Microsoft – led by this man – has formed a five-year alliance with the European Environment Agency to “inform Europeans on changes to environmental conditions in real time — and empowering citizens to play their part in data gathering.”

The move is part of EEA’s broader vision to build a Global Observatory for Environmental Change. The Observatory aims to be a resource for experts, policy-makers and individuals and will allow citizens to submit local data. This shuld allow it to deliver an ever-more detailed, accurate and up-to-date picture of environmental conditions throughout Europe.

By improving the availability of information, the EEA aims to enable policy-makers and citizens to make decisions about the environment and their impact on it. It could also evolve to include real-time satellite information for emergency relief services, as well as for other environmental operations.

Microsoft is providing development services to help the EEA extend the focus on important environmental factors that include air, ozone and water quality information.

The EEA and Microsoft are developing an internet portal offering access to information by location and allowing for search criteria based on local environmental monitoring agencies. The data will be updated in real time in a comprehensive manner. Users will also be able to access the information through Windows Live and MSN.

More information about the EEA at www.eea.europa.eu

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