The fifth edition of the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5) reports significant progress on, inter alia: eliminating the production and use of substances that deplete the ozone layer; the removal of lead from fuel; increased access to improved water supplies; and boosting research to reduce pollution of the marine environment.
6 June 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released the findings of the fifth edition of the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5) on the eve of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). GEO-5 assessed 90 environmental goals and objectives, and found that significant progress has been made in only four.
Significant progress reported included: eliminating the production and use of substances that deplete the ozone layer; the removal of lead from fuel; increased access to improved water supplies; and boosting research to reduce pollution of the marine environment.
Some progress was shown on 40 goals, including: expansion of protected areas such as National Parks; increased efforts to reduce deforestation; reducing hunger; increased policy responses to address invasive species; and the sound management of chemicals and other wastes.
GEO-5 reported little or no progress on 24 environmental goals and objectives including: climate change; combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought; maintaining and developing the multiple benefits of ecosystem services; and addressing drivers of habitat loss. [UNEP Press Release] [UNEP GEO5 Website] [GEO-5 Goals Assessment] [UN Press Release]