[open-sustainability] Fwd: Open data and environmental sustainability in the USA

Wed Sep 25 14:30:10 UTC 2013

To the Americans on this list,

How would you rate the present impact of open data on sustainability in the USA?  Details below.

I estimated 6/10 for the UK which I presume corresponds to a limited number of "cases in the media or credible online sources where open data is cited to have had an impact on environmental sustainability."

Does 6/10 make sense for the USA?

This is to answer a survey question for the Open Data Barometer.

Jack

Web, Open Data & Sustainability University of Southampton

@JackTownsend_ <https://twitter.com/JackTownsend_>  jack at jacktownsend.net<mailto:jack at jacktownsend.net>
+44 7934 508 661

Begin forwarded message:

I3) To what extent has open data had a noticeable impact on environmental sustainability in the country?

6

Confidence level:

50%

Scoring guidance<http://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/a/webfoundation.org/document/d/15Jf76gZl2RNQ3HYth0vgzfGucH1rNDpPth7KxzTtUiE/edit%23heading%3Dh.7d1qd8g5qtpl&sa=D&usg=ALhdy28D7y6gbUHb6e34iBVxwa0I2E-Usw>

10

5

0

Open data is widely cited to have made a significant contribution to the environmental sustainability, with rigorous evidence to back these claims: for example a peer-reviewed study showing the impact of an open dataset on environmental sustainability.

Two or more cases in the media or credible online sources where open data is cited to have had an impact on environmental sustainability.

No evident impact at all.

Justification and sources (include URLs)

There are applications which almost certainly have substantial effect on environmental sustainability.
For example:
Tracking energy consumption and therefore using it more efficiently
Providing sustainability information about products
http://energy.gov/data/articles/who-uses-open-data
However, none of these include any attempt to measure the benefits.

Mark Frank (Postgraduate Research Student)
Politics and International Relations
University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ

Tel: 01264 810562
Mobile: 0773 887 4040
Twitter: Mark_T_Frank
Skype: MarkFrankLtd