D I V I S I O N O F E A R L Y W A R N I N G A N D A S S E S S M E N T

1. State of the Environment and contribution of the United Nations Environment Programme to addressing substantive environmental challenges (UNEP/GC.26/4) D I V I S I O N O F E A R L Y W A R N I N G A N D A S S E S S M E N T

2. Overview of the Science - Policy Continuum

3. State of the Environment (SOE) Report and Associated Documents SoE Report UNEP/GC.26/4 Assessment Landscape and UNEP-Live UNEP/GC.26/4/Add.1 Suggested Action Summary for Decision Makers (SDM) Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone and its Precursors INF/? Inventory of Assessments 2009 - 2011 INF/13 UNEP 2011 Year Book INF/2

4. Structure based on the six thematic priorities of UNEP Supplementary inventory of assessments carried out since 2009, planned and on-going Key policy findings Recommendations for improving quality and scientific rigour of assessments (UNEP Science Strategy) New Structure and Approach

5. Sections: I. Suggested actions II. Underpinning assessment with sound science III. Summary of findings IV. Intergovernmental scientific assessments: processes and platforms V. Technology-support and capacity building for scientific assessments, and identification of emerging environmental issues Content

6. Total number of assessments is 172. Inventory of Assessments (INF/13) Resource Efficiency 9% Climate Change 12% Harmful Substances and Hazardous Waste 15% Disasters and Conflicts 11% Environmental Governance 32% Ecosystem Management 21%

7. Inventory of Assessments (INF/13)

8. Assessment constitutes a major part of UNEP’s POW Different types of assessments used Policy findings from more than 60 assessments Policy Findings

9. Climate Change

10. Disasters and Conflicts

11. Ecosystem Management

12. Environmental Governance

13. Harmful Substances and Hazardous Waste

14. Resource Efficiency

15. Ensuring scientific credibility in assessments: Mandated regular assessment processes Science policy (Platform, advisory board, steering committee, panel) Reputable scientists, economic scientists and policy experts Transparent and consistent nomination process Coherent and concise methodologies Periodic assessments based on data series and indicators Peer-review Independent review of processes and procedures (IPCC) Intergovernmental scientific assessments: Processes and platforms

16. Building capacity and supporting assessments: Tools and methodologies: Manuals on “how to” in thematic areas Guidelines for development of indicators IEA training manual and customized training manuals (regional and city level) Knowledge management systems: Communities of practice Clearing house mechanisms On-line reporting platform Databank Technology Support and Capacity Building

17. Some examples: Ocean acidification Sustainable energy production Global material use Environmental governance reform Plastic debris in oceans Phosphorus use and food production Forest biodiversity Emerging Issues • Indian Ocean sea level rise • Greening cement production • Extent of global mangroves • Effective action against illegal logging • Disaster flooding in Pakistan • Gulf of Mexico oil spill • Wildfires in Russia

18. A. Scientific findings of recent assessments B. Impact of scientific assessments C. Future assessment of environmental change 2012-13 D. The International Assessment Landscape E. UNEP-Live Structure of Suggested Actions

19. Migration to Targeted Thematic Assessments and UNEP-Live

20. Migration to Targeted Thematic Assessments and UNEP-Live GC Decision 25/2 World Environment Situation “Requests the Executive Director of UNEP to elaborate further on the requirements for a migration to targeted assessments on thematic priority areas supported by a UNEP-Live enabling framework1 and to report thereon to the Governing Council as its twenty-sixth session in 2011.” 1A framework where decision makers have easy access to assessment findings, syntheses, summaries and technical briefs

21. The Challenge • Are 'snapshots’ of specific environmental situations, not necessarily connected to each other (in analysis and conclusions…) • Are archived in different places, difficult to access • Disconnected from data sources and methodologies, making updates very difficult and costly Current assessment products:

22. UNEP-Live: Vision A framework for understanding and organizing global environmental knowledge activities, and capacity building for assessment and reporting. To deliver virtual dynamic, interactive assessments of the State of Environment

23. UNEP-Live: key requirements Needed in order to Migrate: • Assessment of user requirements • A priori agreement on direction and principles • Oversight by users – Member States as consumers and contributors • Partnership network built and sustained: align to requirements of major assessment efforts (IPBES, GRAME etc.) as well as information sources (national and international networks), commercial providers, etc. • Re-usable components, adaptable to new assessments, extensible

24. Stage 1 – Deliverables and requirements By the end of 2011: • A UNEP Live prototype – which will cover: • overarching framework • assessments organised to facilitate access and utilisation (based on the Assessment Landscape) • A network of partners – technical and policy decision makers • National capacity developed in selected countries/regional centres participating in the design/prototyping

25. Stage 1 – Requirements (Cont.) By the end of 2011: • A costed-work plan for a fully developed UNEP Live platform (user requirements and costed scoping document for phases 2 and 3) Necessary resources for Phase 1: • UNEP Staff time • Small, distributed unit to ensure coordination and direction of activities • Budget: ~US$ 400,000 from XB and EF

26. Stage 2 - deliverables and requirements By the end of the 2012-13 biennium • Selected assessment products including summaries for policy decision makers, updated and customized (data networks, models, data sources) • Access and visualization tools • Partnerships and networks in place • Expanded national capacity development (technical, institutional) • Outreach to attract new participants and partnerships

27. Stage 3 - deliverables and requirements By the end of the 2014-15 biennium • UNEP Live fully implemented and operational (includes: stable partner network, improved national capacities, agreements for data sharing and access, coordinating unit) • Next global integrated environmental assessment (GEO -X) migrated and supported by UNEP Live platform

28. UNEP-Live: Draft Decision • Pilot proof-of-concept phase (repository system by 2011 • Detailed set of requirements and costing to GC.27 in 2013; • Support and build national capacity to: • Collect, manage, assess, synthesize and disseminate environmental and socio-economic data, information and indicators, and • Carry out more effectively their assessment, monitoring and reporting activities; • Invites Governments to engage, to make available the necessary data, information and indicators

29. UNEP-Live Funding 2011: Core support group provide ~ US$ 400,000 2012-13 and 2014-15 : To be determined based on costed requirements statement and workplan (2011) including the number of countries participating in capacity development efforts

30. Thank you D I V I S I O N O F E A R L Y W A R N I N G A N D A S S E S S M E N T