Since it was introduced in 1975 at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, the Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) is a global operation that collects information to better understand and protect the Earth’s environment. This effort is made with the cooperation of other countries, who contribute data to the GEMS.

One of the many projects that the GEMS has been studying has been water quality. Since 1978, the GEMS has examined the quality of surface and ground water to find trends that will shape water quality policy. With the cooperation of environment research programs from member nations all over the world such as the National Water Research Institute in Canada, GEMS can provide information of resources like water to ensure resources are used sustainably.

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Other Sources

Government of Canada. “GEMS Water.” Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change. http://www.ec.gc.ca/qualitedeleau-waterquality/. Accessed August 5, 2016.

United Nations Environment Programme. “The Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS Water).” United Nations Environment Programme. http://www.unep.org/gemswater/. Accessed August 5, 2016.