Providing access to scientific journals in developing countries

Source: Weather, July 2007, Vol. 62 No. 7

The four academic publications of the Royal Meteorological Society (Quarterly Journal of The Royal Meteorological Society, Meteorological Applications, International Journal of Climatology and Atmospheric Science Letters) are now accessible to a larger number of developing countries free of charge or for a nominal fee through the international programmes Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE) and Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA). All researchers, students and policy-makers at registered institutions in 108 countries can take the opportunity to view the full content of the four publications.

OARE

In 2006, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Yale University and leading science and technology publishers launched Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE). OARE’s mission is to improve the quality and effectiveness of environmental research education and training in low-income countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean and eastern Europe. Research in a wide variety of disciplines is available, including climate change, environmental chemistry, oceanography and urban planning. The OARE publishing partners offer free access to over 1 200 eligible institutions (non-profit, public and indigenous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) performing environmental related work), located in 70 countries (see full list below). As such, researchers, students and policy-makers in universities, colleges, research institutes, ministries of environment and NGOs can access content from a wide variety of research publications. By 2008, the OARE publishers will provide access for institutes in 38 lower-middle-income countries at a nominal charge. For further information on the OARE programme visit: http://www.oaresciences.org/en/

AGORA

In 2003, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and major publishers launched Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA), a programme to provide free or low-cost access to major food, agriculture, environmental science and related social science journals. The goal of AGORA is to improve the quality and effectiveness of agricultural research, education and training and, in turn, to improve food security. AGORA provides a collection of 948 journals to institutions in 107 countries. The AGORA publishing partners offer free access to eligible institutions located in 70 countries (see full list below), while 38 lower-middle income countries receive access at a nominal charge. Within these countries, AGORA will benefit not-for-profit national academic, research or governmental institutions. For further information on the AGORA programme visit: http://www.aginternetwork.org/en/

Jointly, OARE and AGORA offer access to a large catalogue of environmental and agricultural research. Each beneficiary institution is asked to sign a site license agreement specifically adapted for developing countries and access to the content through OARE and AGORA is by user name and password.

Countries eligible for free access to journal content through AGORA and OARE