In 2000 the Environmental Information Systems (EIS) Unit was established under the METs Directorate of Environmental Affairs (DEA). This Unit, an integrated part of the Directorate of Environmental Affairs, launched Namibia’s National Environmental Profiles (NNEP) Project and comprised the Infocom project that served to produce Environmental Information Products (EIPs), to facilitate decision making and keeping the general public informed. This Unit coordinates the Environmental Monitoring and Indicators Network (EMIN) that consists of voluntary members concerned with the monitoring of environmental changes and the consequent economic and socio-economic influence on the Namibian people. EMIN members convene once a year to deliberate on, and evaluate the progress of initiatives mandated to the EIS Unit.

The demand for environmental information will increase as Namibia progressively seeks to promote sustainable development and to improve the health of its people and their environment. The EIS Unit strived to continuously make environmental information available through different media as to inform Namibians and to develop understanding of our national development goals. Although effortless attempts by the EIS and other institutions to centralize information at an easily accessible point, information (and data) remains scattered, not available, does not suffice or is not scientifically gathered (claimed as 'their own') and stored.

The main objectives of the Unit were to:

• compile baseline information on environmental processes and issues in Namibia;

• increase public awareness of the environment;

• make environmental information available to decision-makers; and

• promote the wise use of this information in environmental management.

Projects

The Infocom project’s final undertaking was the gathering of data for trend analysis to compile Namibia’s first Integrated State of the Environment Report (ISoER). This report will serve as a working document for decision-makers and will be made intelligible at levels comprehensible for the general reader. Data and trends interpreted may serve as baselines that will allow for future comparison and analyses of long-terms trends on the state of the environment.

Since its inception, Infocom has completed a number of projects including:

• The Atlas of Namibia: A portrait of the Land and its People.

• Regional Environmental Profiles Project (each Profile culminates in a publication that highlights environmental concerns). This project started its first environmental profile on the Caprivi region in 1995. A set of baseline environmental information was compiled on Caprivi, and a publication has been produced which provides a description of the region and highlights the environmental issues.

• North-Central Profile, a second profile was completed on the Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Oshikoto regions, including Etosha National Park.

• A third profile, The Kavango: Sand and People is the latest in this series of remarkably illustrated books based on plausible scientific, socio-economic, economic, demographic and governance data.

• Each Profile produces a database that is accessible to the general public.

• The Infocom project developed effective monitoring, information and communication systems for environmental and related issues, thus ensuring the availability of relevant information in planning, decision-making and co-ordination processes. Data gathered by this project will be published for both public consumption and the attention of decision-makers.

Linked partners and funding

The Government of Finland in partnership with the Namibian Government provided funding for the Project`s activities. Gratitude is expressed toward the Government of the Netherlands who funded the Environmental Profiles Project. Informal partners include many government and private organisations.