How Can My Research Data Be Useful for Conservation and Policy-making?

Biodiversity conservation is a main goal of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Policy should be based on the best scientific data available, and policy-makers are eager to have access to up-to-date and high quality information. Scientists are on the frontline to gather relevant data, though their primary aim is to publish in international refereed journals. However, once the data, and resulting information, have been scrutinized and quality-checked during the review process, their usefulness for policy-making should be also considered as they may have the potential to inform conservation measures or document processes affecting biodiversity.