Large volumes of historical climate and geophysical exist in non-digitized and inaccessible form. Such data are at risk of simple disintegration and decay, or are being discarded because paper-based records take up valuable office space. These records have the potential to fill in large gaps in the global climate record, particularly in developing countries where records are fragmentary.
The data rescued by the MEDARE community enables the scientific community a greater ability to monitor, detect and predict climate variability and change at regional and national levels and to consolidate and progress climate data and metadata rescue activities.