GEO-6 Process

The sixth edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) provides a clear assessment of the current state of the environment, the challenges that we face and how well we have dealt with them, with due consideration given to gender, indigenous knowledge and cultural dimensions. The assessment lays the foundation for continued socio-environmental assessments across relevant scales, with a thematic as well as an integrated focus, enabling and informing societal transitions and the tracking of Sustainable Development Goal targets and goals as well as previously agreed internationally environmental goals. The enhanced policy analysis in this sixth edition is aimed at assisting member states to position themselves on the most effective pathways for transformations toward a sustainable future. Alongside the main GEO-6 publication, there are three major advocacy products, aiming to communicate the scientific analysis in the main GEO report to various audiences. These key groups include YouthCities and Local Governments, and Business. The preparation of the sixth edition of the Global Environment Outlook involved various activities to bring experts and stakeholders together as well as update the world on the process as well as the progress of the report. These activities included; global author’s meetingsMonthly newslettersOutreach Events, Visioning workshops, and the use of the World Environment Situation Room.

The rigorous assessment process aims to make Global Environment Outlook (GEO) products scientifically credible and policy relevant by providing information to support environmental management and policy development. The Global Environment Outlook 6 process also supports multi-stakeholder networking and intra and inter-regional cooperation to identify and assess key priority environmental issues at the regional levels. A world-wide network of authors, fellows and partners; a transparent nomination process that allows governments and other stakeholders to nominate experts to the process; advisory groups to provide guidance on scientific and policy issues such as the High-Level Group, Scientific Advisory Panel and Assessment Methodologies Group; and a comprehensive peer review processes are some of the integral elements of the Global Environment Outlook.

Working Structure for GEO-6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The working structure of GEO-6 is different from GEO-5 in that it includes Co-chairs and vice-chairs.  This structure was recommended by the Scientific Advisory Panel to help ensure the scientific credibility of the GEO-6 process.  The structure incorporates guidance on policy relevance from the High-Level Group, Co-Chairs and Vice Co-Chairs who will act as a bridge between the authors and advisory bodies, GEO Fellows whose role will be to support the process by assisting the authors with research questions and performing quality assurance tasks for citations and references. The structure also considers Review editors who conducted evaluations at the end of each review period to ensure that review comments were dealt with appropriately.  They prepared a summary report from each review period.

Using the integrated environmental assessment (IEA) methodology, UNEP has produced six GEO reports thus far, and the first edition of regional assessments which have analyzed environmental state and trends at the global and regional scales, described plausible outlooks for various time frames and formulated policy options.

Each GEO report builds on the assessment findings of its predecessor and draws from lessons learnt.

GEO-1GEO-2000 , GEO-3 , GEO-4 , GEO-5 , GEO-6 Regional Assessments, GEO-6 Main Report, GEO for Business, GEO for Youth, GEO for Cities, Technical Summary.