GRID-Warsaw was established as a joint initiative of UNEP and the Norwegian and Polish and Ministries of Environment. The centre was officially opened on 17 September 1991.

GRID-Warsaw has taken an active role in UNEP's and other international environmental information activities, such as hosting the ENRIN focal point meeting in Warsaw in 1995, participation in Internet Seminar in Arendal and BALLERINA workshop in Stockholm in 1996, the coordination of Dobris+3 data collection in the PHARE countries in 1997-98 and participation in the Rovaniemi meeting in 1998.

The SoE Poland on the Internet was launched in 1997. Poland participated in the Internet Seminar in Budapest in 1998.