The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has implemented a Central Sector Scheme entitled Environmental Information System (ENVIS), with the purposes of collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information relating to a variety of themes associated with Environment Sector. ENVIS was set up as a Central Scheme in December 1982 (Sixth Plan). ENVIS is a decentralized system, a web-based distributed network of subject-specific databases. Its purpose is to integrate country-wide efforts in environmental information collection, collation, storage, retrieval and dissemination to all concerned. ENVIS, by providing scientific, technical and semi-technical information on various environmental issues, serves as the backbone of policy formulation and environment management at all levels of Government as well as decision-making aimed at environmental protection and its improvement for sustaining good quality of life of all living beings. Its major users also include institutes and individual scientists carrying out research projects and agencies carrying out environmental impact assessment of projects as well as public.

ENVIS is continuously producing value-added information products relating to Environment, Forest, Wildlife and Climate Change. This includes theme based newsletters, special publications, e-newsletters, thematic bulletins, technical reports, Discussion Forum, mobile apps, directories of information at State/regional/ National level, Bibliography, information products developed on parks and sanctuary, desertification maps, flora and fauna species distribution maps. All these information are readily available on ENVIS websites which are dedicated to different interesting themes. The network presently consists of 69 Centres , of which 29 Centres which deal with “State of the Environment and Related Issues” are hosted by the Environment/ Forest Department of State Governments/ UT Administrations. Remaining 40 Centres, hosted by environment-related governmental and non-governmental organisations/ institutes of professional excellence, have a thematic mandate. During the year 2015-16, the ENVIS Centres put together, witnessed over one crore forty lakhs hits and it is growing.