CC Open Science: 2024 Year in Review

CC Open Science: 2024 Year in Review

For more than 20 years, Creative Commons (CC) has been critical infrastructure for the open sharing of research outputs and a staunch advocate of open policies and investments that make knowledge more accessible. In 2024, CC continued to leverage its expertise in open access, data, and licensing to empower researchers, librarians, consortia, policymakers, and other stakeholders in scholarly communication to open up research outputs.

Collaborative Projects

A prime example of CC’s collaborative efforts was the Open Climate Campaign, a joint initiative between CC, SPARC, and EIFL, funded by Arcadia. This two-year campaign made a significant impact in raising awareness about the lack of access to climate research and the essential role of open science and open climate data in addressing the climate crisis. By bringing together a network of endorsers and galvanizing the academic library community, the Open Climate Campaign launched or supported initiatives to increase access to climate research.

One of the successful projects from the campaign was the Paper Pledge for the Planet, an initiative that encourages authors to upload versions of their work to open repositories, as per their publishing agreements. CC partnered with the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR) and EIFL to reach out directly to researchers through academic and national institutions, empowering them to take collective climate action.

Another collaborative effort was the Open Climate Data Project, generously funded by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. This project is facilitating better sharing of climate data through the use of CC licensing, metadata, and database user-interface practices. CC published “Recommendations for Better Sharing of Climate Data,” a seminal resource to help national and intergovernmental climate data-producing agencies use legal terms, licenses, and metadata values that ensure climate data is accessible, shareable, and reusable. These recommendations are available in multiple languages, and CC is working with some of the largest producers of climate data, including the GEO (Group on Earth Observations), to guide and implement these recommendations.

Advances in Open Science Practices

Adoption of Open Licensing

CC has been actively developing and contributing to open science and access policies with funders, institutions, national governments, and international bodies. In 2024, CC worked with over 10 countries, including Morocco, to develop, consult, and aid in the implementation of open access policies.

Additionally, CC collaborated with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to promote the use of the CC BY 4.0 license on preprints, enabling researchers and readers to benefit from rapid dissemination, rigorous review, and equitable contribution to scientific knowledge without requiring paid access to exclusive research journals. As part of the Open Preprints project, CC developed and shared practical licensing guidance for researchers in the life sciences, as well as made policy recommendations for funders and preprint servers.

Sharing of Research Outputs

CC’s work has been instrumental in increasing the discoverability and usability of research outputs by other researchers and the general public, including journalists, policymakers, activists, and curious individuals. By embedding CC licenses into the workflows of scholarly publishers and academic librarians, CC has dramatically increased access to knowledge through open science practices and policies.

Transparency in Scholarly Communication

This year, CC directly appealed to publishers to open up the papers cited in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, as about 40% of these papers were behind paywalls, making some of the world’s most important research on climate change inaccessible. This initiative, called “Unbinding,” is part of CC’s efforts to ensure the availability of climate research as open access by default, which is a collective climate action.

Impact on Research Ecosystems

Interdisciplinary Collaborations

CC’s open science initiatives have fostered interdisciplinary collaborations, bringing together researchers, librarians, policymakers, and other stakeholders to tackle complex challenges, such as the climate crisis. By enabling access to a wide range of research outputs, CC has facilitated the cross-pollination of ideas and the development of innovative solutions.

Fostering Equitable Access

Increased access to knowledge, enabled by CC licenses and open science practices, has the potential to bridge the gap between the global North and South, empowering researchers, policymakers, and the general public in developing countries to participate actively in the research ecosystem. This, in turn, can lead to more inclusive and equitable solutions to global challenges.

Future Directions and Challenges

Sustainable Funding Models

While CC’s open science initiatives have made significant progress, ensuring sustainable funding models remains a key challenge. CC is actively seeking partnerships and funding to continue its work in open science, including the Open Climate Campaign and the Open Climate Data Project.

Ethical Considerations

As open science practices evolve, ethical considerations around data privacy, research integrity, and the responsible use of research outputs must be addressed. CC is committed to working with stakeholders to develop guidelines and best practices that uphold the highest ethical standards.

Policy Developments

Continued engagement with policymakers, both at the national and international levels, will be crucial in driving the adoption of open science policies and frameworks. CC will maintain its advocacy efforts to ensure that open science becomes the default in research ecosystems worldwide.

The year 2024 has been a testament to the power of open science and the critical role that CC licenses play in enabling access to research and fostering innovation. As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, CC remains committed to collaborating with diverse stakeholders, implementing sustainable funding models, and addressing ethical considerations to further strengthen the open science movement and its impact on global challenges, such as the climate crisis.

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