GEO-6 Assessment Process


The sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6), focusing on the theme “healthy planet, healthy people”, aims to help policymakers and all of society achieve the environmental dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals, internationally agreed environmental goals and the multilateral environmental agreements. It does so by assessing recent scientific information and data, analyzing current and past environmental policy, and identifying future options for achieving sustainable development by 2050.


The original request to prepare GEO-6 came from Member states at the first session of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), when, in paragraph 8 of resolution 1/4, the Executive Director of UNEP was requested, within the programme of work and budget, to undertake the preparation of the sixth Global Environment Outlook, supported by UNEP Live, with the scope, objectives and procedures of GEO-6 to be defined by a transparent global, intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder consultation informed by document UNEP/EA.1/INF/14, resulting in a scientifically credible, peer-reviewed GEO-6 and its accompanying summary for policymakers, to be endorsed by the Environment Assembly no later than in 2018.


At its third session, the Environment Assembly, in paragraphs 1 and 2 of its decision 3/1, requested the Executive Director to issue the sixth Global Environment Outlook at least three months before the fourth session of the Assembly; to schedule the negotiations on the Summary for policymakers at least six weeks in advance of the fourth session of the Assembly; and to present the Outlook and the Summary for consideration and possible endorsement by the Assembly at its fourth session.


Scope


GEO-6 builds on previous GEO reports and continues to provide an analysis of the state of the global environment, the global, regional and national policy response as well as the outlook for the foreseeable future. It differs from previous GEO reports in its emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals and in providing possible means of accelerating achievement of these goals. GEO- 6 is made up of four distinct but closely linked parts.


v Part A assesses the state of the global environment in relation to key internationally agreed goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals.


v Part B provides an analysis of the effectiveness of the policy response to these environmental challenges.


v Part C reviews the scenarios literature and assesses pathways towards achieving Agenda 2030 as well as achieving a truly sustainable world in 2050.


v Part D identifies future data and knowledge necessary to improve our ability to assess environmental impacts.


The GEO-6 also considers key policy questions. These include: v What are the primary drivers of environmental change?


2 Summary for Policymakers: Sixth Global Environment Outlook


v What is the current state of the environment and why? v How successful have we been in achieving our internationally agreed environmental goals?


v Have there been successful environmental policies? v What are the policy lessons learned and possible solutions? v Is the current policy response enough? v What are the business as usual scenarios and what does a sustainable future look like?


v What are the emerging issues and megatrends including their possible impacts?


v What are the possible pathways to achieving Agenda 2030 and other internationally agreed environmental goals?


The development of GEO-6 involved extensive collaboration both within UN Environment and between UN Environment and a network of multidisciplinary experts and research institutions.


The intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder consultation mentioned above (Oct. 2014) requested that experts for content development, including reviewers and advisory groups, be nominated by governments and other main stakeholders based on their expertise and using a transparent nomination process while considering geographic and gender balance.


The following three GEO-6 specialized advisory bodies were convened to support the assessment process:


High-Level Intergovernmental and Stakeholder Advisory Group


The panel included 25–30 high-level government representatives from all six UN Environment regions as well as 8-10 key stakeholders. The High-level Group provided strategic advice and initial guidance on the structure and content of the GEO-6 Summary for Policymakers and further guidance to the experts in finalizing the draft Summary, in preparation for the final intergovernmental negotiation.


Science Advisory Panel


The Panel included 22 distinguished scientists who met face to- face five times. The Panel was responsible for providing advice on the scientific credibility of the assessment process. The Panel provided scientific advice; standards and guidelines for the assessment and review process; and reviewed the findings of the mid-term evaluation of the assessment process.


Assessment Methodologies, Data and Information Working Group


This working group of 12 professionals met face-to-face three times between 2015 and 2018 and provided support and guidance to the assessment process on the use of core datasets and indicators.


This Summary for Policymakers is based on and consistent with the findings of the GEO-6 assessment. The GEO-6 Summary for Policymakers was negotiated and endorsed at an intergovernmental meeting from 21 to 24 January 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.


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