ABSTRACT
An optimistic view of the achievements would be that UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) set in motion a process that may pressure governments, business and perhaps ultimately individuals to make enough changes to reduce environmental and developmental problems. To reduce future environmental problems, it requires: new development ethics, global cooperation, improved environmental monitoring, better environmental management. The Global Resource Information Database (GRID) is a sophisticated geographical information system (GIS) that collects and makes available monitoring data on environmental issues ranging from desertification to endangered large mammals. In some situations agroecological zoning could be a useful aid. This depends upon satellite imagery and storage of the collected data in GIS, the GIS are used to try and match landuse to ecology of local area units and these can then be monitored to check progress, and if need be to penalize those who misuse resources.
