Anyone in the world can use Eye on Earth (at least, much of it) for free. Eye on Earth has two main user groups: (1) those who share data and information through Eye on Earth; and (2) those who use the data shared through Eye on Earth. For (1), if a specific body (e.g. organization, country) wants to upload a large amount of data or information, then they create a ‘sub-site’ where they manage that information. That body can then choose whom to share their information with (e.g. closed groups or the entire Eye on Earth network).

(1) EEA will have its own organizational sub-site primarily for Europe’s environmental community (although sub-sites can cover other topics than environment, such as health). The EEA goal is to ‘populate’ its sub-site with a mix of official data from a diversity of institutions and organizations, and public sources such as: ‘crowdsourcing’ (sourcing tasks to an undefined large group of people, community or crowd); and ‘citizen scientists’ who observe and report environmental data.

(2) Any entity who wants to better understand the environment or whose actions could improve the environment could use European data shared through Eye on Earth. Primary users include high-level institutions within Europe’s environmental community, which use the environmental knowledge base for assessment, reporting and policy making. Other potential users include scientists, academics, NGOs and community groups. Eye on Earth will also host information aimed at raising the environmental awareness and positive environmental behaviour of European citizens (e.g. Environmental Atlas movies; and ‘Watches’ showing local data about air, water, noise, invasive alien species and land use).