Open science is making headway but needs further support, UNESCO says

UNESCO report shows that since 2021, eleven more countries have adopted open science policies. But there are to persistent problems with rising costs and uneven geographical spread. Today, nearly 85% of open access repositories are in western Europe and North America. More needs to be done to ensure open access is the norm everywhere, with UNESCO encouraging its member states to take action in seven areas. Moreover, in February 2023, EU science ministers adopted a joint call to make immediate and unrestricted open access publishing “the default mode in publishing, with no fees for authors.”