The International Society for Environmental Protection (ISEP) was founded in 1987 by a committee of renowned scientists, business people, and representatives of government agencies to establish a global platform for environmental information exchange. Funding for the Society is provided by its members -- well-known companies and research institutions -- concerned with environmental protection, sustainable development, and related stress-reducing strategies for humans and ecological systems. Membership in ISEP is open for all interested parties.

One instrument employed to foster environmental information transfer is conference development on selected issues:

• ENVIROTECH VIENNA conferences in 1989, 1990 and 1992 dealing with hazardous waste management, remediation of contaminated sites, industrial risk assessment, water purification, waste reduction and the development of circular processes, legislative regulations, and design criteria for environmentally sound processes.

• ENVIROTOUR VIENNA conferences in 1992 and 1993 on "Strategies for Reducing the Environmental Impact of Tourism" and "Environmentally Sound Tourism - Towards a Change in Attitudes and Practices", which brought together tourism practitioners and researchers for in-depth discussions while providing information on existing, successful solutions and models within the field of environmentally sound tourism.

• Seminars and Workshops
  • International forum on environmental energy resources, the European market economy and environment-related regulations

  • Dioxins and furanes expert meeting describing sources of hazardous substances, mainly from incineration processes, their transition into the environment, and their effects on human health.

Proceedings from most ISEP conferences, seminars and workshops are available on a cost recovery basis upon request.

Two conferences are planned in continuation of ISEP's activities

• Environmental Innovations in Tourism, (date has not been fixed)

• ENVIROINFO, scheduled for 1997, will address the collection and use of environmental data, public access to information, and international environmental legislation.

ISEP/CEDAR maintains a staff with backgrounds in environmental public health, biology, communications, foreign languages, computer sciences, and economics.

ISEP/CEDAR will continue to expand their conference and network activities. Partners for cooperative ventures are being sought to support new environmental programmes for the continued development of the Society and the Facility. Comments and proposals are welcome.