WWF EIACP Theme
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), being the nodal agency in the administrative structure of the Central Government for the planning, promotion, co-ordination and overseeing the implementation of India's environmental and forestry policies and programmes, established an Environmental Information System (ENVIS) in 1982 by end of 6th Five year plan as a plan programme which would serve as a hub of Environmental information vital for formulation of environmental management policies and decision making aimed at environmental protection and enrichment for sustaining life.
ENVIS is a comprehensive network of environmental information collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination to various users, which include decision-makers, researchers, academicians, policy planners and research scientists, etc.
A large number of nodes, known as ENVIS Centres, have been established in the network to cover the broad subject areas of environment with a Focal Point in the Ministry of Environment & Forests & Climate Change which assists the Environmental Information (EI) Division in coordinating the activities of all the ENVIS network partners by making ENVIS a web-enabled comprehensive information system.
ENVIS network at present consists of a chain of 69 network partners out of which 40 are on subject-specific and 29 on State/UT related issues that are located in notable organizations/institutions/State/UT Government Departments/Universities throughout the country.
About WWF-India, EIACP Centre’s Host Organisation
WWF-India was established as a Charitable Trust on 27 November 1969 to support and promote the mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which mankind is able to live in harmony with nature. Being rechristened as World Wide Fund for Nature-India in 1987, WWF-India has served the country for over 40 years.
In keeping with the tenets of its parent organization, WWF-India, since its inception, has taken up some very challenging and constructive tasks to promote its mission and to broaden its base of audience that needs to be educated on the various environment-related issues. WWF-India as a science-based organization addresses issues like the survival of species and habitats, climate change and environmental education. Over the years, its perspective has broadened to reflect a more holistic understanding of conservation issues facing the country.
About WWF- India EIACP Centre
The EIACP Centre 07 at WWF-INDIA was established on 27 October 1984 under the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. The Centre was assigned the responsibility to serve as the focal point of collecting, organising and disseminating information on:
· Wildlife Conservation (including species and habitats) using Geospatial Techniques
Over the past few years, users (NGO, administrators, specialized agencies, researchers, school and college students, media professionals, and others) both within the country and overseas have recognized the Centre as a reliable and responsive source of environment-related information. The ENVIS Centre regularly responds to queries and requests for information on various subjects and topics concerning the environment in India.
The Centre has been continuously striving hard to enhance and improve the ways of showcasing and disseminating information database so as to serve its prime goal of providing information useful to its target audience comprising of, decision-makers, researchers, academicians, policy planners and research scientists, etc.
The Centre’s many endeavours include:
Quarterly Newsletter – The Newsletter provides a detailed account on the Environmental issues highlighted in the various sessions of the Indian Parliament and offers central insight of the important environmental conservational activities carried out by the governmental organizations/institutions/universities/Corporations etc., actions taken by the Government on issues pertaining to environment that have become a rage in the world today for having brought about significant changes in the world’s ecosystem.
Experts Database - The Database comprises of the Name and contact details of the experts working in the field of environment, with their reapective areas of specialization in the diverse environment sectors.
Utility of ENVIS Centre:
- The uniqueness of the Centre’s Parliament database lies in realizing its potential to monitor changes/shifts in public thinking and policy and its reflection in the Parliament over the years.
- The Centre is virtually the only repository/data bank for storage of valuable information related to Parliament Questions.
- The Centre apart from collection, collation and compilation of extant information, also analyses, organizes and presents an overview of the consolidated information in simple, easily retrievable form.
- To increasing relevance of environmental protection in the country’s governance system, the availability of a comprehensive database will assume increasing significance.
- The information is of use not only to the Ministry, but also the various state government departments and other professional bodies as a reference manual for official use.
- The Environment in Parliament Database is functional in analysing the changing patterns/trends of environmental policy and the manner in which the Government is trying to address the environmental issues raised by the public and also the way it influences policy formulation leading to environmental legislations.
- NGOs and Environment is WWF-India ENVIS Centre's flagship product for providing an overview of the environmental NGO's in the country, with their focal areas of work and geographic spread of activities.
- The NGO Database is a reliable and up-to-date database that helps users comprehend the magnitude of work and diversity of interests of the NGOs in various spheres of environment.
- The NGO database also forms a key base that leads the way for the analysis of the shifts of interest in various areas of environmental sector.
- The Database on Environmental NGOs is very important for appropriate and reasoned use of NGOs in taking their services in a rational and transparent way.
- In case of Environmental conservation, protection and maintenance, the Role of NGOs is very important. There are many types of views about working of NGOs across the country, and there is also very serious debate going on the activities of NGOs with respect to the development projects being taken up in or near the forests, ecologically sensitive areas. Therefore database on NGOs is very important to accredit the NGOs on a rational basis and for grading them in order to identify the best, reasonably reliable, efficient NGOs among the lot which is available.
ENVIS Centre’s Website
WWF-ENVIS Centre’s website was developed following the establishment of an ENVIS Node as a part of the Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP) of MoEF & CC, GoI in October, 2000 to December, 2001.
The ENVIS Website, rich in content is regularly updated on the various activities of the Centre. The website is divided under various sections to provide its users comprehensive and up-to-date information about the Centre and its many endeavours so that the users are able to avail its services to their satisfaction.
The Centre’s main focus is to present the website as the prime instrument for achieving its twin goals:
· To support the Ministry’s objective of formulation of environmental management policies and decision making aimed at environmental protection &
· To promote WWF-India’s mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment by educating and sensitising the mankind about the various factors affecting the environment.
The ENVIS team consists of diligent staff officials who are devoted to making the ENVIS Centre’s Website more user-friendly and comprehensive.
Visitors are requested to give their valuable suggestions and feedback so that they may be incorporated in our future endeavours. Feedbacks and Suggestions can be given on: http://wwfenvis.nic.in/Feedback.aspx