The heads of IGN, OFB, BRGM, Ifremer and MNHN at the signing of the agreement to create the FAIRe alliance on 14 January 2026.
© FAIRe
On 14 January 2026, BRGM, Ifremer, IGN (the French institute of geographical and forestry information), MNHN (the French Natural History Museum), and OFB (the French Office for Biodiversity) signed an agreement to create this alliance for digital environmental data commons.
Through the FAIR ecosystem alliance, or FAIRe, the five public partner institutions are committed to one and the same objective, i.e. to pool public data infrastructures to inform policies on water, marine environments and biodiversity.
As an essential resource base for knowledge, information and awareness of these major issues, these infrastructures guarantee access to and exchange of high-quality environmental data for all users, whatever their level (local, national, European or global).
Simplified system to access information on water, the sea and biodiversity
By bringing together major public stakeholders in research, innovation and support for environmental public policy, the FAIRe alliance aims to promote the development of reliable information accessible to all, and enable signatory institutions to collaborate on flagship projects:
- the creation of a French scheme for accessing national information on water, the sea and biodiversity,
- ensuring interoperability of data,
- registration on the country’s sovereign platforms,
- collaboration with research infrastructures and with both European and regional systems.
At the same time, FAIRe will facilitate the user experience for both producers and users of environmental data.
For example, the alliance will offer:
- mayors a way of easily consulting data on the link between water quality and biodiversity in their municipality,
- young researchers a means of cross-referencing data with other sources to enhance models of water resources,
- curious citizens the opportunity to learn about the state of groundwater in their region using simple, free tools.
As part of its remit as the French Geological Survey, BRGM is responsible for producing, structuring, disseminating and promoting data on the subsurface, with a particular focus on groundwater. This expertise, combined with solid experience in data management, is made available to academic communities, public decision-makers, the business world and citizens at local, national and international levels. In addition, BRGM has been hosting the French Water Information System (SIE) for over 16 years, while contributing to its technical architecture and the development of its services. In this context, it acts as a unifying force and coordinator for the country’s network of groundwater data producers. This alliance is in line with our ongoing commitments and strengthens our long-standing cooperation on collaborative information systems and national (Data Terra) and European (EPOS, EGDI) research e-infrastructures.
