The Global Need for, and Appreciation of, High-Quality Metadata in Biodiversity Database Work

So how can the general user-a global citizen-keep track of and fi nd the best available and most suitable data set in the international data jungle, and fully understand its complexities for the most appropriate use? Metadata are tools that help, and then can further aid to overcome the “digital divide” (Stiglitz, 2006), and reach global

transparency for decision making, resource distribution, and sustainability.