Global Environment Outlook 6

Under the theme of ‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People,’ UN Environment’s sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6) presents a comprehensive assessment of the state of the global environment, covering a range of topics, issues and potential solutions, with contributions from over 250 scientists and experts from more than 70 countries. The report aims to answer the following questions:

• What is the state of the global environment, how is it changing, and what are the major factors and drivers, both positive and negative, infuencing these changes?
• How are people and their livelihoods affecting and affected by environmental change in terms of health, economic prosperity, social equity, food security and overall wellbeing?
• Are environmental benefts, responsibilities and risks distributed fairly across different regions, socioeconomic groups and genders?
• What are the main responses and policy measures that have been taken to strengthen environmental protection and governance at various levels? How effective have they been in terms of improving environmental quality, and resource effciency?
• What are the possible pathways, critical opportunities and policies, including Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to transform the global human-environment system to become more sustainable and contribute to a healthy planet for healthy people? What are the likely consequences if no additional actions are taken?

GEO-6 is complemented by a Summary for Policymakers (available in Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish), a set of Key Messages, and two infographics: Add oxygen to the economy. Go Circular and Revisiting our food system. 

GEO-6 builds on the findings of previous GEO reports, including six regional assessments. By bringing together a community of hundreds of scientists, peer reviewers and collaborating institutions and partners, the GEO reports build on sound scientific knowledge to provide governments, local authorities, businesses and individual citizens with the information needed to guide societies to a truly sustainable world by 2050.