Science in UNEP PoW UNEP by mandate keeps the world environment under review . – It provides the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) – It plays a key role in articulating the voice for the environment in the Post 2015 process on Sustainable Development Goals and informing the United National Environment Assembly. – It supports global assessments such as the IPCC and the IPBES – It links environmental information and emerging issues on country, regional and global level to human development, governance and environmental policy implementation. Science is central in supporting UNEP’s global, regional and national responsibilities. • Critical to the global environment; either positive or negative but environmental in nature, or environmentally- related Para. 88 of the Rio +20 outcome doc.: science to feature permanently in UNEP’s programme
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Science in UNEP PoW
UNEP by mandate keeps the world environment under review. – It provides the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) – It plays a key role in articulating the voice for the environment in the Post 2015
process on Sustainable Development Goals and informing the United National Environment Assembly.
– It supports global assessments such as the IPCC and the IPBES – It links environmental information and emerging issues on country, regional and
global level to human development, governance and environmental policy implementation.
Science is central in supporting UNEP’s global, regional and national responsibilities. • Critical to the global environment; either positive or negative but environmental in nature, or environmentally-
related
Para. 88 of the Rio +20 outcome doc.: science to feature permanently in UNEP’s programme
1. Anticipating the Future: identifying emerging environmental issues • Global Environmental Alert Service – timely information on critical environmental developments
(e.g. Sand, Loss and Damage) • regular Foresight Process – ranking the most important emerging issues for a wide audience (e.g.
UNEP-Foresight process (Islands, Global 21st Cent.)
2. Designing the Future: developing “solution-oriented”, sustainability scenarios • scenarios as part of various projects in the POW. • assist member states to build scenarios as part of the GEO-5 follow- up • cross-divisional Scenario Team to support internal and external scenario development
3. Catalyzing needed science: a global sustainability science agenda for sustainable development. • “reverse” integrated assessments” in order to identify key questions from the policy arena • expand the area of UNEP’s science-policy arena by linking with through contacts with
Science/Research ministries
4. Bolstering UNEP’s scientific weight • establish new scientific partnerships • strengthen the scientific competence of its staff
Key Elements of UNEP’s Science Strategy
Emerging Issues: an issue (positive or negative) which is not yet generally recognized but which may have significant impact on human and/or ecosystem health … Criteria: • Critical to the global environment; either positive or negative but environmental in nature, or environmentally-related. • Given priority over the next one to three years in the work programme of UNEP and, or, other UN institutions and, or, other
international institutions concerned with the global environment. • Have a large spatial scale. Issues should either be global, continental or ‘universal’ in nature (i.e. occurring in many places). • Recognised as ‘emerging’ based on newness: new scientific knowledge; new scales or accelerated rates of impact;
heightened level of awareness; and, or, new ways to respond to the issue.
Examples: • UNEP Year Book, e books, Apps (e.g. GEO SIDS) • UNEP-GEAS (e.g. Sand, Loss and Damage) • UNEP-Foresight process (Islands, Global 21st Cent.)
Components: • Emerging environmental issues identification and analysis (regional and global partners) • Exploration of future pathways to fill gaps (e.g. UNEP Live Regional Networking Conferences) • Emerging environmental issues in-depth reports • Outreach and Engagement
Emerging Issues in UNEP PoW
Global Gender Environment Outlook
Global Chemicals Outlook
GEO-Small Island Developing States
IPBES - etc.
Regional Priorities and Policy Processes,
Conventions, MEAs
National State of Environment
Reporting (SoE)
6 Regional and X sub-regional Assessments;
integr. emerging issues assessments
global GEO
(5 drivers*)
National Priorities Policy
processes
SPM (regional / global) for and by policy
makers
to inform UNEA biennially
UNEP Live, open access, inclusive knowledge infrastructure and management
Country Data, Big Data, Crowd Sourcing, Communities of Practice
Contd. environmental assessment process and scales – the new GEO Process and UNEP Live support
Solid foundation in data, synthesis and review by growing Communities of Practice on all scales
Future Earth: Implementation in brief
Proposed Research Themes of FE
1 Dynamic Planet: Observing, explaining,
understanding, projecting earth,
environmental and societal system trends,
drivers and processes and their interactions;
anticipating global thresholds and risks.
2 Global development: Providing the
knowledge for sustainable, secure and fair
stewardship of food, water, biodiversity,
health, energy, materials and other
ecosystem functions and services.
3 Transformation towards Sustainability:
Understanding transformation processes
and options, assessing how these relate to
human values, emerging technologies and
economic development pathways, and
evaluating strategies for governing and
managing the global environment across
sectors and scales.
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Criteria for Future Earth Research
• From fundamental to use-inspired Earth system research for global sustainability
• Answer complex questions that require international collaboration
• Co-design and co-production of knowledge
• Integrates natural, economic, engineering, arts, humanities and social sciences
• Regional to global scale
Summary • SDGs, HLPF, and Global Sustainable Development Report, • Green Economy, TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity_ • GEO-6
– will be an integrated assessment framed through five key megatrends – will include the following key elements:
• Findings of the Regional Assessments (FE structural and context link) • Integrated environment assessment through the lens of the five drivers • Analysis of progress towards meeting internationally agreed goals /Global
Environmental Goals (GEGs) • Emerging environmental issues and solutions
– Case studies – Gap analysis of data, information and assessments – Effective policies, plans and programmes at multiple scales
• Elements – IPBES Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
(IPBES) UNEP Live – contr. to FE and BF – and a beneficiary - CoP / mesh netw.
– UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism – PROVIA (Programme of Research on Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and
Adaptations) – Observation Review
• End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• End hunger, achieve food security and adequate nutrition for all, and promote sustainable agriculture
• Attain healthy life for all at all ages
• Equitable and inclusive quality education and life-long learning opportunities for all
• Attain gender equality, empower women and girls everywhere
• Secure water and sanitation for all for a sustainable world
• Ensure access to affordable, sustainable, and reliable modern energy services for all
• Promote strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all
• Promote sustainable industrialization
• Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Build inclusive, safe and sustainable cities and human settlements
• Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Promote actions at all levels to address climate change
• Attain conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, oceans and seas
• Protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems and halt all biodiversity loss
• Achieve peaceful and inclusive societies, rule of law, effective and capable institutions
• Strengthen and enhance the means of implementation and global partnership for sustainable development
