You are here: Home > Activities > UK Environmental Observation Framework
Skip to content

UK Environmental Observation Framework

ERFF Report 05The UK Environmental Observation Framework (UK-EOF) was officially launched on Thursday 17 July 2008. Full details of this new iniative can be found in the ERFF Report 05 - UK Environmental Observational Framework.

An inugural workshop followed the launch, further information is available on the UK-EOF Launch and inaugural workshop page.

The UK Environmental Observation Framework (UK-EOF) is an exciting new initiative in response to the long standing and complex issues concerning monitoring and observations. The leaflet, 'Environmental Monitoring in the UK - the current picture', shows these issues.

Excerpt of Poster 2: A UK Environmental Observation Framework - where we want to beThe UK-EOF has the overall aim of shaping the UK's capability to 'facilitate the ongoing environmental evidence required to understand the changing natural environment, thus guiding current and future environmental management, policy, science and innovation priorities for economic benefit and quality of life'.
A summary of the framework is provided in the leaflet, 'A UK Environmental Observation Framework - where we want to be'.

The UK-EOF is at least a 5-year programme from April 2008 to provide a strategic decision-making framework for optimising the investments and measurements made (eg for research, policy and regulatory needs).

The scope covers all environmental observation/monitoring activities done for or by the UK. It will enable funders and users to;

  • see the entire observation/monitoring portfolio,
  • understand the motivations of its various components, and will
  • improve data accessibility and quality.

Bob Watson, the Chief Scientist of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the overall UK-EOF Champion whilst the Management Group is chaired by Ian Davidson of (Defra).

We are currently working on the details of each workstream. In the meantime if you would like to get involved or for more information please contact

Further information

One of the outputs of the UK-EOF will be a new online searchable database of UK environmental observation activities, this will replace the current monitoring database. The development of this database will form a major component of the UK-EOF.

UK-EOF has grown out of earlier work by ERFF to address a well-recognised need for better coordination of UK environment monitoring. In 2006 ERFF commissioned a review of the current state of environmental monitoring in the UK. The output from this was ERFF Report 02: Strategic analysis of UK environmental monitoring activity.

ERFF set up an Environmental Monitoring Strategy Board to oversee the implementation of the report's recommendations, and from April 2008 this became known as the Environmental Observation Framework Management Group.

The work is overseen by the UK-EOF Management Group.