GRID is a clearing house of environmental data and information. Its mission is “to provide timely and reliable geo-referenced environmental information and access to a unique international data service to help address environmental issues at global, regional and national levels”. Central to this is an archive of environmental datasets. This is to be accessed and maintained through a system of Cooperating Centres dedicated to making special types of environmental information more readily accessible to international and national clients: the services offered from each of the centres differs according to current resources (the descriptions below are based on October 1995 facilities), but it is intended that all will offer access to the central resources.
Information services include:
(a) Environmental datasets: GRID has built up collection of these since 1985, and has access to data collected by other agencies. Eventually these may be directly available online (the USA site has a demonstration FTP facility; INPE also has an FTP service): currently you need to contact your nearest GRID centre to obtain the data itself. A catalogue of datasets is available on the Nairobi gopher (searchable by keyword), on the INPE server and is accessible by telnet to the Geneva (telnet to grida.unige.ch, instructions available via CEDAR WWW/gopher; data can also be entered onto the database in this way): the catalogue is also available in print and on diskette (INPE intend to make it available for downloading with search software for PCs). The actual data is then available free of charge.
(b) GRID-Geneva offers a “Websearch” service for data not held by GRID directly. On request, will search over Internet services for datasets. Request should state parameters such as geographic coverage, temporal coverage and your related project activity. Service is free of charge for non-commercial users. Email: grid_gnv@gridg.unep.ch. Fax: 0041 22 979 90 29. Telephone: 0041 22 979 91 11. Contact person: Philippe Pelt
(b) Network of WWW/gopher sites with information on the programme, and some services. Currently, the UNEP WWW in Nairobi is best on background information.
(c) Library of documentation on case studies and GIS/IP applications. Documents available free.