United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(3404)
EPA/220/N-94-025
May/June 1994
xvEPA
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATE
A WORLD OF INFORMATION AT YOUR
FINGERTIPS
Whether you are:
• searching for background information on an
environmental topicof international scope
• trying to keep up to date on the development
of an international environmental situation or
issue
• or searching for information on a specific
country orgovernment, INFOTERRAcan help
Among the many resources available for your use in
INFOTERRA and the EPA Headquarters Library are a
number of CD-ROM databases. The citations and
abstracts in CD-ROM databases are valuable tools for
linking to a variety of information sources. Materials
cited in CD-ROMs include both technical and general
interest journal articles, books, conference proceed-
ings, and government documents. Following are de-
scriptions of just a few of the many CD-ROM databases
available atthe EPA Headquarters Library:
Environment Abstracts is a CD-ROM database which
features bibliographic records focusing on environmen-
tally related topics. The information is international in
scope and covers such diverse topics as recycling,
technology transfer, biodiversity, grassroots organiza-
tions, and alternative energy sources.
The PAIS (PublicAffairs Information Service) CD-ROM
is a bibliographic database of public policy literature on
a variety of subjects, including environmental policy,
economics, law, political science, and international
relations. References and summaries in English are
provided to material published in any of six languages:
English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, orSpan-
ish.
AGRICOLAisthe database of the National Agricultural
Libra ry(NAL). Agricola provides a wealth of information
on topics such as pesticidesand health, global warming,
groundwatercontamination, nutrition, alternative agri-
culture, and endangered species.
3 DAYS ONLY
INFOTERRA/USA National Focal Point
INFOTERRA staff are happy to conduct orientation
sessions for individuals or groups. Please call
INFOTERRA at (202) 260-5927 if you are interested in
learning more about access to the more than 30 CD-
ROMs available through the EPA Headquarters Library.
If you prefer, INFOTERRA staff can dothesearching for
you. InadditiontotheCD-ROMdatabases,INFOTERRA
has access to over400 online databases. Please call us
at (202) 260-5927to request a search forinformation on
an international environmental topic.
U.N. Climate Change Bulletin Online
Thisquarterly newsletter is published jointly by the U.N.
Climate Change Convention secretariat, the UNEP/
WMO Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and
the UNEP/WMO Information Unit on Climate Change. It
contains information on international climate change
activities and concerns as well as descriptions of various
organizations. You can request to be added to the
distribution list forthis service by sending an internet
e-mail message to: larris@igc.apc.org@in. So far,
three issues have been published. INFOTERRA has
copies of these issues available for your perusal. If you
have any questions regarding this newsletter, please let
us know.
New Monthly News Service Via E-mail
INFOTERRA now produces EarthLink, an electronic
news service distributed via All-in-One. EarthLink is
a monthly update providing international environmen-
tal news of interest to EPA staff, with particular
attention given to the activities of international organi-
zations. EarthLink includes information from current
news sources including journals, newsletters, and
other publications. For more information, orto sub-
scribe to EarthLink, send an e-mail message to
library-infoterra or call (202) 260-5927.
Info Expo Postponement
INFOTERRA's INFO EXPO '94, scheduled for Wednes-
day, June 8, has been postponed. Watch this spot for
details about the rescheduled EXPO.
Recycled/Recyclable
w«h Soy/Canola Ink on paper thai
-------
JOURNAL ARTICLES OF INTEREST
"Negotiators Agree to Establish $2 Billion Interna-
tional Environmental Fund." Environmental Policy
Alert. (March 30,1994), p. 35.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF), a joint World
Bank- United Nations (UN) project, will receive funding
of over $2 billion, negotiators from 26 countries agreed on
March 16. The GEF is a financing mechanism intended
to address global environmental issues such as global
warming and biological diversity.
The U.S. has agreed to provide the fund with over$430
million. U.S. Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen stated,
"This new facility is central to the administration's
strategy to protect the global environment." The agree-
ment to establish an independent secretariat will make
future management of GEF "functionally independent"
from the World Bank and the UN.
"China Bans Sea Dumping of Radioactive Waste."
JPRS Environmental Issues. JPRS-Ten-94-006 (March
8,1994), p. 8.
As of February 20, the Chinese government has ac-
cepted the terms of three international resolutions con-
cerning disposal at sea of radioactive and industrial
wastes. With special permission, disposal of low-level
radioactive waste is allowed, as is the dumping of low-
level toxic or non-toxic industrial waste.
"Country Joins Vienna Convention for Ozone Pro-
tection." JPRS Environmental Issues. JPRS-Ten-94-
006 (March 8,1994), p. 17.
Vietnam has joined the 1985 Vienna convention for
protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal protocol
on ozone-depleting chemicals. The announcement
came in a letter from the foreign minister to the UN
SecretaryGeneral.
"Beijing, Tokyo Sign Environmental Protection
Agreement." JPRS Environmental Issues. JPRS-Ten-
94-008 (March 25,1994), pp. 5-6.
The signing of an accord between China and Japan
marks an important step in the environmental partner-
ship begun ten years ago. According to the new
agreement, thetwo countries will cooperate in the areas
of prevention and control of air and water pollution and
acid rain, research on the health effects of pollution,
urban environmental improvement, protection of the
ozone layer and preservation of biodiversity. The two
countries will increase the exchange of researchers,
technical personnel and environmental protection infor-
mation for mutual benefit.
"Labor Groups Accuse U.S. Firms of Illegally Firing
Mexican Workers," Shanley, Agnes. Chemical
Engineering. 101:3 (March 1994), pp. 52-54.
The U.S. Dept. of LaborNational Administrative Office,
established by NAFTA, has received its first official
complaint regarding U.S. laborpracticesin Mexico. The
issue centers on Honeywell Corp.'s dismissal of workers
in Mexican plants, and was brought to the Office by the
U.S. Teamsters Union and the United Electrical Work-
ers Union.
"Chemical Emergency Preparedness Along U.S.-
Mexico Border Gets Boost." International Environ-
ment Reporter. 17:6 (March 23,1994), p. 262.
The Sister Cities Initiative, launched by the International
City/County Management Association (ICMA) on March
17, willfostercollaborative planning alongthe2,000-mile
U.S.-Mexico border to curb chemical accidents. A
series of seven workshops spearheaded by ICMA with
cooperation from the U.S. EPA is aimed at strengthen-
ing joint communication and response activities. A
major barrier still facing officials on both sides of the
borderis establishing a means of responding to hazm at
transportation accidents.
"Agreement Signed to Eliminate CFC Use." JPRS
Environmental Issues. JPRS-Ten-94-008 (March 25,
1994), pp. 5-6.
An agreementto set up a bureau to supervise implemen-
tation of Iran's commitment to phase out the use of
ozone-depleting substances in the refrigeration industry
wassigned betweenthe head of the Iranian Environmen-
tal Protection Organization (EPO) and the head of the
UN Development Program office in Tehran.
All materials listed above are available atINFOTERRA
in the Headquarters Library.
UNEP
(202)
(202)
260-5917
260-5638
Reference Desk:
Head Librarian:
Carol Stiles
Reference Librarians:
Elizabeth Behrendt "•- ,. (202)
Robert Hulshof f * (202)
INFOTERRA EPS Librarian: . * .
Lara Wiggert (202) 2SO-J3357
260-5927
260-3638
INFOTERRA is contractor
operated and managed by
the Office of Information
Resources,Management (OIRM),
Information Msna'gementSand
Services DivJsion^lMSD),"; .
Morrnatioa Shartflg Branfeh.
'.-, i is K :,A. 'u
------- |