Vol. 415 No. 8
321 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the great deal of data that exists at international level and the difficulty that citizens of member states have in gaining access to this information in a coherent form; if he will undertake to change this situation with a view to having a better informed public in respect of environmental matters.
An enormous literature exists on the environment, much of it generated by international organisations.
Within its resources, ENFO provides extensive public access to a wide range of this data. Relevant ENFO services include:
A Bibliographical Reference System: This database provides online access to some 40,000 references to books, reports and journal articles. Access to the database is available around the country through the public library system.
UNEP Infoterra Information: This is an international network of 140 countries worldwide who exchange environmental information. Key UNEP documents are available at ENFO and relevant documentation can be obtained on request from other countries.
International Databases: By having online access to the European Space Agency computer, ENFO has access to some 200 international databases including many environmental databases.
CD-ROM: A range of international databases is now available in CD-ROM format. A selection of these include the EC JUSTIS database, with full text of EC legislation online.
US Environmental Protection Agency Reports: ENFO has a collection of 100,000 reports from the US Environment Protection Agency, in microfiche format.
