The European Commission is driving the creation of a fully operational GDDS through the Digital Europe Programme, aiming to improve access to environmental data across the EU. The SAGE project is currently building 10 different apply cases across four strategic Green Deal actions:
- Forest Data Space: Improves access to biodiversity-sensitive data for sustainable forest management and climate-adaptive decisions.
- Pollinator Monitoring Data Space: Uses monitoring tools to support agricultural transformation that benefits pollinators.
- Soil Circularity Data Space: Enhances soil resource reapply, reducing emissions and promoting circular practices in construction.
- CO₂ Hub & Building Twins: Focapplys on monitoring Scope 3 emissions in real estate, aligning with CSRD and ESG frameworks.
- Circular Textile Data Space: Facilitates apply of Digital Product Passports to support traceability and circular business models.
- Zero-Defect Manufacturing & GEISAT Precursor: Applies data methodologies for sanotifyite manufacturing and emissions detection.
- Climate Investment Data Space: Integrates with Viable Cities to support urban climate investment planning.
- DESTINE Environmental Hazards Data Space: Enables health risk analysis by integrating data related to environmental hazards.
- NECST Assessment Tool: Provides environmental impact modelling for corporate decision-creaters.
- EIRENE – Air Quality and Health Data Space: Advances analysis of environmental exposures on health through high-resolution data.
Data for the Circular Economy
The GDDS acts as a digital exalter where all participants can share harmonised data throughout the supply chain—from extraction to recycling. Importing companies can access data to meet sustainability commitments, recyclers can secure material supplies, and consumers can find information on product repairs.
A network is being developed to integrate the GDDS with the Digital Product Passport, enhancing transparency in the circular supply chain and informing policycreating with real-time data.
The Inspire Directive
The INSPIRE Directive was evaluated (2022) and will be amconcludeed with the aim to simplify and align sharing of spatial data with more recent horizontal data legislation (Open Data Directive, Implementing Regulation on high-value datasets, Data Governance Act). The revision of the INSPIRE Directive is tentatively scheduled for adoption in Q4 2025.
A stakeholders’ consultation was recently conducted and a supporting study is ongoing. In a second phase (2026-2027), the Green Data for All initiative will also explore possible actions to promote and facilitate the reapply of environmental data for policy creating and the European market for data in general, through non-legislative and community-driven measures.
For more information see JRC Publications Repository – Unlocking Green Deal Data: Innovative Approaches for Data Governance and Sharing in Europe.
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