6. Innovative responses – an opportunity for cooperation  

GEO-5 identifies a selection of internationally agreed goals and targets that address the need to improve human well-being throughout the world, while protecting and using life-supporting environmental processes. Achieving these goals and targets for sustainable development requires further innovative responses at all levels, as replicating and up-scaling current policies alone will not suffice. Existing sustainability-scenario studies show that both short-term policy solutions and long-term structural measures are needed to meet established targets.

Responses at the local, national and international level interact and generate incremental, structural and transformational change. As there is no universal solution to environmental degradation, a range of tailored responses is required to reflect the diversity of regional needs. In areas of common global concern, however, coordination, participation and cooperation are critical for jointly meeting internationally agreed goals and targets, while also addressing the capacity deficits in a range of countries. 

In order to be effective, action at the sub-global level can make use of the following four strategic insights derived from recent scientific understanding of transition processes in complex socio-ecological systems:   

• a compelling vision of sustainability – building on goals and targets and informed by science. Society at all levels needs to be engaged to define visions of a sustainable future and what is required to get on to the pathway of a successful transition;