OARE Module 6C:
E-journal, E-books and Internet
Resources: Environmental
Gateways/Portals
Contents Module 6: E-journal, Ebooks 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 Internetbased 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 leftcolumn 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 subcategories 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: Ejournal, E-books and Internet
Resources: Other Useful Resources.
Updated June 2015