The EOSC Environment Node powered by Data Terra and NFDI4EARTH is one of the thematic nodes representing the Earth system and environmental sciences within the EOSC Federation, offering a single, integrated entry point to trusted thematic data and services across Europe. Its key added value lies in federating a unique national ecosystem of expert thematic data hubs, ensuring coherent, interoperable, and science-driven access to the full complexity of the Earth system.
These contributions sit at the crossroads of major European programs and infrastructures; and is firmly committed to open science and the free circulation of knowledge enabling next-generation environmental research to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and global sustainability challenges.
The Data-Terra EOSC Node has forged a shared vision and collaborative strategy with the NFDI4Earth consortium, a key initiative within Germany’s National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI). This partnership is designed to advance the European federation’s capabilities in managing Earth system, environmental, and biodiversity data, while fostering the adoption of cutting-edge, knowledge-driven technologies.
During the 2025 EOSC Federation build-up phase, the EOSC Node Data Terra launched an initiative to expand its node by involving partners and contributors from other EU Member States. The objective is to establish a European transnational thematic node.
The first step in this expansion is the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Data Terra and the German research infrastructure NFDI4Earth. Under this MoU, Data Terra and NFDI4Earth aim to establish common approaches and frameworks for service integration, interoperability, and quality assurance, including the implementation of FAIR principles, technical standards, and the consideration of ethical and legal aspects.
Data Terra Research Infrastructure is a distributed research e-infrastructure organized around five thematic data and service hubs—Atmosphere (AERIS), Ocean (ODATIS), Land Surfaces (THEIA), Solid Earth (FormaTerre), and Biodiversity (PNDB)—complemented by cross-cutting services that promote FAIR data management, satellite data access, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through its strong integration with national, European and international research infrastructures, Data Terra contributes to a coordinated ecosystem for Earth system observation and environmental research by providing seamless access to data, services and expertise to the scientific community. As a strategic initiative supported by the French Ministry of Research and Higher Education, Data Terra Research Infrastructure plays a pivotal role in structuring and advancing research across these critical domains, with strong partnership with European Research Infrastructure Consortia.
RI Data Terra is also the French thematic reference centre for Earth, Climate, Environment and Biodiversity within Research Data Gouv, reflecting its leading role in open science and the development of international data standards. In addition, it is a partner of AI Factory France, led by GENCI, where it coordinates the Earth sciences domain and contributes to strengthening links between AI research, industry, and environmental sciences.
NFDI4Earth is Germany’s National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) consortium for the Earth System Sciences, addressing the digital needs of a broad scientific community working together to understand the Earth’s complex systems and the impacts of global change.
As a community-driven initiative, NFDI4Earth brings together universities, research organizations, infrastructure providers, governmental institutions, scientific associations, and networks across Germany. It actively collaborates with national and international partners to promote FAIR research data management, interoperability, and open science.
The NFDI4Earth consortium connects a distributed network of partners that develops and provides FAIR, coherent, and open access to Earth system science data, along with innovative research data management and data science methods.
Through its integration of expertise, services, and strategic collaborations across research infrastructures and initiatives, NFDI4Earth supports researchers in discovering, accessing, and reusing data while contributing to a coordinated national and international ecosystem for Earth system research. It advances sustainable, open, and interoperable data practices.
Access FAIR data, tools and services for scientific analysis
Integrate and develop interoperable data products across infrastructures
Contribute thematic services and resources to the EOSC ecosystem
Leverage environmental data for informed decisions
The Data Terra EOSC Node architecture is built on existing frameworks and resources, such as the GAIA Data e-Infrastructure initiative, and leverages the outputs from the FAIR-EASE project. As an EOSC Node, Data Terra provides single sign-on to high-quality, trusted, FAIR and AI-ready multi-domain data for the Earth system. It also provides cross-domain data analysis workflow and VREs enabling multidisciplinary collaboration leveraging federated resources.
