Global warming, environmental degradation and the potential for conflict growing out of competition over dwindling resources are the topics analyzed in the fourth Global Environmental Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4), recently published by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). 20 years after the Brundtland Commission produced its report "Our Common Future", GEO-4 assesses the current state of the world's environment, describes the changes since 1987, and identifies priorities for action. Over the past two decades, the world has changed radically. On energy, it faces a twin threat: inadequate and insecure energy supplies, and environmental damage from consuming too much energy. The decline of freshwater resources constitutes another peril: by 2025, close to two billion people are likely to live in 'absolute' water scarcity. Unsustainable land use and climate change are driving land degradation, including soil erosion, and desertification. While there has been progress in tackling some of the environmental problems, such major threats remain unresolved.

GEO-4 recalls the Brundtland Commission's statement that the "environmental crisis", "development crisis", and "energy crisis" are all one. This crisis includes not just climate change, extinction rates and hunger, but other problems driven by growing human numbers, the rising consumption of the rich and the desperation of the poor. The only way to address these problems requires moving the environment from the periphery to the core of decision-making. "There have been enough wake-up calls since Brundtland. I sincerely hope GEO-4 is the final one." said Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director. The transition towards sustainable development needs to be pursued more intensively by nations and the international community, including through capacity building and technological support to developing countries. However, the report abstains from offering concrete propositions for solving the problems. (Christiane Roettger)

The fourth "Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4)" assessment, the press releases, media briefs and the remarks by Achim Steiner are available at http://www.unep.org/geo/geo4/media/

Published in: ECC-Newsletter, December 2007