![[logo] US EPA](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20081107232846im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Key Resources for International Learning
Highlighted below are a number of international governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations involved in developing and sharing innovative environmental policies and programs.
Ecologic 
Ecologic, the Institute for International and European Environmental Policy, is a private not-for-profit think tank for applied environmental research, policy analysis and consultancy. An independent, non-partisan body, Ecologic is dedicated to bringing ideas to environmental policies and sustainable development. This Web site offers project information, news and publications on a number of environmental topics.
EuroCities
Eurocities is a local government organization in the European Union that aims to ensure that urban affairs are placed high on the EU's policy agenda, to promote transnational cooperation between its member cities in Europe, and to foster a networking spirit among Europe's large cities. Eurocities encourages its members to exchange expertise on issues such as the environment and sustainable development. The Eurocities' Web site provides information on its activities and events as well as the Eurocities Urban Information Database, which contains hundreds of materials relevant to Eurocities' work.
European Commission's Environment Directorate-General
The Environment Directorate-General, part of the European Commission, initiates and defines new environmental legislation in the European Union and ensures that measures, which have been agreed, are actually put into practice in the Member States. This Web site provides links to EU environmental legislation and information on other Commission work on environmental issues.
European Commission's LIFE-Environment Initiative
Launched in 1992, LIFE cofinances environmental initiatives in the European Union and bordering countries. LIFE-Environment contributes to the development of innovative techniques and methods by cofinancing demonstration projects in five different areas: 1) land-use development and planning, 2) water management, 3) reduction of the environmental impact of economic activities, 4) waste management, and 5) reduction of the environmental impact of products through an integrated product policy. This Web site provides information on LIFE projects and hosts a database of over 1,000 state, municipal, and local level projects funded through this program, including case study reports of particular success stories.
European Environment Agency
The European Environment Agency (EEA) provides European decision-makers with the information needed for making sound and effective policies to protect the environment and support sustainable development. The Agency also disseminates best practice information in environmental protection and technologies, and supports the European Commission in diffusing information on the results of environmental research.
European Union's EurActiv Environment Page
EurActiv.com is now the leading online media on European Union policies. Its page on the Environment gives up-to-date, in-depth policy analysis of selected policies under consideration and underway within the EU. Their email update service also allows the user to subscribe to updates in particular areas of EU policy, so that the only information you'll find in your email inbox is information you need.
Global Environmental Management Initiative
GEMI is a not-for-profit research group that provides a forum for corporate environmental leaders throughout the world to work together, learn from each other through the activities of work groups, benchmark with peers and create tools that can be used by GEMI members and others. GEMI is an organization of leading companies dedicated to foster global environmental, health and safety (EHS) excellence through the sharing of tools and information to help business achieve EHS excellence.
A dated yet still valuable 1996 GEMI Report entitled Incentives for Environmental Improvement: An Assessment of Selected Innovative Programs in the States and Europe (PDF format 56pp; 180kb) assesses U.S. and European approaches towards convincing business and the public to actively improve the environment.
Institute for European Environmental Policy
The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) is a center for the analysis and development of environmental and related policies in Europe. IEEP focuses primarily on European Union (EU) environmental and sustainable development policies, and relevant aspects of other policies such as agriculture, transport, rural and regional development and fisheries. This Web site contains information on IEEP's activities and links to other European environmental organizations.
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Information Clearinghouse
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability is an international association of local governments implementing sustainable development. Its mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability with special focus on environmental conditions through cumulative local actions. ICLEI serves as an information clearinghouse on sustainable development by providing policy guidance, training and technical assistance, and consultancy services to increase local governments' capacity to address global challenges.
Japan's Ministry of the Environment: Asia-Pacific Environmental Innovation Strategy (APEIS)
Based out of Japan's Ministry of the Environment, APEIS is a response to the World Summit on Sustainable Development seeking to discover innovative approaches to environmental management, particularly Integrated Environmental Monitoring (IEM), Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA), and Research on Innovative and Strategic Policy Options (RISPO). Each sub-project is designed to provide a scientific basis for decision-making and henceforth to establish on-going communication between scientists and policy-makers. This site provides information to policy-makers attuned to Asian-Pacific environmental issues; however, the project also conveys its products to other regional stakeholders and the general public.
"Local Sustainability:" European Good Practice Information Service
'Local Sustainability' has been conceived and developed as a service of many partners, disseminating and making accessible the good practice experiences of European cities, towns, counties and their associations, national and regional governments, research and educational institutions, and Directorate Generals of the European Commission. This Web site provides a searchable database of over 100 case studies of European sustainability practices in action.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Environment section of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Web site provides governments with the analytical basis to develop environmental policies that are effective and economically efficient, including through performance reviews, data collection, policy analysis, and projections. Links to OECD projects and publications are provided by sector and country.
The European Commission's Community Research and Development Information System (CORDIS)
CORDIS is the European Commission's Information Service on European Research and Innovation activities. A comprehensive database of projects, groups, contacts and news for environmental R&D in the EU for which EURO 55 million have been set aside (6 th Framework - FP6) is available along with email updates and a weekly newsletter. Their database provides searching capabilities by News, Partners, Projects, Results, Document Library, Programs, Publications, and even Acronyms
United Nations' Best Practices Database
This searchable database, a joint product of UN-HABITAT and The Together Foundation, contains proven solutions to common social, economic and environmental problems of an urbanizing and globalizing world. Over 1,600 practices from 140 countries demonstrate practical ways in which public, private and civil society sectors are working together to improve governance, eradicate poverty, provide housing, land and basic services, protect the environment and support economic development
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), established in 1972, is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. This Web site provides links to UNEP offices and publications as well as topic-specific pages on UN environment projects and programs.