Rationale and History

E-media are becoming increasingly popular tools for accessing information. The ongoing growth of the Internet not only as an information publishing tool but as a 2-way communications medium is heralding a new paradigm for the way society functions. With "Convergence" supporting the growth of digital television, mobile telephony, and improved quality of fixed telecommunication lines, citizen access to the Internet (encouraged by falling prices) is set to increase dramatically. Information access, any time, any place is rapidly becoming a reality.

Electronic tools provide a cost effective storage and dissemination mechanism for knowledge managers. Vast amounts of data can be packed, processed, analysed, reported and mailed faster than any traditional paper-based mechanism. According to Patrick Dunleavy, Professor of Government at the London School of Economics, "governments that fail to take advantage of the web will not only miss out on huge savings in the cost of transactions, but... will becomes less and less visible within society, and arguably therefore less influential and effective." (quoted from the Financial Times, 15 February 2000).

The Electronic Tools Task Force to the Aarhus Convention was established in July 2000 at the second meeting of Convention signatories in Cavtat, Croatia, and its mandate reaffirmed at the first meeting of the parties in Lucca, Italy in October, 2002. The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, EcoForum (an environmental NGO coalition), and UNEP-Infoterra, lobbied for the initial establishment of the Task Force via a "position paper" (MSWord, 164 Kb), whereafter the meeting subsequently noted "the issue was generally . . . one of great and growing importance." It was agreed to establish a task force on this topic, but a recommendation was also made to consider non-electronic tools, since in some countries these are still the preferred means for accessing information.

At the first meeting of parties, the Task Force on Electronic Information Tools was re-established following acceptance of the document for decision I/6 (PDF, 48 Kb) presented by the European ECO Forum, the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/INFOTERRA). According to Decision I/6 (PDF, 95 Kb) the body will “continue and further develop the work of the task force established by the second Meeting of Signatories to the Aarhus Convention.”

Rationale and History

Goals and Objectives

Target Groups

Workplan

First Task Force Goals