INFOTERRA has its international headquarters in Kenya and is a global information network operated by the Earth-watch program of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Under INFOTERRA, participating nations designate institutions to be national focal points, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States. Each national institution chosen as a focal point, prepares a list of its national environmental experts and selects what it considers the best sources for inclusion in INFOTERRA's international directory of experts.

INFOTERRA initially used its directory only to refer questioners to the nearest appropriate experts, but the organization has evolved into a central information agency. It consults sources, answers public queries for information, and analyzes the replies. INFOTERRA is used by governments, industries, and researchers in 177 countries.

Resources

Organizations

UNEP-Infoterra/USA, MC 3404 Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. USA 20460 Fax: (202) 260-3923, Email: library-infoterra@epa.gov