Harnessing the Flow of Data: Fintech opportunities for ecosystem management

The report argues that ecosystem management, particularly regarding 'wicked problems' like toxic algal blooms, is hindered by lagging scientific adoption of mature commercial technologies. It proposes a 'fintech gearbox' approach, combining the Internet of Things (IoT) for real-time data collection, big data for managing volume and variety, artificial intelligence (AI) for revealing hidden patterns, and blockchain for ensuring data integrity and trust. The author emphasizes that while these technologies offer significant potential for predictive modeling and sustainable supply chains, their success depends on overcoming cultural barriers in academia and government regarding open data sharing.

• Freshwater management is characterized as a 'wicked problem' where uncertainty and conflicting stakeholder interests prevent simple solutions, exemplified by the persistence of toxic algal blooms in North American lakes like Lake Erie, Lake Winnipeg, and Lake Okeechobee despite known causes.
• The Internet of Things (IoT) enables broader and faster environmental monitoring through low-cost sensors and citizen science, such as the Wilson Center's initiative to collect one billion data points on air and water quality.
• Environmental 'big data' is defined not just by volume, but by velocity (frequency), veracity (uncertain confidence), and variety (diverse formats), requiring advanced analytic processes to become actionable.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows researchers to move beyond traditional mechanistic models to reveal relationships in massive datasets, including predicting algal blooms before they occur.
• Blockchain technology can foster a culture of openness in scientific research by providing an immutable digital ledger that ensures data provenance and security, as demonstrated by a WWF project tracing sustainably caught fish in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.
• The primary obstacle to implementing these technologies in ecosystem management is a cultural barrier within government and academia regarding the sharing and structured management of data.

APA

Gunn, G., & Stanley, M. (2018). Harnessing the Flow of Data: Fintech opportunities for ecosystem management. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/harnessing-flow-of-data-fintech-opportunities.pdf

Chicago

Gunn, Geoffrey, and Madeline Stanley. Harnessing the Flow of Data: Fintech opportunities for ecosystem management. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2018. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/harnessing-flow-of-data-fintech-opportunities.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gunn |first1=Geoffrey |last2=Stanley |first2=Madeline |title=Harnessing the Flow of Data: Fintech opportunities for ecosystem management |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2018 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/harnessing-flow-of-data-fintech-opportunities.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gunn2018harnessing, author = {Gunn, Geoffrey and Stanley, Madeline}, title = {{Harnessing the Flow of Data: Fintech opportunities for ecosystem management}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/harnessing-flow-of-data-fintech-opportunities.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }