ABSTRACT
The earth is a highly complex system, formed by a large variety of subsystems, such as the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere, interacting by the exchange of energy and mass. The research infrastructures are changing the way in which the research is conducted by providing access to escalating amounts of data, by methodological innovation and novel approaches with respect to how data are gathered and used. Research infrastructures differ from other research facilities by their focus on providing the services, ability to gather the critical mass of people, knowledge, and funds. The mechanisms to build international major collaborations needed many ad hoc legal and contractual solutions, making the overall institutional development a long and arduous process. The design of each research infrastructure service provision was originally based on research infrastructure’s main science communities. In the Environmental Research Infrastructures project, it became clear that a common plan is needed to ensure a concerted development of the European research infrastructures.
