Overview

How do we take stock of the state and direction of the world’s environment, and what can we learn from the experience? Among the myriad detailed narratives about the condition of the planet, the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) reports—issued by the United Nations Environment Programme—stand out as the most ambitious. For nearly three decades the GEO project has not only delivered iconic global assessment reports, but through its multitude of contributors has inspired hundreds of similar processes worldwide from the regional to the local level. This book provides an inside account of the evolution of the GEO project from its earliest days. Building on meticulous research, including interviews with former heads of the United Nations Environment Programme, diplomats, leading contributing scientists, and senior leaders of collaborating organizations, the story is told from the perspective of five GEO veterans who all played a pivotal role in shaping the periodic assessments. The GEO’s history provides striking insights and will save valuable time to those who commission, design and conduct, as well as critique and improve, assessments of environmental development in the next decade.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jan Bakkes (PBL Netherland Environmental Assessment Agency and TIAS, The Integrated Assessment Society) ,  Marion Cheatle (UNEP) ,  Nora Mžavanadze (independent researcher and consultant) ,  László Pintér (Central European University, and International Institute for Sustainable Development)
Publisher:   Central European University Press
Imprint:   Central European University Press
Weight:   0.608kg
ISBN:  

9789633865958

ISBN 10:   9633865956
Pages:   534
Publication Date:   30 September 2022
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures Preface Acknowledgements About the Authors Introduction to the book Chapter 1: Keeping the World’s Environment Under Review 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Global environmental assessment: initial insights 1.3 UNEP meets its mandate to keep the world environmental situation under review – and explores alternative models 1.4 UNEP gets the green light for its new global environmental assessment 1.5 Conclusion Chapter 2: The Conceptual Framework of the Global Environment Outlook Reporting System 2.1 Introduction: Conceptual framework—a foundation for global environmental assessments 2.2 The role of science 2.3 From GEO’s mandate to its assessment framework 2.4 The evolution of GEO’s conceptual framework 2.5 Beyond DPSIR Chapter 3: Collaboration and Participation in the Global Environment Outlook Process 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Partner institutions 3.3 Shifting of roles and responsibilities from partner institutes to individuals 3.4 A closer look at author groups 3.5 Other GEO Participants: A Medley of Roles 3.6 Conclusion Chapter 4: Evolution of the Global Environment Outlook Reports 1-6, Including Their Use of the Integrated Environment Assessment Approach 4.1 Introduction 4.2 GEO delivery formats and length 4.3 Evolution of the Driving forces and Pressures components 4.4 Evolution of the State and Trends component 4.5 Evolution of the Impacts component, including human well-being 4.6 Evolution of the Policy Responses component in the global GEOs 4.7 Chapter summary Chapter 5: Beyond DPSIR – Outlook and Other Major Aspects 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Evolution of the Outlook component in global GEOs 5.3 Other main elements found in GEOs 1-6 5.4 Regional aspects, content and treatment in global GEOs 5.5 Other global GEO products Chapter 6. Global Environmental Outlooks from Subglobal to Local: GEO’s Multilevel, Multiscale Geographic Success 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Regional and subregional GEO reports and their origins 6.3 National GEO-style reports 6.4 Local-level GEO reporting 6.5 The special case of the Latin America and Caribbean region 6.6 Conclusions Chapter 7: Global Environment Outlook Support Systems 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Process coordination 7.3 Expert and advisory groups 7.4 Capacity building 7.5 Data support 7.6 Report preparation process 7.7 Evaluation process 7.8 Additional GEO products 7.9 Funding support Chapter 8: Outreach to Stakeholders and Users 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Outreach to Governments 8.3 Outreach within UNEP 8.4 Outreach to the rest of the UN 8.5 Outreach to the general public and other audiences 8.6 Strengthening the outreach strategy 8.7 Conclusion Chapter 9. Global Perceptions and Influence of GEO 9.1 Introduction 9.2 GEO’s global role 9.3 A worldwide context informing national-level policymaking and vice versa 9.4 Capacity development: the importance of process, ownership and learning by doing 9.5 GEO, youth and the education community 9.6 GEO and the research community 9.7 GEO and the mass media 9.8 GEO’s influence on UNEP itself 9.9 Conclusion Chapter 10: Regional Perceptions and Influence of GEO 10.1 Introduction 10.2 GEO in Africa: enabling the regional environmental agenda 10.3 GEO in Asia and the Pacific: one size does not fit all 10.4 GEO in Europe: getting noticed in a crowded place 10.5 GEO in Latin America and the Caribbean: riding the GEO wave 10.6 GEO in North America: acting in a region of fading interest 10.7 West Asia and North Africa: GEO as a professionalizing force 10.8 Conclusion Chapter 11: Beyond GEO-6 11.1 Introduction and setting the scene 11.2 Four scenarios of what could happen to GEO in 2020-2030 11.3 Messages for the future of GEO 11.4 Conclusion Concluding Remarks Concluding Remarks Bibliography Annex I: The Evolution of UNEP Mandates for the Global Environment Outlook Annex II: GEO Collaborating Centres and other Contributing Institutions listed in GEO reports Annex III: Structure of GEOs-1 to 6 Reports Annex IV: GEO-related Reports Annex V: Acronyms and Abbreviations Annex VI: List of Interviews Index

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Author Information

Jan Bakkes is Senior Researcher Senior strategic advisor to the Director-General, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. Marion Cheatle is retired from The United Nations Environment Programme. Nora Mzavanadze is independent researcher and consultant. L�szl� Pint�r is head the Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University. Ron Witt is retired from The United Nations Environment Programme

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