28 April 2014
UNEP Invites Participation in GEO on SIDS
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The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has begun preparation of an Environment Outlook for Small Islands Developing States (GEO SIDS), to inform the Third International Conference on SIDS taking place in Apia, Samoa, from 1-4 September 2014.

The GEO SIDS report will cover: climate trends; natural disasters; chemicals; land-based pollution and marine litter; the health of ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and marine and terrestrial protected areas; fish productivity; freshwaters; seabed and coastal mining; and renewable energy, among other topics.

UNEP27 March 2014: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has begun preparation of an Environment Outlook for Small Islands Developing States (GEO SIDS), to inform the Third International Conference on SIDS taking place in Apia, Samoa, from 1-4 September 2014. The initiative responds to the request of delegates at the Inter-regional Preparatory Meeting held in Bridgetown, Barbados, on 26-28 August 2013, for UNEP to dedicate support for a GEO specifically on SIDS.

The initiative also takes place in the context of the International Year of SIDS. UNEP has invited broad participation in the process through an online ‘Community of Practice’ hosted on its UNEP-Live platform. The online community opened for registration on 26 March 2014.

The GEO SIDS Community of Practice will: review the main priorities for SIDS and the existing state of data; agree on a set of core indicators for tracking progress; and analyze what solutions are needed. The GEO SIDS report will cover: climate trends; natural disasters; chemicals; land-based pollution and marine litter; the health of ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and marine and terrestrial protected areas; fish productivity; freshwaters; seabed and coastal mining; and renewable energy, among other topics.

GEO products aim to support environmental decision-making and facilitate science-policy interactions. They are developed through consultative, participatory processes that identify key issues and nominate advisors to provide guidance. UNEP has produced five GEO reports to date, the most recent being in 2012. The GEO SIDS report will be made available at the Samoa conference. [GEO SIDS Community of Practice] [UNEP-Live Platform] [GEO-5 Website] [IISD RS Sources]