The Global Authority on the Environment SIDS Environment Outlook Partners’ Meeting Annual GEO Statement Commonwealth Secretariat, London June, 2003

The Global Authority on the Environment UNEP Global Environment Outlook Process & Africa SIDS Environment Outlook BPoA+10 Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa Cape Verde 1-5 September, 2003 Presenter: S. Heileman

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Launched by UNEP in 1995 in response to the reporting requirements of Agenda 21, and UNEP GC decision for production of a global environmental assessment report 2 components: - a global environmental assessment process (the GEO Process) that also aims to strengthen capacity in the regions - GEO outputs: a series of reports on the state of the global and regional environment, and associated products The Global Environment Outlook Project

Division of Early Warning & Assessment GEO Themes  Atmosphere  Land  Forests  Biodiversity  Freshwater  Coastal & marine areas  Urban areas Cross-cutting issues:  Human health & environment  Natural disasters

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Key questions addressed by GEO….  What are the major regional & global environmental problems (current and emerging) ?  What are the major demographic, social, & economic driving forces behind these problems & trends?  Where are we heading if we do ‘business as usual’?  Where do we want to be heading?  What is being done to address environmental concerns?  What can be done in the future to move forward on the path of sustainable development ?

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Some GEO Attributes Consultative, participatory, cross-sectoral process Global, regional & multi-stakeholder perspectives Based on sound data, information, science Integrates state of environment with policy perspective Pressure-state-impact-response framework Provides early warning Oriented towards sustainable development Action-oriented

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Collaborating Centre network: analysis of scientific environmental assessment and policy responses The GEO Process Regional consultations on environmental assessment findings and policy implications Supported by International Working Groups (data, models, scenarios, policy) Input by UN Organisations through UN Systemwide Earthwatch Co-ordination of Global Environment Outlook process (UNEP)

Division of Early Warning & Assessment GEO Partners GEO PROCESS FOR GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UNEP CO-ORDINATION GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKERS NGO AND SCIENCE COMMUNITIES GEO WORKING GROUPS (data, modeling, scenario, policy) GEO COLLABORATING CENTRES GEO ASSOCIATED CENTRES DATA BANKS/OTHER RESOURCES UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATIONS Policy insight specialized inputs methodology specialized and regional perspectives specialized inputs substantive data and information substantive data and information PRODUCTS capacity building and training

Division of Early Warning & Assessment GEO Collaborating Network

Division of Early Warning & Assessment NESDA ADIE IMERCSA IOC AEO Collaborating Centres network CT+E Center for Environment and Development In the Arab Region and Europe Network for Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa Sustainable Development in Africa Association pour le Developpement de l’Information Environnementale de l’Information Environnementale Musokotwane Environment Resource Center for Southern Africa Indian Ocean Commission Core Team & Sectoral Experts

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Global GEO products Global Environment Outlook GEO-1 (1997) Global Environment Outlook 2000

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Global GEO products GEO-3 was launched for WSSD 2002 Contents: Introduction Introduction State of Environment and Policy Retrospective State of Environment and Policy Retrospective Outlook Outlook Synthesis and Action Synthesis and Action

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Annual GEO Statement Annual GEO Statement UNEP Governing Council Decision 22/1/IB (2003) calls for: “annual global environment outlook statements on the environment, inter alia, highlighting significant environmental events and achievements during the year and raise awareness of emerging issues from scientific research and other sources”  SIDS environment to be highlighted in 2004 Statement Mandate Mandate

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Regional GEO Products Africa Environment Outlook (2002) W. Indian Ocean Environment Outlook (1999)

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Further information on GEO

Division of Early Warning & Assessment SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets SCOPE  Africa (Cape Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Principe, Reunion, Sao Tome, Seychelles …..)  Caribbean  Pacific Islands

Division of Early Warning & Assessment SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets  Highlight the state of the environment in SIDS regions, showing trends of national, regional and global significance  Provide policy guidance and early warning information on environmental threats  Produce materials to feed into national and regional processes leading up to Barbados +10 meeting  Help to catalyse and promote international cooperation and action based on the best scientific and technical capabilities available Objectives Objectives

Division of Early Warning & Assessment SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets ISSUES TO HIGHLIGHT  the pressures, impacts and policy responses critical to SIDS for sustainable management of fisheries, coastal areas and exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf  the development of community-based initiatives on sustainable tourism

Division of Early Warning & Assessment SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets ISSUES TO HIGHLIGHT  measures to help SIDS effectively control waste and pollution, and their health-related impacts  efforts to build capacity for maintaining and managing systems to deliver water and sanitation services, in both rural and urban areas

Division of Early Warning & Assessment SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets SIDS Environment Outlook Booklets ISSUES TO HIGHLIGHT  issues related to the adverse effects of climate change, sea level rise and climate variability  environmental policy measures aimed at poverty alleviation

Division of Early Warning & Assessment African SIDS Priority Issues (W. Indian Ocean Islands EO 1999)  Climate change  Degradation of coral reefs  Loss of coastal habitats and biodiversity  Decreasing harvests of marine and coastal living resources  Coastal erosion  Coastal and marine protected areas  Coastal pollution  Waste management & sanitation  Freshwater shortages and contamination  Ecotoxicology  Renewable energy

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Booklet Outline Section I : The Environment and Sustainable Development in African SIDS 1972 –2003  Timeline of main events (Stockholm, Rio, Barbados 1994, Barbados +5, WSSD, Barbados +10)  SOE issues and sustainable development implications  Threats and drivers  Impacts (socio-economic, environmental)  Responses (include case studies at national, regional and international levels; not necessarily from SIDS)  Scenario development exercise for each of the regions  Focus on vulnerability and impacts, outlook, scenarios (related to SIDS)  Development implications, key messages

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Booklet Outline Section II: Policy Analysis 1972 –2003 Assessment of:  Policy responses to issues at the national, regional & global levels  Regional and international efforts to support policy development and implementation (Best and worst practices; use case studies; emphasize key messages)

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Booklet Outline Section III: Options for Consideration Identification and discussion of policy options and other types of potential interventions for the future which might be national, regional and global in nature and include suggested practices and innovative possibilities

Division of Early Warning & Assessment SIDS Environment Outlook Process SIDS Environment Outlook Process Regional Level  Research and draft contents  Review of draft material by experts and stakeholders at national, regional and global levels  Make draft material available to regional preparatory meetings of the Barbados +10 process  Incorporate inputs from regional preparatory meetings of the Barbados +10 process  Revise and finalize draft material  Translation into appropriate languages

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Proposed timeline 2003 June: Inception Meeting July –Aug: Development of expanded outline, research Sept –Oct: Preparation of 1 st draft Nov: Technical review of 1 st draft Nov – Dec: Preparation of 2 nd draft and review 2004 Jan: Distribution of 2 nd draft at Inter-regional Preparatory Meeting of the International Meeting of the SIDS (Barbados +10) in Nassau Feb: Incorporation of feedback from countries into 2 nd draft to produce final draft Mar – Jul: Translating, editing, designing and printing Aug: Launch and distribution at Barbados +10

Division of Early Warning & Assessment THANK YOU THANK YOU