Introduction
The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is the flag-
able consumption and production. The strategy was
ship of UNEP’s integrated environmental assessment
designed to evolve UNEP into a more efficient, fo-
and reporting. It is a practical tool to implement
cused, effective and result-based environmental body
UNEP’s mandate to keep under review the world
of the United Nations better equipped to deal with
environmental situation in order to ensure that emerg-
the challenges of the 21st century. Delivering tangi-
ing environmental problems of wide international
ble results against each of the priorities will be the
significance are prioritized and receive appropriate
focus of UNEP’s efforts in the period 2010–2013.
and adequate consideration by Governments. The
GEO report series aims to keep track of the state
Graphics from the GEO-4 assessment not only
and trends of the world’s environment, identify and
illustrate the scientific findings, which underpin the
raise awareness of emerging issues that require in-
crosscutting thematic priorities of UNEP but also point
ternational attention and provide guidance for policy
out many interlinkages between them.
making, action planning and resource allocation.
GEO is both a process and a series of reports sup-
Vital GEO Graphics tries to make the presentation
porting capacity building for integrated environmen-
of underlying scientific data and assessment findings
tal assessment at global and sub-global levels.
more dynamic by means of using modern electronic
presentation tools. The publication is based on maps
“Global Environment Outlook: environment for
and graphics (some of them animated), which are
development (GEO-4)”, the fourth issue of the GEO
associated with the story line, and video clips. Most
reporting series, was published in late 2007, exactly
graphics are downloadable and may be used in
20 years after the World Commission on Environ-
presentations with appropriate credit given to the
ment and Development (Brundtland Commission)
source.
released its seminal report, Our Common Future.
The year 2007 was the year of a major milestone
Target audiences include the UNEP Governing
in analyzing what has been achieved in the area
Council, Multilateral Environmental Agreements,
of sustainable development, and the halfway point
other UN organizations, intergovernmental and non-
to the implementation of some of the internationally
governmental organizations, civil society, scientific
recognized development targets including the Millen-
communities, media, the private sector and the gen-
nium Development Goals.
eral public. Particularly, it is hoped that Vital GEO
Graphics can be used as an e-learning resource
“Vital GEO Graphics” is an electronic booklet that is
for on-line education and awareness-raising of both
based on GEO-4. This is one of many publications
global environmental issues and the UNEP Medium-
produced within the popular Vital Graphics series –
term Strategy.
an initiative started by UNEP/GRID-Arendal with the
aim to promote communication of scientific findings
in accessible easily readable and environmentally
friendly format.
The electronic booklet is organized around UNEP’s
six cross-cutting thematic priorities specified in the
UNEP Medium-term Strategy 2010–2013
1
: climate
change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem manage-
ment, environmental governance, harmful substances
and hazardous waste, resource efficiency – sustain-
1 UNEP/GCSS.X/8