Published to coincide with the Fourth United Nations Environmental Assembly, UN Environment's sixth Global Environment Outlook calls on decision makers to take bold and urgent action to address pressing environmental issues in order to protect the planet and human health. By bringing together hundreds of scientists, peer reviewers and collaborating institutions and partners, the GEO reports build on sound scientific knowledge to provide governments, local authorities, businesses and individual citizens with the information needed to guide societies to a truly sustainable world by 2050. GEO-6 outlines the current state of the environment, illustrates possible future environmental trends and analyses the effectiveness of policies. This flagship report shows how governments can put us on the path to a truly sustainable future - emphasising that urgent and inclusive action is needed to achieve a healthy planet with healthy people. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

To mark its 40th anniversary, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has sponsored a new book detailing the history of the Nairobi-based organisation over the last four decades. Written by award-winning conservationist Stanley P Johnson, the book charts the evolution of UNEP from its inception at the landmark Stockholm conference of 1972 to its position today at the heart of the global environmental movement. Entitled: "The First 40 Years; A Narrative", the book - which is not an official UN history but the view of its world-acclaimed author - explains in depth UNEP's role at the forefront of efforts to protect the environment and is stuffed with interesting facts and figures.

This report details the goals and activities of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote global sustainable development and environmental issues during 2004, as well as providing information on the organisation's funding, structure, personnel and offices around the world. Topics covered include: the response to the Asian tsunami emergency; women, health and the environment; sustainable business and industry; international environmental governance; combating climate change; freshwater and sanitation; sustainable land use; and conserving biodiversity.

This stunning 400-page Atlas is a unique and powerful publication which brings to light stories of environmental change at more than 100 locations spread across every country in Africa. There are more than 300 satellite images, 300 ground photographs and 150 maps, along with informative graphs and charts that give a vivid visual portrayal of Africa and its changing environment that provide scientific evidence of the impact that natural and human activities have had on the continent's environment over the past several decades. The observations and measurements of environmental change help gauge the extent of progress made by African countries towards reaching the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals. More importantly, this book contributes to the knowledge and understanding that are essential for adaptation and remediation, and should be of immense value to all those who want to know more about Africa and who care about the future of this continent.

This summary of UNEP's activities in 2008 provides an overview of the organization's contribution to the fight against climate change in a year in which unequivocal evidence established that global warming is the defining challenge of our era. The report also looks at the broad range of other activities carried out by UNEP as it follows its mandate to provide environmental leadership and promote sustainable development.

The UNEP Year Book series examines emerging environmental issues and policy-relevant events and developments. It also presents the latest trends using key environmental indicators. This 2014 edition shows that changes in the Arctic will have consequences far beyond this fragile region and that they require an urgent international response. The volume of chemicals in the world continues to grow, with a shift in production from developed to developing countries. To meet the goal of producing and using chemicals in ways that minimize significant impacts on health and the environment by 2020, efforts must be made to reduce the use of toxic chemicals, promote safer alternatives and build capacity for sound chemicals management. Adequate information for minimizing chemical risks is essential to support these efforts.

The 2010 Annual Report catalogues the beginning of a new, strategic and transformational direction for UNEP as it began implementing its Medium Term Strategy (MTS) for 2010-2013 across six areas: Climate change; Disasters and conflicts; Ecosystem management; Environmental governance; Harmful substances and hazardous waste; Resource efficiency, Sustainable consumption and production. 2010 was important for many reasons, a year of on-going financial instability set against an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters and shifting weather patterns. UNEP's broad response is catalogued in this 2010 Annual Report report - from global assessments to rapid mechanisms in Haiti in response to the January earthquake and advisory services to countries interested in transitioning to greener economies. This report attempts to set UNEP's work over the last year in context and show its future relevance in meeting the emerging challenges of the coming years. The core objective of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is to serve as an authoritative advocate for the global environment, To help governments set the global environmental agenda, and to promote the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system.