In News:

The 7th edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) was released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) during its session in Nairobi, warning that the world is far off track in meeting climate and environmental goals.

About Global Environment Outlook (GEO)

• The Global Environment Outlook is UNEP’s flagship assessment of the state of the global environment, future risks, and policy solutions. It provides scientific evidence for international environmental decision-making.

Key Findings of GEO-7

Rising Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Global GHG emissions have grown ~1.5% annually since 1990
• 2024 recorded temperatures around 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels
• Intensifying heatwaves, floods, droughts, and extreme events

Biodiversity Loss

• 1 million species (out of ~8 million) face extinction
• 20–40% of global land is degraded
• Over 3 billion people are affected by land degradation

Economic Costs of Environmental Damage

• Climate-related disasters cost ~USD 143 billion annually
• Air pollution caused USD 8.1 trillion in health damages in 2019 (≈6% of global GDP)
• 9 million deaths per year linked to pollution

Plastic Pollution Crisis

• About 8 billion tonnes of plastic waste pollute ecosystems
• Toxic chemical exposure leads to ~USD 1.5 trillion annual health losses

Projected Impacts if Current Trends Continue

• Temperature thresholds: Likely to exceed 1.5°C in early 2030s and 2°C by 2040s
• Economic decline: Global GDP may fall 4% by 2050 and 20% by 2100
• Loss of fertile land: Equivalent to losing a country-sized fertile area annually
• Food insecurity: Per capita food availability may drop 3.4% by 2050
• Rising hunger, poverty, displacement, and conflict risks

GEO-7 Recommended Transformative Actions

Economy & Finance

• Move beyond GDP to wealth-based indicators
• Price environmental externalities
• Invest in decarbonization, ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture
• USD 8 trillion/year investment needed till 2050
• Could generate USD 20 trillion annual benefits by 2070

Materials & Waste

• Promote circular economy models
• Transparent product design and recycling chains
• Shift from linear consumption to regenerative systems

Energy Transition

• Rapid decarbonization of energy
• Improve energy efficiency
• Secure sustainable critical mineral supply chains
• Reduce air pollution → 9 million premature deaths avoidable by 2050

Food Systems

• Promote sustainable diets
• Reduce food loss and waste
• Improve agricultural efficiency
• Could reduce undernourishment by ~200 million people

Ecosystem Protection

• Scale up ecosystem restoration
• Use Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for adaptation
• Stronger mitigation and biodiversity conservation policies

Collaborative & Integrated Governance

• Solutions must involve governments, private sector, civil society, academia, Indigenous communities
• Policies across sectors must be implemented together, not in isolation

About UNEP

• Established in 1972 after the Stockholm Conference
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya
• Leading global authority on environmental issues
• Major reports include:
  • Emissions Gap Report
  • Adaptation Gap Report
  • Global Environment Outlook
  • Frontiers Report