Global Water Quality Database Goes Online
UNEP’s Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) Water Programme launches GEMStat: a new online searchable database of global water quality data and statistics

Burlington/Nairobi, 22 March 2005. This year, World Water Day takes a long-term vision of the future by launching the “Decade for Action: Water for Life” with a worldwide goal of setting “a greater focus on water-related issues, while striving to ensure the participation of women in water-related development efforts, and further cooperation at all levels to achieve water-related goals of the Millennium Declaration, Johannesburg Plan of Implementation of the World Summit for Sustainable Development and Agenda 21.”

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through its GEMS/Water Programme, is contributing to World Water Day with a new scientific resource called GEMStat, dedicated to providing environmental water quality data and information of the highest integrity, accessibility and interoperability. These data serve to strengthen the scientific basis for global and regional water assessments, indicators and early warning. GEMStat is designed to share surface and ground water quality data sets collected from the GEMS/Water Global Network, including over 1,500 stations, two million records, and over 100 parameters.

GEMStat is one of four key results of UNEP’s “Great Water Quality Data Drive” kicked-off with World Environment Day 2004:

1. www.GEMStat.org — a new searchable database of global water quality data and statistics
2. new data and information sources, such as metadata, BOD, pathogens, POPs, nitrogen and phosphorus, suspended solids and sediment quality
3. renewed focus on groundwater data and monitoring as a regional and global priority
4. integration of alternate technology: from indigenous knowledge to remote sensing.

Data from all types of inland aquatic environments are important for global water assessment. These include surface waters such as lakes, reservoirs, streams, rivers, estuaries, and wetlands; and groundwater aquifers. All data are subject to standard data integrity review processes.

Dr. Richard Robarts, GEMS/Water’s director, reminds that GEMStat is just the beginning. “Our focus is on building our global water quality data and information sources over the next ten years, so that the whole international community can benefit through better decisions being taken to manage all water resources.”

UNEP’s GEMS/Water Programme is mandated to collect data and information on inland water quality for environmental assessments at regional and global levels. These water quality data cover both surface and groundwater resources. However, there are many gaps that need to be filled, especially in terms of geospatial and temporal coverage. The current state of data distribution was featured in the 2004 UNEP Annual Report and specific details are reported country-by-country in the 2004 State of the GEMS/Water Global Network and Annual Report.

GEMStat is accessible at www.gemstat.org, and user feedback and data submissions are invited.

What does GEMS/Water do?
Since its establishment in 1978, UNEP’s Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) Water Programme has become the primary source for global environmental water quality data. It is a multi-faceted water science centre oriented towards knowledge development on inland quality issues throughout the world. Major activities include monitoring, assessment and capacity building. The twin goals of the programme are to improve water quality monitoring and assessment capabilities in participating countries, and to determine the status and trends of regional and global water quality. These goals are implemented through the GEMS/Water data bank, including water quality data and information from more than 106 countries, with over two million entries for lakes, reservoirs, rivers and groundwater systems. By compiling a global database, GEMS/Water adds value to country-level data by contributing to global and regional water quality assessments. The programme also carries out evaluations on a range of water quality issues and methodologies. GEMS/Water data have been used by other organizations, including the UN system and universities around the world.

World Environment Day, considered one of the most important events on the environment calendar, is celebrated every year in more than 100 countries. The occasion serves to inspire political and community action. Governments, individuals, non-governmental organizations, community and youth groups, business, industry and the media undertake a variety of activities aimed at renewing their commitment to the protection of the environment. Individuals and organizations are invited to post details about their planned WED events and learn about what others are doing to celebrate WED across the globe.

For more information about water quality, please contact: Dr. Richard D. Robarts, Director, UN GEMS/Water Programme, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7R 4A6, Canada, tel: + 1 306 975 6047 fax: + 1 306 975 5143 e-mail: richard.robarts@ gemswater.org or see www.gemswater.org