0.
Introduction
The growing concerns on environment have prompted governments,
Objectives
The specific objectives of this study are to
Discuss the Importance of Environmental Information System
Explore the Information Resources on Environmental Studies
Examine the challenges and issues in the management of EIS.
II.
Methodology
Information for the present study is obtained by making an intensive search on
the Internet. The websites of all the important International organizations such as
UNESCO, UNEP, World Bank, FAO etc. and websites of Indian institutions such as
CSIR, NISCAIR, CIMAP, NEERI etc. are scanned and details about their knowledge
repositories/ data / library and information services are recorded. Based on the
information, some observations are made for improving the environment information
systems.
III.
3.1. Infoterra
The Stockholm conference on the Human Environment (1972) is commonly
used as the starting point for this awareness. The main outcome of this conference
was the creation of the United Nations Environmental Programme - UNEP (Strong,
1997). From its inauguration, UNEP saw the collection of data and information about
the state of the environment as its most urgent task (Wallen, 1997). Since then, UNEP
has been a catalyst and co-ordinator in the field of environmental data collection and
exchange. As commonly happens in this situation, considerable knowledge gaps have
been found, and UNEP have focused on filling them - a project supervised by the
Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) unit. By the end of the 1970s, GEMS
had created INFOTTERA the International Environmental Information System probably the first of its kind. Infoterra began its operations in 1977. Primarily it
functioned as a referral system. Later it expanded and included substantive information
and document delivery services through its 170 national focal points and 11 regional
science centres and 34 special sectoral centres.
3.2.
UNEP: UNEP website has several multi media resources such as TV & Videos,
photos, Animations, Podcasts and posters. UNEP Knowledge Repository is another
valuable resource which hosts research content and knowledge products generated
by UNEP. Access to abstracts of the various publications is given. Provides Basic
and Advanced Search Options.
http://www.unep.org/publications/
3.3.
The theme
Environment is further classified into sub themes such as water; Ecological Sciences;
Earth sciences and Marine Sciences. Several reports, publications are available under
each of these sub themes for open access. Some of the Unesco resources include
Unesco World Water Development Reports (WWDR) 2015 To be released on
March 20 in New Delhi
WWDR 2014
WWDR 4th Edition 2012
WWDR 3rd Edition 2009
WWDR 2nd Edition 2006
WWDR- 1st Edition - 2003
Apart from the WWDRs, Man and Biosphere (MAB) official documents are
also available.
Recently published document on Biosphere reserves and climate change: A
collection of good practice case studies also is available as open access
publication.
3.4.
insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of
economic and social progress for all; and, Sustainable management and utilization of
natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the
benefit of present and future generations.
1994, Canada, Mexico and the United States have collaborated in protecting North
America's environment through the North American Agreement on Environmental
Cooperation (NAAEC). Accordingly, the NAAEC established an intergovernmental
organization - the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) - to support
cooperation among the NAFTA partners to address environmental issues of continental
concern, including the environmental challenges and opportunities presented by
continent-wide free trade. Green Building Library has several open access documents
on environment.
3.7.
essential mission is to act as a global catalyst for change through the identification and
analysis of the crucial problems facing humanity and the communication of such
problems to the most important public and private decision makers as well as to the
general public. Its activities should: adopt a global perspective with awareness of the
increasing interdependence of nations. They should, through holistic thinking, achieve a
deeper understanding of the complexity of contemporary problems and adopt a trans-
disciplinary and long-term perspective focusing on the choices and policies determining
the destiny of future generations. The Limits to Growth by Donella H Meadows..
Is available open access on its web site - http://www.clubofrome.org/?p=199
3.8.
UN Documents
www. UN documents.net hosts a body of global agreements on various fields.
The important Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development :
Our Common Future is also available here for open access.
3.9.
world that meets human needs. The Institutes top mission objectives are universal
access to renewable energy and nutritious food, expansion of environmentally sound
jobs and development, transformation of cultures from consumerism to sustainability,
and an early end to population growth through healthy and intentional childbearing.
Most
of
its
publications
including
world
State
of
the
Art
reports
environmental policies that are both economically efficient and effective at achieving
their environmental objectives. OECD Data provides access to charts, maps, tables and
related publications of OECD. OECD provides lot of statistical data on environment.
The database provides search facilities by topic and by country. http://data.oecd.org/
IV.
4.1.
involves the
have been established in the network to cover the broad subject areas of environment
with a Focal Point in the Ministry of Environment & Forests. 85 Envis centres are set
up in different organizations /institutions/Universities/Government working in areas of
environment across the country. These Centres have been set up in the areas of pollution
control, toxic chemicals, central and offshore ecology, environmentally sound and
appropriate technology, bio-degradation of wastes and environment management, etc.
ENVIS acts as the National Focal Point (NFP) for INFOTERRA, a global
environmental information network of the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP). In order to strengthen the information activities of the NFP, ENVIS was
designated as the Regional Service Centre (RSC) of INFOTERRA of UNEP in 1985 for
the South Asia Sub-Region countries.
Envis is established to discharge the responsibilities of
Establishment of linkages with all information sources, and creation of data
bank on selected parameters in the subject area assigned;
Identification of information gaps;
Publish newsletters and Bulletins;
Develop library facility and provide support to the focal point on the subject
area; and
Most importantly serve as interface for the users on the assigned subject.
Envis comprises a database named Sahyadri Western Ghats Biodiversity
Information system. It provides access to WG Maps; Literature; and a search interface
to search the bibliographical information in the latest and earlier versions of the
database.
Sustainable development is another database, a programme on strengthening of
sustainable development and environmental information system in India funded by
India-Canada Environment Facility(ICEF), implemented by the Environmental
Information System (ENVIS), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of
India, New Delhi. The database link provides information about different international
agencies working on sustainable development.
Apart from the above, envis provides links to other digital libraries of CES,
JRD Tata Memorial Library of IISC, MET, NBHM etc.
4.2.
Industrial Research (CSIR), NSDL is the only one of its kind that provides curriculum
based content to address the information needs of the undergraduate students of science.
The content creation and development for NSDL has gone through rigorous procedures
to make available quality content for the students. Authored by eminent teachers and
validated by renowned faculty in Indian universities and colleges, NSDL envisages to
bring finest content to the students. The discussion forum has been provided for
interactions amongst NSDL users. Full text can be downloaded in pdf format.
environmental research.
Lot of research is also taking place in the institutes of higher education such
as Agricultural Universities and other Universities. However, these
information unless reported in the primary journals and reports will go
unnoticed by the environmentalists as there is no single platform to access
this information.
Organizations, Institutes, Government and Public are all stakeholders in the
protection of environment. Information should percolate to all the sections
in order to facilitate better decision making, safeguard and implement the
environmental protection programmes.
Bibliography
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Workshop
(2004).
Available
at
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