The last decade has seen rapid growth in the number of organisations that are building and/or coordinating data infrastructures for the sharing, preservation and curation of Earth, space and environmental Science (ESES) data. This list includes (but is not exclusive) EPOS, ENVRI, and GeoSeas (Europe); AuScope, IMOS, TERN and ARDC (Australia); ESIP, EDI, EarthCube and CUHASI, DataOne (US); and OneGeology, ODIP, IGSN, ESGF and GEO (International). There are common technological and science challenges that each is trying solve in isolation. Although infrastructures, standards, vocabularies, formats, etc can be cohesive within each community, there are sufficient differences that make it hard to integrate data and information across all them. There is also a growing need for data to connect beyond the Earth, space and environmental sciences to other scientific domains.

The time is ripe to synchronise efforts to create globally connected networks of Earth, Space and Environmental Science data, information systems, software, samples, etc., that can ultimately connect with other physical science groups and beyond.

This Town Hall is about raising awareness of the initiatives and infrastructures that are out there with a purpose of developing strategies and proposals on the best ways to ultimately connect them.