Global Environment Outlook

Published in time for the Fourth United Nations Environmental Assembly, UN Environment’s sixth Global Environment Outlook (2019) calls on decision makers to take immediate action to address pressing environmental issues to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as well as other Internationally Agreed Environment Goals, such as the Paris Agreement.

“The sixth Global Environment Outlook is an essential check-up for our planet. Like any good medical examination, there is a clear prognosis of what will happen if we continue with business as usual and a set of recommended actions to put things right. GEO-6 details both the perils of delaying action and the opportunities that exist to make sustainable development a reality,” said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Water shortage or pollution, natural disasters by climate change and natural hazards already triggering wars, displacement and violence and the situation will become worse.

The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is often referred to as UN Environment’s flagship environmental assessment. GEO is a consultative and participatory process to prepare an independent assessment of the state of the environment, the effectiveness of the policy response to address these environmental challenges and the possible pathways to achieve various internationally agreed environmental goals.

More information and access to a summary for policymakers in 6 UN languages can be found at the UN Environment website.

Follow the link to directly access the digital version.