Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
The following is the January/February edition of the EarthLink, a bimonthly current awareness newsletter produced by INFOTERRA/USA. EarthLink provides information on international environmental activities, publications and news of interest to EPA staff and other environmental professionals.
EPA INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
INFOTERRA, the United Nations Environment Programme’s information exchange and referral service, marks its twenty-fifth anniversary this year. INFOTERRA was created as part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) after the 1972 UN Stockholm Conference on Human Environment. The conference identified the need for the international exchange of environmental information. In order to fill this need, UNEP established the International Referral System (IRS) in 1975. In 1977 the name was changed to INFOTERRA, meaning information of the Earth.
From the beginning, INFOTERRA was a decentralized system functioning
through a worldwide network of National Focal Points (NFP). The Focal
Points were selected and supported by their governments as the major site
of environmental information within each country. The NFPs receive guidance
from the Programme Activity Centre (PAC) at UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi,
Kenya. Each NFP compiles a national register of environmental expertise
and then selects sources to be included in the International Directory
of Sources of Environmental Information which is produced by the PAC.
The Directory, which has existed in hard copy and database format, will
soon be available on the Internet through UNEP's homepage (http://www.unep.org)
.
INFOTERRA has grown from a dozen countries participating in 1977 to 174 national focal points (NFP), 11 regional service centers (RSC), and 34 special sectoral sources (SSS).
In response to an independent, outside organization’s recommendation in 1981, the NFPs expanded their referral service and began to supply substantive information. In 1985, INFOTERRA was represented by 127 NFPs. By 1997, the number of NFPs had grown to 174.
In addition to the national focal points, the sources of environmental information, and the Programme Activity Centre, the INFOTERRA system includes the Regional Service Centers and the special sectoral sources. Regional Service Centers are national focal points within geographic areas with similar environmental problems. These centers are designated to provide information, training, and other forms of support to the region. Special sectoral sources are organizations internationally recognized for expertise in various sectors of environmental research. They canbe called upon to provide in-depth information to selected requestors, with priority given to governments of developing countries.
The United States National Focal Point, one of the founding members, was established in 1975 at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. The first director, William W. Bennett, and a staff of two were part of the original referral service which became INFOTERRA. In the early years, the staff remained small and work consisted of making referrals and identifying sources for the national and international directories of information sources.
Irvin Weiss, Delivery Order Project Officer for the EPA’s Information Resources Center, was involved with the early INFOTERRA. “The beginnings were so humble,” he says. “It’s being run very well now. It’s doing things that had we had money we would have started well before.”
Linda Spencer, INFOTERRA Manager during the late 1980s, who went on to become acting director of the INFOTERRA Programme Activity Centre in Nairobi in 1991, says “the first era was building the network, getting nations on board. This is an era of bridging the gap between the information poor and the information rich countries.” According to Spencer, “Responding to the questions is the best kind of aid. We give them the information and they can implement things the way it best suits their situation.”
Staffing levels grew in the 1990s with 3-4 librarians and part-time technical assistants. By 1996, the number of requests handled by the INFOTERRA staff exceeded 5,000.
In the early 1990s, INFOTERRA/USA, in partnership with the Ireland National Focal Point, established the Southern African Subregional INFOTERRA Network (SASIN). SASIN provided equipment and training for the 8 African countries involved. Each country developed a database of environmental information and began environmental planning in ways they couldn’t before. The idea was to get people talking and sharing information. It also helped to bring governments and NGOs together to discuss environmental issues. SASIN is a “flagship,” and is used as a model in other INFOTERRA regional technical assistance projects.
Also in the early 1990s, INFOTERRA/USA was designated as the Regional Service Center for English-speaking Caribbean countries. The focus is on e-mail and Internet connectivity with countries that have difficulty getting information. Computers and training were provided, which helped industries gain timely access to environmental information.
In conjunction with EPA’s cooperative efforts with the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), two temporary positions were developed. The Environmental Pollution Prevention Project (EP3) Librarian provided informational and technical assistance to the EP3 project to reduce pollution in AID-assisted countries. The CONAMA Librarian provided access to relevant environmental information and technical resources to Chile’s National Commission for Environmental Protection (CONAMA) in support of EPA’s agreement with AID concerning providing environmental guidance and expertise to the Government of Chile.
In addition to compiling the INFOTERRA/USA Directory of Environmental Sources and contributing to the International Directory, INFOTERRA/USA publishes a bi-monthly electronic newsletter, Earthlink, and a quarterly bulletin for the Caribbean Region called Caribbean Currents. It also is involved in a project to update and make available on the Internet EPA's fourteen Technical Information Packages (TIPs).
The advantages of information exchange are reciprocal. As well as developing nations needing INFOTERRA services, developed countries looking at global issues have a reliable source of information on developing countries which may not otherwise be available. Advances in electronic technology allow more people, more ways, to reach the national focal points. As a result, requests for information continue to grow rapidly. Unfortunately, not all forms of information can be delivered electronically, nor is the technology spread equally among countries and people. The challenge for INFOTERRA is to make the best use of people, funds, and technology to get usable environmental information to those who need it.
Many thanks to Irvin Weiss, Linda Spencer, and Emma McNamara, current INFOTERRA Manager, for their time and information.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
**Canada**
“Canada Acts to Eliminate Persistent Organic Pollutants.” Environmental Science and Technology 31, no. 1 ( January, 1997) : 16A.
As part of a policy calling for their “virtual elimination from the environment,” Environment Canada has proposed the regulation of 12 persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Scientific studies supporting these regulations should be completed shortly. Upon finalization, the rules will implement Canada’s previously stated POP policy while international discussions on POP regulation continue.
**European Union**
“EU Adopts Pollution Regulation.” Chemical Week, 4 December 1996
European Union members have 3 years to “transpose the directive” on integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) into national law now that it has been formally adopted by the EU. Although the IPPC directive deals with chemical producers, a proposed follow-up legislation will include many chemical purchasing industries as well.
**Germany**
Dickman, Steve. “Germany Joins the Biotech Race.” Science 274, no. 5292 (November 29, 1996) : 1454-1455.
Years of public opposition and stiff government regulation have fostered an inhospitable climate in Germany for the field of biotechnology. All that is now changing as the German government strives to make up for lost time and is attempting to transform the country into a biotechnology leader, following an industry boom in other countries. Recently the government held a contest in which three regions were picked for “BioRegio” status and will receive special funds to stimulate biotechnology industries. With the streamlining of governmental regulation and a marked increase in public support, the field of biotechnology is finally taking off.
**Southeast Asia**
“Special Report: Environmental Enforcement in Southeast Asia Characterized by Patchwork Quilt of Approaches.” International Environmental Reporter, 8 January 1997: 39-44.
The countries in Southeast Asia approach environmental issues differently. Japan, although far advanced in some aspects, is extremely lax in others and seems to take a business and industry first approach. Thailand has difficulty because the authority to enforce laws is scattered among government agencies. However, they are trying to concentrate on “corrective measures rather than handing out fines.” China has taken a hard line approach. “(National Environmental Protection Agency) said in a statement that beginning in 1997, authorities will enforce a Criminal Law amendment that establishes a new charge of ‘jeopardizing the environment’ with a death penalty provision.” Malaysia has managed to devote time and energy into educating industries as well as improving their enforcement efforts. Singapore claims no major changes in the last 5 years, and is “renowned as being one of Asia’s ‘green cities’ that has successfully industrialized while protecting its environment.”
**United States**
Macilwain, Colin. “Voice of U.S. Science Struggles to be Heard.” Nature 385 no.6611 (2 January 1997) : 10-11.
In the past year, scientific advice has become a casualty of the political arena. Politicians question the motives of scientists and by whom they are supported. This will affect the Clean Air Act and the new rules proposed by the EPA. There are those who say that the public needs to be informed of the assumptions that are being made by the reporting agencies in order to better understand the recommendations being made. The likely outcome of this is that the process of risk assessment will be opened to the general public as well as to the scientific community so that both groups may scrutinize the plans available.
Smith, Daniel W. “A Critical Review of the Benefits Analysis for the Great Lakes Initiative.” Environmental Science and Technology 31, no. 1 (January 1997) :34A-38A.
This article examines EPA’s cost-benefit analysis for the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative, a new ruling that could tighten controls on point source pollution across the Great Lakes. As a result of the decrease in point source loading, benefits would be derived from an estimatedreduction in human cancer risk associated with fish consumption. In this critical review, EPA’s methods for values are questioned. The measures used by EPA included fish consumption rate, concentration of chemicals in fish, decrease in loading as a result of GLI, EPA cancer slope factor and point source contribution. The author suggests that the values were higher than likely and the final benefits were overestimated.
**West Africa**
Register, Richard. “It Takes a Village: West Africa hosts Ecocity III.” Earth Island Journal. 11, no. 2 ( Spring 1996) : 28-30.
The “sustainability of urbanization” and the “form of cities” were the two key themes of the Third International Ecocity Conference in West Africa (Ecocity III). The conference was a forum for discussing the problems of overdevelopment and sharing ideas from traditional villages to urban centers alike. Conference participants discussed the importance of revitalizing small villages and cities, and called for the development of “ecovillages” and “ecocities” (smaller, pedestrian-based communities where working, living and social spaces are more compact). A plan for an International Ecological Rebuilding Program based on these concepts was endorsed at the closing plenary meeting.
**Acid Rain**
Hedin, Lars O., and Gene E. Likens. “Atmospheric Dust and Acid Rain.” Scientific American (December 1996) : 88-92.
The problem of acid rain is still with us, even after the Clean Air Act was put into effect. Emission of acids into the atmosphere have decreased due to regulation, but emissions of the bases which counteract acids have also decreased. This means that we still have acid rainfall even though we have put into effect the recommended changes in order to eliminate it. One of the major sources of bases is atmospheric dust. Levels of atmospheric dust have dropped sharply in the past 30 years, enough that this may be counteracting the change in acid levels in the same time period. The problem of acid rain is therefore likely to be more complicated than was originally thought, as will be the solution. These are conditions that are affecting the world’s forest ecosystems, and the seemingly simple and quick solutions are impractical and costly.
**Chemistry**
Renner, Rebecca. “Analyzing Chemical Toxicity in 3-D on the Web.” Environmental Science and Technology 31, no. 1 (January 1997) : 32A-33A.
Aquatic toxicologists will have access to research using quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs) on a new Web site developed by EPA’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory’s Midcontinent Ecology Division in Duluth, Minnesota. The site offers access to a database of 600 compounds. The database features detailed three-dimensional chemical structures. The site can be searched by compound name orformula, and by structural fragment, to locate a potentially toxic chemical. Users can look at the structure from all directions using a structural viewer. The site features a link to the RasMol viewer, which can be downloaded as freeware. The site will be available later this year, after undergoing peer-review.
**Clean Air**
Cooney, Catherine M. “Opposition to Proposed Ozone and Particulate Standards Runs High.” Environmental Science and Technology 31, no. 1 (January, 1997) :14A-15A.
Strong opposition from members of Congress, state officials, and businesses has developed over EPA’s recently released proposal to tighten up requirements for ambient air quality standards for ozone and particulate matter. Opponents argue that complying with the revised standards is unnecessary, will prove too costly, and is a burden to local economies. EPA and other supporters feel that the agency’s plan will lead to a regional approach to pollution control, thus spreading the cost burden over a wider area. Hearings are scheduled to begin when Congress returns for its next session on January 7th.
Cooper, William J., and L. Anita Holloway, “Recipes for Cleaner Air.” Nature 394, no. 6607 (November 28, 1996) : 313-315.
Although air emission levels seem to have fallen in recent years, the problem of pollution in the atmosphere remains a serious problem. The application of new control technologies, such as uranium-based catalysts discussed in this article, offers the potential to destroy volatile organic compounds more efficiently and cost effectively then present technologies. Among the potential problems of these technologies are public acceptance (since they are uranium-based), and the possible creation of toxic by-products. Although studies so far have shown that no by-products have been produced,. more study is needed. These catalysts could play a very important role in the development of cheaper technologies to reduce gas-phase emissions of organic compounds.
Johnson, Jeff. “EPA Readies Study of Future Costs, Benefits of Implementing 1990 Clean Air Act.” Environmental Science and Technology 31, no. 1 (January 1997) : 16A
Preliminary results from a “prospective study” of the future costs and benefits of implementing the 1990 Clear Air Act will soon be available. Data will be arranged by industrial sector, sections of the act, regulations, and regions. The study will also examine cost-benefit estimates for the act’s projected effect in comparison to those where no 1990 act was passed. A retrospective cost-benefit study of the act between 1970 and 1990 is currently underway. It is hoped that the prospective study will show the same positive results as the retrospective study.
**Climate Change**
Griffies, Stephen M. and Kirk Bryan. “Predictability of North Atlantic Multidecadal Climate Variability” Science 275, no. 5297 (10 January 1997) : 181-184
Although weather systems are unpredictable, climate variations can be predicted over long periods because of atmosphere and ocean coupling. Using a global coupled ocean-atmosphere model, climate predictability over a decade for the North Atlantic is demonstrated. Differences in multidecadal sea surface temperature patterns in the North Atlantic have been linked with changes in climate over Eurasia. Finding an adequate and sustainable system for monitoring the Atlantic Ocean would assist predictability of climate variability.
Michaels, P. J. et al. “Human Effect on Global Climate?” Nature 384 (12 December 1996) : 522-524.
In the Scientific Correspondence section, two environmental scientists from the University of Virginia and a scientist from Essen, Germany disagree with some of the assertions of Sander et al. (Nature, 382, 39-46). They argue that the seemingly accurate statistical findings may be based on fortuitous coincidence and not on actual change. They have performed experiments using the data presented in the original article, and have concluded that the temperature change since the 1970s may be significantly lower than was previously reported, among other inaccurate conclusions. Santer et al. respond to the criticisms of the dissenting scientists, arguing that there is no support for the arguments of the dissenters due to factors they overlooked.
**Environmental Policy**
Danesi, Pier Roberto, and Hadj Slimane Cherif. “Environmental Changes in Perspective: the Global Response to Challenges.” IAEA Bulletin 38, no. 2 (June 1996) : 2-8.
As we approach the 21st century, a series of environmental problems threaten the global population. Among these problems are: global warming; atmospheric, oceanic, and soil pollution; declining biodiversity; and land degradation. Each of these challenges are examined. The role of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Association), and its activities with Earthwatch, a UN mechanism designed to monitor and report on global environmental disturbances, is discussed. An overview of IAEA ‘s programs, and the relevance of its environmental data collection and assessment tasks is reviewed
**Green Movement**
Morris, Julian. “The Dangers of Green Dogma.” Book Review of Green Backlash: Global Subversion of the Environment Movement by Andrew Rowel. Routledge: 1996. Nature 384 (28 November 1996) : 325-6.
In Morris’ opinion, this book’s author exaggerates the extent of the backlash that has followed the publicizing of global environmental problems in the last decade by the media and environmental groups. Morris says that Rowell comes from the perspective of “someone deeply entrenched in the environmental movement,” who suggests that the backlash campaign is being spearheaded by right-wing organizations and big businesses, with the goal of subverting the environmental movement. Morris agrees that the unscientific claims made by these groups should be criticized, but says that Rowell clouds his argument with assertions of his own which have no scientificcorroboration.
**Ozone**
French, Hilary and Ed Ayres. “The Refrigerator Revolution.” World Watch 9, no. 5 (September/October 1996): 14-21.
Since the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987, the chemical and refrigeration industry has undergone extensive changes in the methods and molecules employed in cooling. Hydroflourocarbons (HFCs) and hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFCs) were to replace chloroflourocarbons (CFCs) in the industry. Although they are more “ozone-friendly,” CFCs and HCFCs contribute to the problem of the greenhouse effect, which causes global climate change and warming.
Two German doctors have found hydrocarbons (HCs) that can cool effectively without flammability, and which also contribute almost nothing to the global warming problem. This is called the Greenfreeze theory, and caught on in Germany after initial skepticism. Now more than 90% of the refrigerators produced there are HC-based. Developing countries have the opportunity to jump ahead of the HFC- or CHFC-based substitutions being used in many industrialized nations if they can secure funding from the World Bank. This simple technology may be the solution to the ozone problem humans have been searching for.
**Sustainable Development**
Seitz, Roger. “Sustainable Development and Electricity Generation: Comparing Impacts of Waste Disposal.” IAEA Bulletin 38, no. 2 (June 1996): 27-33.
As the world population grows, the quantity of waste grows. As long as electrical power is needed, waste will be generated which causes the problem of proper disposal to become a very important issue, according to Roger Seitz. The article provides and overview of an IAEA project comparing various wastes and disposal methods from a variety of electricity generation systems. Approaches to determine and compare the health and environmental implications of waste disposal are also reviewed.
**Waste**
Lorenz, David and David C. Pettijohn. “Building with Woodless Lumber.” Earth Island Journal . 11, no.2 (Spring 1996) : 19.
The advent of non-wood processing technologies, coupled with an increased supply of cellulous-based waste products has resulted in the rapid growth of a new industry involved in the manufacture of “woodless lumber” building materials. It is projected that by the year 2000, over 1.7 million tons of alternative construction materials will be produced. Among the benefits of using these materials; substantial savings in home-building costs; reduced costs of waste disposal for communities that host manufacturing plants; and local and cooperative ownership of plants,generating local economic benefits.
UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
Notices regarding the following international conferences have been sent to INFOTERRA during the last few months. Notification is received through the mail and over the Internet. The list below is not comprehensive; INFOTERRA maintains a fairly large file of conference announcements. If you have any questions about the conferences listed below, or would like to consult our conferences file, please contact the INFOTERRA office (202) 2605917 or send an email request to: library-infoterra@epamail.epa.gov.
Industrial Waste Technical Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
March, 1997
Conference will focus on issues relating to treatment, disposal, remediation and minimization of industrial and hazardous wastes. Contact: Nancy Blatt or Dave Troubs, Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Phone: 703 684-2400; fax: 703 684-2492; e-mail: msc@wef.org.
International Conference on Agricultural Production and Nutrition
Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
March 19-21, 1997
Conference topic will be how nutritional value and safety of food is affected by methods used to raise it. Special focus will be alternative production systems which can provide wholesome and healthful foods. The conference is intended for researchers, agricultural producers, consumer groups, food processing and marketing industry and agencies concerned with agricultural policies. Contact: William Lockeretz, School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA. E-mail: wlockeretz@infonet.tufts.edu.
Tools for Drinking Water Protection
Live Via Satellite
March 19, 1997/ 2:30-4:00 pm EST.
Live, interactive satellite broadcast sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Public Broadcasting Service and the Environmental Protection Agency developed to give citizens and decision makers practical planning and management tools to create successful water protection programs. To encourage community outreach, resources are available such as site facilitator guide, companion educational materials, national water map and publication on water from the National Geographic Society. Contact: Public Broadcasting Service, phone: 800 257-2578; website: www.drinkingwater.org.
Control of Emissions of Odor and Volatile Organic Compounds
Houston, Texas, USA
April 20-23, 1997
Conference will provide up-to-date information on problem assessment and measurement methods, regulatory requirement, equipment and process options, and control technology. Contact: Nancy Blatt or Dave Trouba Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314, USA. Phone: 703 684-2400; fax: 703 684-2492; e-mail: confinfo@wef.org.
Second International Symposium on Environmental Software Systems: ISESS 1997
Delta Whistler Resort, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
April 28-May 2, 1997
The symposium will discuss progress and trends in the development of environmental software systems. Topics will include monitoring measurement networks, application methods, waste management remote sensing, modeling and simulation, global changes, and ecosystem research.
Communities Working for Wetlands
Radisson Plaza Hotel, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
May 7-9, 1997
Conference objectives are to discuss methods for heightening public awareness of the value of wetlands to the community; foster creation of voluntary public-private partnerships for wetlands conservation and management; provide information tools and foster exchange of information on wetlands management. Contact: Communities Working for Wetlands, Terrene Institute, 4 Herbert Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22305, USA. Phone: 800 726-4853; fax: 703 548-6299; e-mail: terrene@gnn.com.
GW8: 8th Global Warming International Conference & Expo
Columbia University, New York City, USA
May 25-28, 1997
Conference will focus on regional extreme climatic swing, extreme events and the extreme event index (EEI), industrial technology and greenhouse gas emission, and global and regional natural resource management. Contact: Global Warming International Center, PO Box 5275, Woodridge, Illinois 60517, USA. Phone: 630-910-1551; fax: 630 910-1561.
International Conference on Urban Ecology
Center for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle
Congress Center, Leipzig, Germany
June 25-29, 1997
Conference aims to introduce international experience in science, planning and practice. Topics will include: ecological cities-models; integration of ecological, economic social and cultural aspects for improvement of environmental conditions in cities; and land use as a factor in urban ecology. Contact: Dr. Hildegard Feldman, Department of Urban Landscapes, UF2 Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Permoserstrasse 15, D04318 Leipzig, Germany. Fax: 49-341/235-2534; E-mail: feldfrau@pro.ufz.de; Internet: http://www.ufz.de
3rd International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment
Sheraton Commander Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
June 25-28, 1997
Conference will focus on understanding environmental and resource problems within each discipline; implications of globalization of environmental concerns; available solutions. Contact: Demetri Kantarelis or Kevin Hickey, Assumption College, P. O. Box 15005, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. Phone: (508) 757-7557; Fax: (508) 799-4502; E-mail: dkantar@eve.assumption.edu.
International Environmental Law
Wokefield Park Conference Centre, Reading, England
July 13-18, 1997
Five-day residential seminar featuring comprehensive, practical and timely guide to environmental law and its implications for global business. Contact: The Study Group, 139 Upper Richmond Road, London, SW15 2TX, England. Phone: 44 181 785 7050; Fax: 44 181 785 7649.
INTERNET SITES
A selection from many sources of electronic information on specific topics.
**GLOBAL WARMING**
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Global Warming Site. Information pertaining to: the science of global warming; current and projected impacts of global warming; international and U.S. Government policies and programs; opportunities for individuals and corporations to help stop global warming; state and local actions to help mitigate green house gas emissions; and ways to obtain additional information by fax, email and electronic order form.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). IPCC operates under U.N. auspices and draws on thousands of scientists worldwide to advise governments on scientific and technical aspects of global climate change. The IPCC is divided into three Working Groups: Working Group I analyzes functions of climate systems and potential changes to it resulting from human activities; Working Group II assesses potential impacts of climate change, as well as adaptation strategies and measures which could be adopted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and Working Group III focuses on evaluating economic implications of climate change. Site features IPCC reports on global warming.
Environmental Defense Fund Global Warming Links. Site includes history of international scientific consensus; 20 steps to reduce global warming, and EcoForum, EDF’s interactive message system.
http://www.edf.org/pubs/FactSheets/d_GWFact.html
Global Warming International Center (GWIC). GWIC is the international body that disseminates information on global warming science and policy, serving both governmental, non-governmental organizations, and industries in over 120 countries. It sponsors unbiased research supporting understanding of global warming and its mitigation. Site includes information on projects; global warming resources, and information on the annual Global Warming International Conference & Expo.
TIEMPO. Bulletin on global warming and the Third World published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (London, UK) and the University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperative Agency in association with the Stockholm Environment Institute.
