The objective of the module is to introduce the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) integrated environmental assessment (IEA) and reporting process. Throughout this report GEO refers to assessment processes led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the associated products, while IEA is used for assessment processes and products that follow the GEO style.
You will learn why the IEA approach is necessary for making policy relevant recommendations about the environmental state and trends, and links with human development. The material covered in this module highlights the need for an enabling mandate to undertake an environmental assessment; the mandate of UNEP; the objectives of the GEO assessment; the scope and objectives of the fourth GEO assessment (GEO-4); and its analytic framework. The module also deals with issues related to international environmental governance and the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building. The Bali Strategic Plan was adopted by the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environmental Forum at its 2002 session. Its purpose is to improve the effectiveness of capacity building, and to address capacity gaps and needs identified by assessments of existing activities. Examples of GEO assessments at the global, regional, national and sub-national levels illustrate the approach taken and the kinds of results that can be obtained using the GEO approach.
Successful completion of this module will allow you to do the following:
- understand the mandate and role of UNEP in environmental assessment and reporting, and in capacity building;
- describe the objective and scope of the GEO assessment;
- compare and contrast IEA in the context of the first three GEO reports and the GEO-4 process; and
- become familiar with examples of regional, national and sub-national GEO and IEA processes.