• Information on the state of our environment
• The latest statistics and indicators
• Maps on the state of the environment
• Documents and other resource material for download
• Links to other internet resources
• Short articles on emerging issues that may impact on the state of the environment

Best Practices Database
Contains thousands of solutions from more than 140 countries to common social, economic and environmental problems. This searchable database contains over 2150 proven solutions from more than 140 countries to the common social, economic and environmental problems of an urbanizing world. It demonstrates the practical ways in which public, private and civil society sectors are working together to improve governance, eradicate poverty, provide access to shelter, land and basic services, protect the environment and support economic development.
http://www.bestpractices.org/

Worldwatch Institute
The Worldwatch Institute Independent is an environmental research organisation that offers a unique blend of interdisciplinary research, global focus, and accessible writing that has made it a leading source of information on the interactions among key environmental, social, and economic trends. Our work revolves around the transition to an environmentally sustainable and socially just society-and how to achieve it.
http://www.worldwatch.org/

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership
Modern energy services are key components in the economic and social development of Southern Africa. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) recognizes energy as a key component in delivering services, improving health, providing sanitation and for poverty reduction.
Backed by national governments, financial and business professionals and NGOs, REEEP is uniquely placed among international initiatives to drive the integration of renewable Energy and energy efficient systems (REES) into national and global energy policy.
REEEP's regional secretariats provide access to best practice in policy and finance to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. The International Secretariat engages political, financial and business support to reduce the risk inherent in implementing new policy and financing initiatives. http://www.reeep-sa.org/

Going Green
A website that hosts "Green Links" - short descriptive web links about various "Green" topics that covers Green Living (building, composting, energy saving, global footprint, homemade, lifestyle, news and magazines, plants, pumps, stoves, transport, waste and recycling, water and sewage...); Renewables (biofuels, general, geothermal, solar, wind...); Environment (Eastern Cape, general, resources, South Africa...); Developments (other eco-centres, government policies, projects in Africa...); Local attractions (attractions and information) aimed at inspiring the public to become more eco-friendly. It also covers news on what's happening and who's doing what about the environment etc. www.goinggreen.co.za).

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
An international policy research institute and non governmental body based in London working for more sustainable and equitable global development. They work globally through a wide range of long-standing relationships with partners across the developing world. They have partnerships that generate close working relations with many key development actors from smallholder farmers and big city slum-dwellers to national governments and regional NGOs, global institutions and international processes. Environmental sustainability is a core concern but not at the expense of people's livelihoods.
http://www.iied.org/

South Africa - The Good News
Positive news & information about South Africa. This website will provide you with daily, weekly and archived news items to inform whatever interests you may have. Hopefully, if you know where we've come from and get a sense of where we're heading, your confidence in South Africa will improve and you'll want to describe what's happening here positively…and with passion.
http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/

Institute for Global Dialogue
The Institute for Global Dialogue is an independent South African non-governmental organisation broadly concerned with key issues in international affairs, and how these affect South Africa, southern Africa, and Africa as a whole. Founded in 1994 - the same year as South Africa's transition to democracy - it has built up valuable experience, and made an important and sustained contribution to research and analysis on international affairs. As South Africa has progressively engaged more intensively with the region, the rest of Africa, and the global community, the IGD has also broadened its scope and increased its resources in order to focus on the critical challenges that confront South Africa, the region, and the continent in a fast-changing global environment.
http://www.igd.org.za/

Population Reference Bureau
The Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations. We focus our work around four "core themes": Reproductive Health and Fertility; Children and Families; Population and the Environment; and Population Futures-Aging, Inequality and Poverty, Migration and Urbanization, and Gender. We also emphasize two Strategic Approaches: Building Coalitions and Mobilizing Civil Society.
http://www.prb.org/

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)
Provides news and analysis about sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia for the humanitarian community.
The networks target decision-makers in relief agencies, host and donor governments, human-rights organisations, humanitarian advocacy groups, academic institutions and the media. At the same time, IRIN strives to ensure that affected communities can also access reliable information, so they can take informed decisions about their future.
IRIN is part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, but its news service is editorially independent. Its reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations and its various agencies. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, IRIN was founded in 1995 to improve the flow of vital information to those involved in relief efforts in the Great Lakes region following the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
http://www.irinnews.org/

World Resources Institute (WRI)
The World Resources Institute is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to create practical ways to protect the Earth and improve people's lives. WRI, an environmental think tank, provides a wealth of resources on its site including the EarthTrends portal. This portal leads to information on regional and country-specific coastal and marine ecosystems, water resources, climate, population and health, economics, energy, biodiversity, agriculture, forests, and environmental governance and institutions. Under each topic you will find a searchable database, data tables, country profiles, maps, and features.
http://www.wri.org/

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
The FAO is one of the largest UN specialized agencies, mandated to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, improve agricultural productivity, and to better the conditions of rural populations. Its site provides a wealth of information on FAO activities, including access to statistical databases and reporting on agriculture, economics, forestry, fisheries, sustainable development, nutrition, and more.
www.fao.org

People & the Planet
This website is devoted to the inter-related issues of population, poverty, consumption, health, and the environment. Key topics offered include population pressures, food and agriculture, reproductive health, pollution, coasts and oceans, renewable energy, poverty and trade, climate change, green industry, ecotourism, biodiversity, mountains, forests, water, and cities.
www.peopleandplanet.net

Earth Policy Institute
The Institute is dedicated to providing a vision of what an eco-economy (an environmentally sustainable economy) looks like. The site provides publications, key indicators and scheduled events. www.earth-policy.org

Urban Environment Unit
The Urban Environment Unit aims to integrate the urban dimension in UNEP's work, with a focus on environmental issues that both have a local and an international dimension (e.g. the role of cities in climate change). In cooperation with partners, UNEP supports governments to address key urban environmental issues at the national, regional and global levels. http://www.unep.org/dpdl/urban_environment The main activities the Urban Environment Unit is involved in are:

Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) - UNEP is taking the lead in PCVF to promote better urban air quality in developing countries through cleaner fuels and vehicles. Emissions from vehicles have major impacts on human health, the local, regional and global environment and the economy. Reductions of emissions from vehicles are essential to reduce the increasing urban air pollution especially in developing countries.

Over 80 organisations from the private sector (both oil industry and vehicles industry), governments, NGOs and international organisations are working together to promote and implement activities through PCFV. The focus is on the phase out of leaded gasoline worldwide, the reduction of sulfur in fuels and the introduction of clean vehicles technologies and clean vehicles. The PCFV Clearing House and UNEP are supporting activities at the global, regional, sub-regional and national level.

Cities Alliance
UNEP's main objective as a member of the Cities Alliance is to integrate global environmental considerations - such as climate change, biodiversity and coastal pollution - into Cities Alliance activities. As a sponsor of Cities Alliance projects, UNEP conducts integrated environmental assessments and provides expertise in areas such as urban waste management (life-cycle approach, urban wastewater), energy efficiency, water and sanitation, and urban poverty reduction using the ecosystem services approach.
The Cities Alliance is a global coalition of cities and their development partners committed to poverty reduction in cities in developing countries. The Cities Alliance helps local authorities to plan and prepare for future growth. The Cities Alliance assists cities to develop slum upgrading projects, city development strategies and sustainable financing strategies.
http://www.citiesalliance.org

Sustainable Cities Programme
The joint UN-HABITAT - UNEP Sustainable Cities Programme promotes environmental, social and economic sustainability of cities through an Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) approach which is characterized by a broad-based, participatory decision-making process.
The SCP is an important vehicle for UNEP to address global environmental concerns at local level and to strengthen capacities in cities to deal with these problems. The SCP approach and network are used in several other UNEP initiatives, for example GEO Cities and Cities Alliance. Together with UN-HABITAT, UNEP prepares tools, publications and workshops on EPM and various urban environmental issues such as air quality, climate change and gender. Currently the SCP is active in approximately 40 cities around the world. SCP is funded by the Dutch government. GEO Cities

The GEO Cities
Assessments methodology has been prepared to guide cities in conducting Integrated Environmental Assessments in cities. The process is designed to analyse the state of the local environment and the impacts of cities on the local, national and global environment. This will help cities to obtain meaningful environmental data which can be used for decision-making and action. UNEP and UN-HABITAT have been supporting GEO Cities in more than 10 Latin American cities. A similar initiative is being developed for the African region.

Local-global linkages
Over half of the world's population now lives in cities. High urbanisation has severe consequences on the local environment and the well-being of urban residents. Cities are increasingly degrading their surrounding areas and the national, regional and global environment. For example, cities are among the biggest polluters of coastal areas and oceans. Urban activities generate close to 80 percent of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as well as significant amounts of other greenhouse gases. However, if cities are key contributors to many environmental problems, they should also be involved in the development and implementation of strategies and actions to address these issues. UNEP is therefore promoting the role of cities in addressing global environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems, and coastal pollution. Global Community Initiatives (GCI) helps communities move forward with confidence and enthusiasm to achieve their vision for a healthy environment, a vibrant economy, good governance, and a sense of connection to their neighbors and the world. They assist communities with projects that foster democratic practices, social and economic justice, respect and care for the community of life, and environmental integrity. We work to create a context where people feel inspired to work for positive change.
http://www.global-community.org