In order to recognize the big data challenges more focusable address the issues more efficiently and find out solutions more reliable, a common understanding of big data governance should come out soon.

Format:

Panel - Auditorium - 90 Min

Description: With adoption of the UN 2030 sustainable development agenda, the implementation of SDGs require the participation of all countries, stakeholders and people with support of science and technology. With advancement of sciences and technologies, data with exponential increase in the volume and types are esteemed as revolutionary power on promoting the circular economy, improving quality of life and strengthening the society. However, there is a still huge and growing gap for developing countries in access to data, and the ability to use information and knowledge derived from multi-source data. ICSU released the Science International Accord on Open Data in a Big Data World and A Guide to SDGs Interactions: from Science to Implementation. They provide outline and actions to help developing and developed countries, international organizations implement and achieve the SDGs with joint efforts. For developing countries, the sharing and implementation of best practices are of same importance as data policies and institutional guidelines. The theme of session is institutional guidelines, merging methodology, best practice of data governance for implementing data sharing and services. Illustration on methodology on best practice research and the specific practices performed by different disciplines and stakeholders to solve pressing societal and scientific challenges are very necessary for those countries, including policy framework development, improvement on data infrastructure and re-use of world-wide data resource, building the knowledge sharing platform enabling practices for international cooperation, and improving capacity building on data skills and usage. Proposed session will be a panel discussion of the proposed activities as an interdisciplinary forum for policy and institutional guidelines on data governance and best practice research and implementation through capacity building in developing countries. The moderator will open the session by welcoming all the participants, introducing the topic about to be discussed and the speakers present and online participants. (5 minutes) All Speakers make their presentation respectively. After each presentation, the moderator make comments and engage the audiences and online participants in a quick Q&A session. (40 minutes) Right after the presentations, the moderator will engage the panelists in a lively conversation to get their perspectives on the session and questions raised during the presentations. (15 minutes) The moderator will elicit what panelists find most insightful from the discussion and build on them by asking questions to create active flow of conversation with both panelists and experts in the audience. (20 minutes） The last ten minutes, the moderator will wrap up the discussion by summarzing the consensus of the facilitated dialogue and pointing out the challenges we are confronting. (10 minutes)

Expected Outcomes: 1. Reach common understanding on Incentives and challenges, and explore cooperation mechanism of multi-stakeholders on big data and governance. 2. Present key issues on data governance for developing countries beyond the borders of countries and regions in achieving SDGs. 3. Define a follow-up action plan on data Accountability and come out a big data governance principles and guidelines in developing countries in implementing SDGs.

Onsite Moderator:

Xiang Zhou, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

Online Moderator:

Yu Liu, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

Rapporteur:

CHANG LIU, Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group

Discussion Facilitation:

The discussion will be facilitated by the Onsite Moderator who will guide the panel in each of the proposed interventions for the workshop as well as during the Q&A and comments session. All experts and audience will make comments and raise questions in regards to the speeches presented, guided by the moderator.

Online Participation:

Online participation will be led by a facilitated dialogue. There will be a live broadcast on the meeting and online attendees will get involved in the workshop during the whole session. Besides, online attendees will have a separate queue and microphone which rotate equally with the mics in the room and is entitled to raise questions after each presentation of the speaker and engage during the panel discussion. Trained online moderator with previous experience will direct the online participation.

Proposed Additional Tools: We will invite the experts register a WECHAT/SKY/WHATSAPP account, and start an online meeting on it.

SDGs:

GOAL 1: No Poverty
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities
GOAL 13: Climate Action
GOAL 15: Life on Land
GOAL 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Report

1. Key Policy Questions and Expectations:

This session will address developmental, legal and technical issues raised by increasing concentration of data, analyze the incentives of all stakeholders involved, and feasible approach to ensure equitable access to dataset, especially case studies in developing countries.
1. Openness and Trans border data flows: What policy considerations, legal and technology frameworks should be developed for data transfers for various purposes at national, regional and global level, especially the advantages of cloud services and imported strategies in developing countries；
2. Adoption and Responsibility: recommendations on policy and technical measures apply to extended openness of dataset and reuse of knowledges, and how to achieve fairness by introducing governance frameworks. How the proposed regulatory framework hold accountable the different stakeholders (e.g. governments, academia, users, private sector) in the transnational use of data.

2. Discussion Areas:

There was broad support for the view that Big Data undoubtedly will be driving force for transforming the World, and cross border data services will develop the knowledge for responding effectively to the risks and opportunities of society and economy development. Panelists agreed that most developing countries are still struggling to bridge the "Digital Divide" with limited investments in ICT, education and innovation. The developing countries would benefit from data governance having readily available accepted principles and guidelines to explore and make accessible a wide range of data and efficient services. The awareness, data-driven technology and best practices spreading on preservation and Open Access to data across countries and international communities will play important roles in enhancing joint efforts and achieving SDGs.

3. Policy Recommendations or Suggestions for the Way Forward:

1. Reach common understanding on Incentives and challenges, and explore cooperation mechanism of multi-stakeholders on big data and governance.
2. Raise awareness and discern key factors on data governance for developing countries beyond the borders of countries and regions in achieving SDGs.
3. Enhance the cooperation on big data education and capacity building with joint efforts at national, regional and global level.
4. Define a follow-up action plan on data and come out a big data governance principles and guidelines in developing countries and roadmap in support of implementing SDGs.

4. Other Initiatives Addressing the Session Issues:

As an example of regional cooperation and intergovernmental mechanism, Asia-Oceania GEO initiative approved by Group on Earth Observation(GEO) converged the resources on data, technologies and knowledges using big earth data in support of implementing SDGs. AU Agenda 2063 and accompanying indicators present both an opportunity and a challenge for Africa data ecosystem, and Senegal and Tunisia are exploring the better solution on data gathering and utilization. The climate reality project and 5P methodology, Global Change Research Data Publishing and Repository (GCdataPR) was presented as an example of Big Data Solutions from Governance to Practices for SDGs.

5. Making Progress for Tackled Issues:

The IGF ecosystem may be an appropriate forum to accelerating on experiences sharing and ideas exchange on data services and internet governance. Action plans can be formulated with active engagement of multi-stakeholders and conducted through cross-disciplinary and cross-region cooperation with broad contribution. The countries may also collect the best practice and the good example of application and the communities can share them with support of internet and big data, especially in developing countries.

6. Estimated Participation:

Onsite participants: 49
Online Participants: 10
Women Participants:24(onsite)/4(online)

7. Reflection to Gender Issues:

The discussion was organized as a whole, in relation to any citizen, user or producer, did not directly address issues related to gender equality and/or women’s empowerment. Recommendation were proposed on how technical community, government and public sector security teams can successfully cooperate with civil society organizations. However, it did discuss the solution for how to enhance the awareness, cultivate the capability of women, fight unbalance on using internet through the education and capacity building, especially in developing countries.