Sixth Global Environmental Outlook report calls for scaling up environmental protection

• Published in: Clean Air Journal = Tydskrif vir Skoon Lug Vol. 29; no. 1; p. 11
• Main Author: Wright, Caradee Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Association for Clean Air (NACA) 01.06.2019; National Association for Clean Air
• Subjects: Environmental Sciences
• ISSN: 1017-1703; 2410-972X; 2410-972X
• DOI: 10.17159/2410-972X/2019/v29n1a3

On the 13 March 2019, the United Nations Environment Programme released the sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6) report in Nairobi, Kenya. After 5 years of hard work by 250 scientists from more than 70 countries, the comprehensive assessment was launched as the latest evidence on ‘the environment under review’. The theme of GEO-6 is ‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People’ and the report warns that ‘human health is in dire straits if urgent actions are not made to protect the environment’. Water pollution, air pollution, food waste and plastic pollution in the oceans were among many of the pressing challenges identified in the report. An innovative way of thinking was proposed that shifts the current model of ‘grow now, clean up after’ to a ‘nearzero- waste economy by 2050’ model if the world is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.