GRID-Arendal
GRID-Arendal is a centre collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), located in Arendal, Norway. The centre was established in 1989 by the Norwegian Government as a non-profit foundation to support the United Nations in the field of environmental information management and assessment, capacity-building and communications and outreach. It is part of the GRID network of environmental data and information centers, under the UNEP Division of early warning and assessment. The GRID program itself was established in 1985 as a part of Earthwatch with the goal of providing useful environmental data to researchers and policy makers. GRID centers also support developing countries through training programs and transfer of technology pertinent to geographic information systems and remote sensing.
GRID-Arendal works to synthesise environmental data into information products accessible to the non-expert in developing-world countries. The GRID-Arendal website hosts a collection of marine photographs and maps, including topographic maps of many countries by region.
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is an agency that coordinates its environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded by Maurice Strong, its first director, as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its headquarters in the Gigiri neighborhood of Nairobi, Kenya. UNEP also has six regional offices and various country offices.
Its activities cover a wide range of issues regarding the atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, environmental governance and green economy. It has played a significant role in developing international environmental conventions, promoting environmental science and information and illustrating the way those can be implemented in conjunction with policy, working on the development and implementation of policy with national governments, regional institutions in conjunction with environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs). UNEP has also been active in funding and implementing environment related development projects.
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