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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of moja global?
Are moja global tools free?
Is moja global controlled by one country?
How to contract moja global?
What is the difference between moja global and FLINT?
Can beginners use FLINT?
Can we continue to use our old system when switching to FLINT?
Can one see how FLINT calculates emissions?
moja global promotes collaboration on and use of its open source tools
(Misconception: hides certain commercial interests)
moja global is a non-profit project under the non-profit Linux Foundation. It has no commercial interests. Its sole aim is to promote the widest possible collaboration on and use of its tools. More collaboration and use result in better software which results in more collaboration and use.
moja global is a neutral platform and any of its users can decide how they want to use its tools. This includes commercial purposes. You could compare it to a leased car: you can lease a car and use it for holidays, for commuting to your day job or as a taxi to generate income.
A key role for moja global is to ensure various interests are channeled in such a way these result in a common advantage. Good communication between participants and full transparency is used to avoid potential conflicts of interest. In case of a perceived conflict of interest the board will discuss how competing interests can best be resolved.
moja global’s tools can be used for free
(The misperception is that moja.global is not for free or has hidden costs)
moja global tools are open source and therefore free to use. The only obligation users have is to share all improvements they make to the software with all other users in line with the Licence. moja global does not charge any fees nor seeks payments from users. However, for reasons of sustainability, contributions - in kind or cash - are necessary. These are always voluntary.
More information about contributions can be found in the document Who Pays?
moja global is a truly global, neutral platform owned by its users
(Misconception: moja global is Australian/Canadian dominated)
The strategy board decides on strategy and budget. All users have the right to take a seat on the board. Currently the board is comprised of a Kenyan national, an American national, a Polish national, a Canadian national and a Ghanaian representative of the UNFCCC. The board supervises 2 co-directors, one is Belgian and one is Australian. The chair of the technical steering committee is a Canadian national.
At the time FLINT started only two countries in the world had a spatially explicit system using integrating software to estimate land-sector GHG fluxes. Those were Canada and Australia. The strong points of each of these systems were taken on in the FLINT design process. As a result FLINT has a number of key ingredients comparable to the software being used in those two countries.
How to contract moja global?
(Misconception: it is impossible to contract moja global)
Direct financial support is possible through a grant to the Linux Foundation. The money is released once moja global’s board approves the expenditure.
However, moja global prefers contributions in kind. Donors can contribute by providing funds directly to contributors, user groups or countries to enable code development as well as documentation and science support.
moja global does not provide implementation support to countries. This role is provided by some parties in moja global’s ecosystem (companies, country departments, international organisations, etc.) To remain a credible facilitator, moja global should not compete with its collaborators.
moja global and FLINT, what is the difference?
moja global provides rules and infrastructure to help users to collaborate. Its sole aim is to promote the widest possible collaboration on and use of its tools.
FLINT (Full Lands Integration Tool) is one of moja global's open source software tools.
The absolute brilliant thing about FLINT is that it is a sophisticated system for entry level users.
(misconception: FLINT is too complicated or difficult)
Designing a MRV system for the land sector is among the most complex things in the world. Globally there are only a handful of people who have achieved that level of expertise. FLINT is the product of these brains. In essence FLINT is a sophisticated system, designed in such a way it can be used by people at entry level. Additional skills, capacity and depth of understanding are built over time by using the software and through training.
Some level of technical understanding is necessary to run the FLINT. But there is a big difference between the level of technical understanding needed to design your own national MRV system and the technical understanding needed to run the FLINT software and understand the calculations. Compare it to a car: to design a car one needs sophisticated skills. To maintain the car you need practical technical skills. Any lay person with a license can drive the car.
FLINT works with whatever is already in place
(misconception: FLINT forces users to start from scratch and competes with existing national systems)
FLINT is the name for the open source MRV platform offered by moja global. FLINT is combined with science modules to develop country specific configurations. Country specific implementations make each national system unique. In Kenya, FLINT is known as SLEEK. In Canada as Generic Carbon Budget Model (GCBM). In Colombia it is called SEPAC. etc.
FLINT based systems build on the work that has already been done and data that a country has available including land cover maps, forest inventories, emissions factors, etc.
FLINT is transparent
(Misconception: FLINT is a black box)
The brilliant advantage of open source is that the tool is always available for review. Everybody is invited to review the code so they can see exactly what the software is doing. All documentation about the software is accessible. In addition most modules that can be plugged into the software are open source and have their own detailed documentation. The aim is to improve the documentation until even those not well versed in IPCC rules can go to the tool, read through the documentation and get a fairly good sense of how the software works in a matter of days. Where documentation is not clear, feedback is used to further improve the documentation or even better, those who have questions are encouraged to suggest improvements to documentation and code.