Environmental information is generally defined as the information referring to or describing the environment. This way, its definition has a very broad meaning like the actual definition of environment.

"Environmental information is considered to be : all the information referring to the state of the environment, as well as the activities or measures susceptible to affect it or protect it (including administrative measures and programmes of environmental management)."

The Environmental Information Systems

In the same country, environmental information is the responsibility of several institutions that manage the data relative to their areas of competence.

This dispersion of information is necessary, since no institution is capable of assuming the totality of environmental information production. However, innumerable problems are caused by a sectorial and interinstitutional isolation that takes place : duplication of data, restricted diffusion, difficult access, etc.

The Environmental Information System (EIS) constitutes an institutional response to the above problems. It must allow for the adjustment of supply and demand in matters related to environmental information, structure the information in order that the necessary data are quickly located and easily accessed.