There is a general lack of coherent environmental information and reliable tools available globally and to developing countries, in particular. There is also poor exchange of such information and cooperation between institutions in the same country and between countries. As such, there is an urgent need to collect, process, analyse and disseminate environmental information in a systematic manner.

Drawing up sustainable development policies and strategies as well as enacting legislation requires data, whether economic, social or environmental. After that, the public, businesses and civil society need information about such policies and plans.

In addition to what is required from them to comply, they also need to know what the benefit from such policies and legislation is. Even evaluating the success of the policies and legislation requires information. So, information is vital at all stages for better governance.

Free dissemination of environmental information is a key enabling condition for better environmental governance globally, regionally and locally.

The focus of the Eye on Earth Summit held in Abu Dhabi on December 12-15, and the Summit Declaration, which will provide inputs to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012, was on information and providing access to it.

The contents of the Declaration were negotiated and finalised by the major components of civil society (women, the scientific community, youth, farmers, trade unions, business and industry) and ministerial delegations from around the world, the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), who attended the summit.

The Declaration highlighted Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, which amongst others recognises that "each individual shall have appropriate access to information concerning the environment that is held by public authorities, and that states shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available".

The discussions were aimed at reaching out to the people, policymakers, researchers and media across the world to highlight the importance of a sustainable environment. The summit focused on how to effectively manage environmental and social data, especially in developing countries, to improve quality of life.

Better access

In line with what is planned in Rio+20, the Eye on Earth summit was not just about technical systems, it was also about the right to information and how it can be accessed by those who need it to improve lives, combat climate change and biodiversity loss, and protect against disasters.

The summit was not just about data, but also about the means to get the necessary information and knowledge to address global environmental challenges. Data is out there, but not everyone has access to it.

In fact, one can say that the summit was an important initiative and event from Abu Dhabi on the road to Rio+20, to plan a path towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient global green economy that can generate growth and create green jobs, eradicate poverty, combat climate change, help solve the problem of energy and food security.

The summit came at a very important time and was urgently needed because, according to UNEP, humanity has passed some of the "planetary boundaries", which were intended to define a "safe operating space".

Challenges

There has been climate change, biodiversity loss (terrestrial and marine) and interference with nitrogen and phosphorous. Add to this the various challenges related to stratospheric ozone depletion, ocean acidification, global freshwater use, change in land use, chemical pollution, and atmospheric aerosol loading.

In order to solve these problems at all levels from individual to society and at the local, regional and global levels, there is a need to get correct data at the right time. Without reliable data wrong paths to development can be chosen.

We no longer have the luxury of time to try to correct our actions. Remedial measures need to be taken now. Such measures depend mainly on accurate data.

Abu Dhabi, by taking the initiative and organising the summit and signing the Eye on Earth Declaration to be considered by Rio+20 next year, has proved that the UAE is leading the way in the environmental sphere and is a key partner in the Rio+20 process.

 

Dr Mohamed Abdel Raouf is an independent environmental researcher.