AGEDI's goal is the innovative implementation of the environmental data provisions of Agenda 21 and the UN's Millennium Development Goals. It was created in order to bridge the environmental data gap between and within developing and developed countries and provide direct and cost-effective access to environmental data.

This initiative aims also at upgrading ways of monitoring environmental problems and accordingly recommends appropriate policies at the national and international level. It also seeks to resolve the problems of financial, technical and human resources in the developing countries, in addition to other problems related to lack of awareness, use of data and uniformity of environmental policies.

Central to the initiative is the use of advanced technology such as remote sensing and other devices in collecting environmental data. It is expected that the initiative would make the process of data collection much easier than it had been in the past. Regular annual reports about each region will be made available and this will definitely provide a sound basis for taking environmental decisions.

A partnership agreement was concluded by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to kick off the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), aimed at innovative implementation of the environmental data provisions of Agenda 21 and the Millennium Development goals. This is intended to bridge the environmental data gap between and within developing and developed countries. Other partners will be sought for the Abu Dhabi initiative from among governments, international organizations, private sector, research centres, the academia and civil society organizations.

AGEDI aims at:

• Achieving cost effective and relevant environmental data collection and assessment;
• Comparing environmental data over time with consistent units of measurement and agreed upon methodologies and parameters;
• Enhancing environmental data collection, interpretation, storing, and updating capacities for local, national, regional, and global environmental decision making;
• Ensuring that sustainable development planning is based on quality, timely, useable, and updated environmental data;
• Providing accessibility of environmental data and information to all stakeholders;
• Enhancing national and international mechanisms of information processing and exchange; and
• Ensuring full participation and collaboration of developing countries in AGEDI’s process and partnership