Network/Partners

GRID Centres Network

The Global Resource Information Database (GRID) is a worldwide network of 15 environmental data centres managed by UNEP's Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) from its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The GRID network was first launched in 1985 with centres in Geneva and Nairobi. GRID centres have now been established in five of the six geographical regions around which UNEP has organised its global activity. On a sub-regional basis, GRID centres are present in seven of the 19 UNEP sub-regions.

GRID aims to provide and facilitate access to high-quality environmental data and information for decision making and policy setting, and to support UNEP's environmental assessment and reporting, networking and early warning activities. Typically, GRID-centers specialise in the preparation and provision of value-added environmental information products using tools such as remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems, and by developing client-specific databases and Internet websites.

In the twenty years since the GRID network was founded, the UN world and information technologies have changed in significant ways. While GRID as a concept also evolved over the past 20 years, and the network itself expanded from the two original centres in Geneva and Nairobi to some 15 offices at different levels (national, regional and even thematic) around the world, it was considered for some time that the network needed rethinking, in terms of its fundamental mission, and how it could more directly serve UNEP and its parent Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA).

The demands for GRID network services within DEWA, UNEP and member states are both strong and constantly increasing.

 

 

UNEP and Related Offices in Europe


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Other Networks

GEO: UNEP launched the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) Project in 1995. It has two components: a global environmental assessment process, the GEO Process, that is cross-sectoral and participatory; GEO outputs, in printed and electronic formats, including the GEO Report series, that make periodic reviews of the state of the world's environment, and provides guidance for decision-making processes such as the formulation of environmental policies, action planning and resource allocation.
A coordinated network of Collaborating Centres is the core of the GEO process. These centres have played an increasingly important role in preparing GEO reports. They are now responsible for almost all the regional inputs, thus combining top-down integrated assessment with bottom-up environmental reporting. A number of Associated Centres also participate, providing specialized expertise. Four working groups - on modelling, scenarios, policy and data - provide advice and support to the GEO process, helping coordinate the work of the Collaborating Centres to make their outputs as comparable as possible. DEWA/GRID-Europe was coordinating the preparation of the data strategy for GEO-3. Fore more information on GEO activities, click here.

CEROI: Cities Environment Report on the Internet (CEROI) is a reporting programme developed by UNEP within the framework of Local Agenda 21 to facilitate access to environmental information for sound decision-making and general awareness-raising in cities. The main output of CEROI is a standardized description and evaluation of the current state of urban environments and the responses proposed by governments. In collaboration with the City and State of Geneva, GRID-Europe embarked on preparing a CEROI styled report for Geneva in May 2000. The report was launched on 23 April 2001 and is available on the official City of Geneva website: http://www.ville-ge.ch/ceroi/.

UN System-wide Earthwatch: The UN System-wide Earthwatch mechanism is UNEP’s umbrella initiative to work with UN agencies in order to exchange and share environmental information, and support ongoing global assessment and reporting activities by giving access to relevant documents, indicators and other information products. Fore more information on Earthwatch activities, click here.

INFOTERRA: INFOTERRA is the global environmental information exchange network of the United Nations Environment Programme. The network operates through a system of government-designated national focal points which at present number 177. An INFOTERRA national focal point is essentially a national environmental information centre usually located in the ministry or agency responsible for environmental protection. The primary function of each centre is to provide a national environmental information service.