WINNIPEG — Elizabeth Dowdeswell the Executive Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and Dr. Arthur J. Hanson, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) today signed an agreement that officially names IISD as a UNEP Collaborating Centre for International Environmental Assessment, Reporting and Forecasting. This designation identifies the Winnipeg based IISD as a center of excellence with internationally recognized expertise in the field of sustainable development.

This agreement highlights the commonality and complementarity of work between IISD and UNEP's Environment Information and Assessment Programme. According to Ms. Dowdeswell, "IISD's work has been at the cutting edge of sustainable development reporting, the establishment of methodologies such as indicators, and the development and promotion of electronic information networks and systems. This recognition is an accomplishment of which IISD and Winnipeg can be proud."

Under the agreement IISD is mandated to undertake reviews related to the state of the world environment, provide early warning of environmental threats, improve access to information for environmental decision-making and enhance developing countries' capabilities to use information.

"Working closely with UNEP provides IISD a greater opportunity to influence international decision-making," said Dr. Hanson of the agreement. The timing of this designation is also critical. "As the five year follow up to the Earth Summit approaches, measurement of advances in sustainable development will become the focus of international attention," he said.