Global Environment Outlook
United Nation Environment Program (UNEP) has recently released the 6th edition of the Global Environment Outlook Report (GEO).
It outlines the current state of the environment illustrates possible future environmental trends and analyses the effectiveness of policies.
About GEO
The Global Environment Outlook is often referred to as UN Environment’s flagship environmental assessment.
UN Environment launched the first Global Environment Outlook in 1997.
It is a flagship report because it fulfills the core functions of the UNEP.
Key Findings of the GEO-6 report
As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise amid an increased risk of droughts, floods and superstorms made worse by climbing sea levels, there is a growing political consensus that climate change poses a future risk to billions.
A quarter of all premature deaths and diseases worldwide are due to manmade pollution and environmental damage – around 9 million deaths in 2015 alone.
Lacking access to clean drinking supplies, 1.4 million people die each year from preventable diseases such as diarrhea and parasites linked to pathogen-riddled water and poor sanitation.
Chemicals pumped into the seas cause “potentially multi-generational” adverse health effects.
Land degradation through mega-farming and deforestation occurs in areas home to 3.2 billion people.
The report called for a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and pesticide use to improve air and water quality.
Food waste for instance, which accounts for 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions, could be slashed.
The world currently throws away a third of all food produced. In richer nations, 56% goes to waste.
The report advises adopting less-meat intensive diets and reducing food waste in both developed and developing countries.
This would reduce the need to increase food production by 50% to feed the projected 9-10 billion people on the planet in 2050.
United Nation Environment Program
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), was established in 1972 to guide and coordinate environmental activities within the United Nations (UN) system.
UNEP promotes international cooperation on environmental issues, provides guidance to UN organizations.
Through its scientific advisory groups, UNEP encourages the international scientific community to participate in formulating policy for many of the UN’s environmental projects.
UNEP is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
The organization also encourages participation by the private sector to promote the sustainable use of the world’s natural resources.
