An important aspect of environmental and natural resources management is the availability of real (static or dynamic) geo-referenced data and information that describes these resources.
Remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and agrometeorological and other environmental observations assist in acquiring and processing such data for addressing a variety of key issues related to environment and natural resources management, food production and food security, coastal zone monitoring, desertification, biological diversity, energy and climate change impact. Geo-referenced data from other sources, for example, socio-economic data, can also be combined with such environmental data for more in-depth analyses.
Geoinformation, monitoring and assessment includes all aspects of geoinformation data acquisition, analysis and dissemination, such as the activities themselves and the tools and techniques used. Examples of activities are the Africover project and the ARTEMIS environmental monitoring information system. Others are the standardization of geographic data, various software tools such as WinDisp, and the website METART, where near real-time data from the ARTEMIS system can be visualized and analysed. Specific data sets, such as global climatic maps and other agrometeorological and GIS databases, are also made available.
Environmental policy and integrated management refers to areas in which governmental or international policy are directed towards improving environmental quality at the national, regional or global level. While this subject area is broad, the focus is on the use of policy mechanisms and techniques aimed at strengthening human and institutional capacity to effectively deal with environmental issues. This might be done, for example, through training in environmental impact assessment (EIA), through a policy study in a Ministry of Agriculture, or guidelines aimed at improved natural resource management.
This theme includes specific topics such as: environmental impact assessment (EIA); national and regional environmental action plans; implementation of Agenda 21; indicators of sustainable development; integrated coastal area management (ICAM); organic agriculture; energy policy; natural resource conservation; environmental accounting; life cycle analysis; and indigenous knowledge.
FAO is a key partner in the implementation of three environmental conventions, namely, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) - FAO's mandate involving agrobiodiversity - the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Contacts:
FAO HEADQUARTERS
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00153 Rome, Italy
Tel: (+39) 06 57051
Cable address: FOODAGRI ROME
Telex: 625852/610181 FAO I
Fax: (+39) 06 570 53152
Environmental Assessment and Management Unit
Jeff Tschirley
Tel: (+39) 06 570 53450
E-mail: NRCE-Chief@fao.org
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