OARE Module 6C:E-journal, E-books and Internet Resources: Environmental Gateways/Portals

Contents Module 6: E-journal, E-books and Internet Resources

Module 6A: Background; Free E-journals Access

Module 6B: Free E-book Access

Module 6C: Environmental Gateways/Portals

Module 6D: Other Useful Resources

Environmental Gateways/Portals (a brief sampling)

• Yale University – Forestry and Environmental Studies Alumni Research Guide

• World Organization: 100 Top Environmental Sites

• UNEP Knowledge Repository

• Environmental Data Explorer (UNEP)

• InforMEA (United Nations)

• UNEP Live

• Virtual Library of Sustainable Development and Environmental Health (PAHO)

• United States Environmental Protection Agency

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (USA)

• Center for International Earth Science Information Network (Columbia University)

• ECOLEX: Gateway to Environmental Law

This Yale University LibGuide serves as an excellent tool for accessing free/low cost Internet-based environmental resources. Displayed is part of the General Related Websites listing. Note the brief annotations and links.

Now displayed is the Open Access Web Portals listing. Use this resource as a tool for accessing additional Web sites.

The non-profit World Environmental Organization gateway is a broad list of 100 Top Environmental Web Sites. Many of these site will contain full-text ‘grey literature’ documents. Each entry has a brief annotation and link to the site. The broad subject categories contain 100 ‘best sites’ for each sub-topic.

Scroll down the page and open Environmental News Service

This site has up-to-date news about environment activities. It is organized by broad subject headings plus has a keyword search tool.

The UNEP Knowledge Repository is the Program’s official platform for its research content and knowledge products. It gives open access to UNEP’s publications, technical and assessment reports, guidelines, newsletters, journal articles, etc.

Completed is a search for oil spills with 79 results. The abstract has been displayed for the 1st report. Downloaded is the pdf document of this report.

Now displayed is the Advanced Search option.

UNEP’s Environmental Data Explorer gives access to the numerous data sets used by the organization. Click on the Marine and Coastal Area data category. Keyword search also available.

Displayed are the results of the Marine and Coastal Area dataset search.

InforMEA is a portal of multilateral environmental agreements. Note that there is a keyword search tool plus access by Treaties and Countries. Climate change will be searched.

The climate change results search results are displayed. Note how the results are organized by Type and Instrument.

Now displayed is the useful Glossary that is divided into Substantive terms and Generic terms.

The aim of UNEP Live is be a database to facilitate the exchange and sharing of latest data, information, assessments and knowledge. Displayed is the Country/Regional/Global drop down menu.

Now displayed is the Theme drop down menu.

An air pollution keyword search has been completed and resulted in 89 publications.

Displayed is the initial (English) page for PAHO’s Virtual Library of Sustainable Development and Environmental Health. Note the left-column topic listing. In the keyword search box, water AND pesticides has been entered.

The water AND pesticides search resulted in 89 publications.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s website contains numerous useful drop down menus, an A-Z topical listing plus a keyword search tool. Highlighted is the Science & Technology menu.

From the Science & Technology drop down menu, the Substances and Toxics Science page is displayed. Note the types of resources that are accessible.

Now displayed is the Land, Waste and Cleanup Science page. Again, note they types of resources that are available.

The EPA Science Inventory is a searchable database of research products primarily from EPA's Office of Research and Development. These records provide descriptions of the product, contact information, and links to available printed material or websites. Note the keyword Search the Science Inventory tool.

The results for a heavy metals search resulted in 627 articles with annotations and links to the full-text.

Now opened is the Web page to one of the full-text articles.

Displayed is the (U.S.) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Resources for Scientists page. In the left column, there are links to many useful tools.

Now open is the Databases page which links to several useful tools on specific research topics.

The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (Columbia University) focuses on interdisciplinary research related to human interaction in the environment. Note the various programs and projects in the left column. Open the Browse by Subject option.

Listed are broad topics with sub-categories plus a keyword search tool. Enter urban air quality in the search box.

Results for the urban air quality search are 503 publications with access to the full-text.

Now displayed is CIESIN’s Advanced search tool.

ECOLEX is a gateway to environmental law, operated jointly by FAO, IUCN and UNEP. It includes information on treaties, international soft-law and other non-binding policy and technical guidance documents, national legislation, judicial decisions, and law and policy literature. In the search box, enter rivers and click on GO.

The search results for rivers is 1701 publications. These include Treaties, Legislation, Court decisions and Literature. There is full-text access to most publications.

Exercises

This is the end of the OARE Basic Course Module 6C. Exercises for this module are available after Module 6D.

Please continue with Module 6D: E-journal, E-books and Internet Resources: Other Useful Resources.

Updated June 2015