Summer 2026 reading list: Exploring the future of data
Summer offers a chance to look beyond day-to-day work and reflect on
the trends shaping the global data landscape. Over the past six
months, international organisations, research institutions, and public
bodies have published articles and reports for our users to explore
how data is shared, governed, and reused to address societal
challenges. Enjoy these reads during these months and learn more about
the impact of open data on your everyday lives. 

	* The Atlas of Global Development 2026
[https://data360.worldbank.org/en/atlas/]: this storytelling and data
visualisation tool can be used to explain global trends in poverty,
education, infrastructure, climate, and digitalisation. This is ideal
for readers who are new to data-driven decision-making. 
	* Spotting disinformation
[https://data.europa.eu/en/publications/datastories/spotting-disinformation-how-confident-are-europeans-digital-age-0]:
this data story explains what the dangers of disinformation are, how
it can be spotted, and what can be done to moderate the usage of
disinformation at a European scale. 
	* Governments and the advancement of rights-based data governance
[https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/governments-advance-rights-based-data-governance-unlock-inclusive-ai-futures]:
this article examines how governments can develop data governance
frameworks that support trustworthy, inclusive, and transparent AI
systems. 
	* OECD Digital Government Index
[https://reg-tech.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/OECD-Digital-Government-Index-2025-Results-and-Key-Findings.pdf]:
a must-read for anyone interested in open data, this report compares
the progress of different countries in making data open, useful, and
reusable whilst highlighting best practices across governments. 
	* Recap of Data Spaces Symposium 2026
[https://bdva.eu/news/data-spaces-symposium-2026/]: This article
provides a summary of the latest discussions around European data
spaces, covering interoperability, AI, business models, standards, and
real-world implementation. 
	* Celebrating democracy with World day of Parliamentarism
[https://data.europa.eu/en/news-events/news/celebrating-democracy-why-world-day-parliamentarism-matters-more-ever]:
this news piece provides an accessible introduction to how information
and transparency can support democratic decision-making. 
	* ECMWF’s data infrastructure and services
[https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/groups/Data_Governance/]: This
practical case study illustrates how a large-scale European
organisation implements open, interoperable, and federated data
sharing. 
	* Digital Government Outlook 2026
[https://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/groups/Data_Governance/]: A
comprehensive overview of how governments are using digital
technologies and open data to improve public services and modernise
public administration.  

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Publication Date/Time
2026-07-24T08:00:00+00:00
Eight recent reads for anyone interested in open data, AI, digital
government and governance