Open Data
Atlas Amazon is open by design, but governed in practice. The platform exists to make stewardship data more visible, usable, and comparable across the basin — and at the same time it recognizes that not all data should be shared in the same way, at the same time, or under the same conditions.
Openness here is therefore a governed process, not a default release of everything the system holds.
Why it Matters
Open data is what allows the Atlas to do its core work: making stewardship systems visible, letting others reuse data for analysis and planning, supporting comparison across governance systems, and informing decisions and accountability. None of that happens if data stays locked in the systems that produced it.
But data sharing also has to reflect the governance systems and contexts in which the data was produced, which is why the Atlas distinguishes between levels of access.
Open and Governed
Every record sits in one of three access levels.
Open
Data that can be publicly shared after validation, including many metadata fields and derived indicators.
Permissioned
Data shared under specific permissions, timing, or agreements defined by contributors or partners.
Restricted
Data that remains private or controlled due to sensitivity, governance protocols, or risk.
This lets the Atlas increase transparency overall without forcing a single standard onto contexts where it would not be appropriate.
FAIR and CARE
Two complementary frameworks guide the approach.
FAIR
Data should be:
- Findable
- Accessible
- Interoperable
- Reusable
These principles support integration, comparability, and analysis across systems.
CARE
Data should reflect:
- Collective benefit
- Authority to control
- Responsibility
- Ethics
These principles ensure that data governance aligns with the rights and priorities of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
FAIR keeps data usable; CARE keeps it responsibly governed. The Atlas treats both as requirements rather than trade-offs.
What is Shared
Different types of data follow different publication pathways.
Areas
Polygon boundaries can be shared once the geometry is validated, permissions are confirmed, and the relevant governance conditions are met. Where those conditions are not met, an area may remain private or only partially visible.
Metadata
Metadata is usually more widely shareable than geometry. It covers the area name and classification, governance type, designation status, and source and validation information — enough to make an area visible in the system even when the underlying dataset is restricted.
Indicators
Indicators are a core open output of the Atlas, covering stewardship, resilience, degradation, and pressure. Because they are derived rather than raw, they can often be shared broadly without exposing sensitive underlying data.
Data Sources
The Atlas combines three streams of data within one system, each keeping its own governance rules:
- Contributed data — submitted by users, partners, and communities
- External datasets — regional layers such as land cover, deforestation, and infrastructure
- Derived products — indicators, dashboards, and aggregated outputs
Validation and Release
Data is not published the moment it is submitted. It moves through a staged process.
Submit
Data is contributed to the platform
Review
Contributions are checked and refined
Validate
Data is confirmed and approved
Publish
Data is released according to permissions and governance protocols
Whether and how a record is published depends on its validation status, contributor permissions, governance context, and sensitivity — so openness never overrides responsibility.
Collective Lands
Data on Indigenous territories and collective lands needs particular care, because it can include spatial boundaries, governance systems, stewardship practices, and culturally significant information.
For these areas, the Atlas supports approaches in which communities themselves determine what is shared, when, with whom, and at what level of detail. Openness is aligned with sovereignty rather than imposed on it. See Data Sovereignty and Control for how this is implemented.
In Practice
Open data in the Atlas is a continuum shaped by governance, not a fixed category: some data is fully public, some is shared conditionally, and some remains restricted. That flexibility is what allows the platform to support transparency, collaboration, and analysis while respecting the rights and responsibilities that come with stewardship data.