Research Guides
Government Sources by Subject: Environment
International
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EarthTrends, Environmental Information, World Resources InstituteData and analysis about environmental, social, and economic trends; vital statistics, maps, and graphics for more than 200 countries.
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ECOLEX a Gateway to Environmental LawThe ECOLEX database 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. ECOLEX is operated jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
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Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management, OECD/EEAInformation on environmentally related taxes, fees, charges, tradable permit systems, deposit refund systems, environmentally motivated subsidies and voluntary approaches used in environmental policy.
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Agricultural & Environmental Science DatabaseThis database contains abstracts and citations from over 6000 scientific journals, conference proceedings, reports, environmental impact statements, books, and government publications. Use the advanced search to limit results to "Government & Official Documents".
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GEO Data Portal (Global Environment Outlook), UN Environment ProgrammeThis database holds more than 500 different variables as national, subregional, regional and global statistics or as geospatial data sets (maps). Themes include freshwater, population, forests, emissions, climate, disasters, health and GDP.
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International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)The IUCN has Official Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly and its members include governmental and non-governmental organizations. The IUCN publishes or co-authors more than 100 major assessments a year, which can be found in their catalog under the "Resources" tab. Some full text. The website also contains news, photos, and videos.
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National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE)NCSE is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the scientific basis of environmental decision-making. Website contains news, photos, videos, and a compilation of Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports related to the environment.
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United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)UNEP news, speeches, events, photos, videos, and publications.
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World Development IndicatorsThis resource contains development data covering more than 575 indicators, 225 countries, and 18 regional and income groups. The data is compiled by the World Bank from officially-recognized international sources. Environmental data covers forests, biodiversity, emissions, and pollution. See also the climate change indicators.
2005-current available online.
1997-current (incomplete) available on CD-ROM.
United States
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DOE Information Bridge, U.S. Department of EnergyFull text and bibliographic citations of DOE research reports. Subjects include biology, environmental sciences, renewable energy, and more. To enhance your search, open a citation from your results list and click on "More Like This" (under the title).
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Environment, Energy, and Agriculture: USA.govUSA.gov's portal to a wide range of environmental topics such as natural resources, conservation, global warming, fuel efficiency, biotechnology, and more.
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Sources by Subject page about resources produced by the EPA. Includes compliance, enforcement, databases, technical reports, and more.
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NOAA FisheriesThe National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is the lead federal agency responsible for the nation's offshore living marine resources and their habitat. Find publications, programs, news, photo galleries and more. See also NOAA's coastal site and climate information.
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Onshore Industrial Wind Turbine Locations for the United StatesThrough July 22, 2013;industrial-scale onshore wind turbine locations, corresponding facility information, and turbine technical specifications.
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Protected Areas Database of the U.S.Online interactive map showing the official inventory of public parks and other protected open space in the US.. Downloadable by US or state, includes shapefiles.
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U.S. Forest ServiceThe U.S. Forest Service is responsible for 193 million acres of forests and grasslands. Find information on research, recovery projects, climate change, news, and more.
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U.S Fish and Wildlife ServicePublications and information on wildlife refuges, endangered species, environmental contaminants, and more from the department with a mission "to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."
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windFarm, USGS Energy Resources ProgramUSGS mapping tool showing locations of windfarms in the United States.
Washington State
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Washington Department of EcologyNews and information from the department responsible for collecting environmental data and enforcing environmental laws.
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Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)The WDFW is mandated to protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats while providing sustainable recreational and commercial opportunities. Find information and news on conservation, wildlife, fisheries and more.
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Washington Department of Natural ResourcesPublications and news on science, recreation, and business practices related to the environment.
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Washington Environmental CouncilIssue & campaign information, relevant legislation, voter education, news, event information, and more.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, from Wikimedia Commons.