The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in cooperation with the Irish Department of Environment and Local Government convened the Global Conference on Facilitating Access to Environmental Information. Opening the Conference, Irish Environment Minister, Hon. Noel Dempsey said: "Environmental information is an essential tool to assist in bringing about the changes in lifestyle necessary to achieve a more sustainable society in the 21st century. Finding the best means of communicating the right information is a global challenge".

Ireland is committed to continuing its cooperation with UNEP to increase access to environmental information both within Ireland and also in several developing countries through the Irish Aid programme. Minister Dempsey further added that UNEP, through its revitalized global network for information exchange, UNEP-Infoterra, has "played a leading role in improving access to environmental information through the development and dissemination of models of best practice".

The conference adopted the Dublin Declaration on Access to Environmental Information which calls on countries to enhance networking and coordinating mechanisms, primarily in the form of consortia of key environmental information suppliers from both the governmental, non-governmental and private sectors to achieve a sustainable interactive information system as well as improving international cooperation.

In recognition of UNEP as the global authority in the field of the environment, the Dublin Declaration calls on governments to support UNEP in the development of a global environmental portal on the Internet. National consortia are encouraged to use web-based technologies and to establish protocols and standards for delivering an integrated information service in each country. Governments participating in the enhanced UNEP-Infoterra global network are urged to appoint focal points for policy-level and operational-level matters related to the delivery high quality information and data on the environment.

In response to the interest expressed by United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, to use the 2002 Special Session of the UN General Assembly as a timely occasion to examine the principles embodied in the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention), the Declaration calls on States to consider acceding to the convention or developing a similar convention at the regional or sub-regional level.

Speaking on behalf of UNEP Executive Director, Klaus Toepfer, Deputy Executive Director, Shafqat Kakakhel reiterated UNEP's commitment to partnership building among the governments, NGOs, centres of excellence and private sector stakeholders in order to increase access by all users to environmental information. This commitment is in response to several mandates articulated in Agenda 21, the Nairobi Declaration and the Malmö Declaration. Mr. Kakakhel emphasized that "the UNEP-Infoterra consortium structure is a national level partnership and therefore represents the most important foundation of our global goals".

For more information, please contact: 

Tore J. Brevik, Spokesman and  Director of Information Communications and Public Information United Nations Environment Programme  P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (254-2) 623292  Fax: (254-2) 623692 Email: cpiinfo@unep.org

Ms. Beth Ingraham, Information Officer  Division of Environmental Information, Assessment and Early Warning  United Nations Environment Programme  P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya  Tel: (254-2) 624299 Fax: (254-2) 624269 Email: beth.ingraham@unep.org

UNEP News Release 00/99