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DEWA IMDIS 24 month – Final Performance Report
Accomplishment Account 1
Expected accomplishment: Greater availability and use of authoritative and scientifically credible
environmental assessments for decision-making at the national, sub-regional, regional and global levels.
Indicator 1: Reflection of assessment findings in environmental policy and planning publications, in
scientific journals and in media coverage.
Indicator 2: Incorporation of assessment findings in the work of intergovernmental bodies reflected in
policy and programme documents, and resolutions and decisions.
Indicator 3: Feedback from Governments individually or through intergovernmental bodies.
At the end of the biennium the sub-programme has succeeded in providing greater availability and use of
our assessments for decision-making at all levels by exceeding the indicator targets set. 650 references
(estimated based on our own records and divisional monthly press lists) have been made in publications,
journals and media to UNEP/DEWA assessment findings and firmly exceeding the target of 50 due to high
profile products launched in 2005 such as Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) and Global
International Waters Assessment (GIWA) reports as well as publications “One Planet, Many People: Atlas
of Our Changing Environment” and Global Environment Outlook Yearbook 2004/2005. For example, the
MA, which was launched in March 2005, had by September 2005 been referred to in over 400
articles/reports in print, television, radio and web media. The material in “One Planet, Many People: Atlas
of Our Changing Environment” launched in June 2005 has been used in scientific journals, newspapers,
magazines, textbooks, television, radio, website citations and exhibits and by October 2005 more than 150
instances of press coverage were registered. Launches of the Global Environment Outlook Yearbook
(GYB) 2003 and 2004/2005 were registered in more than 100 press articles. The number of assessment
findings emanating from the sub-programme reflected in decisions of relevant intergovernmental bodies is
8 thereby exceeding the target of 5 documents, resolutions or decisions and listed as follows: UNEP
GC/GMEF in its decision, SS.VIII/1.II Strengthening the financing of the United Nations Environment
Programme, the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in its decisions and decisions of VII/4
Biological diversity of inland water ecosystems and VII/5 Marine and coastal biological diversity. GC
decision 23/6 illustrates the link between assessment and global decision making whereby the GC called for
a number of actions based on the findings of the GYB 2004/2005 such as mainstreaming gender
considerations into environmental plans, keeping human health aspects of environmental change under
review, and continuing to address the serious challenges of climate change in light of emerging scientific
evidence. GC decision 23/11 refers specifically to the need for gender equality in the field of the
environment refereeing to the study “Mainstreaming gender in Environmental Assessment and Early
Earning” prepared by the sub-programme. Resolution UNEP/CMS/8.10/4 stresses the linkages of CMS
with the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) and the GEO-4 process. Resolutions of the Subsidiary Body
on Scientific, Tchnical and Technological Advice of the CBD reflects on findings of the MA in
UNEP/CBD/COP/8/3/XI/4a-aa and the GEO in UNEP/CBD/COP/8/3/XI/3/7b. The number of feedbacks
received from Governments individually or through intergovernmental bodies, for the global dimension of
the work exceeded the target of 5. A total of 8 different multilateral statements and more than 60 written
individual comments have been received giving feedback on assessment activities under the subprogramme.
Our review of informal and formal records shows that findings and recommendations from the range of
published assessments covered a variety of environmental issues, e.g. cold-water reefs, coastal ecosystems,
changes in ocean currents due to climate change, environment and emerging diseases, marshlands,
freshwater, and atmospheric brown cloud; and thematic issues, e.g. island development, environment and
conflict prevention, human vulnerability to environmental change, and environmental outlook of various
cities. . The citations varied in scales ranging from local newspapers, country-level popular media to
international journals and publications. It is sometimes difficult to measure within one reporting period to
which extent the coverage of assessment findings are leading to actions because of times lags and the fact
that an action could be triggered partly also by other events. However, there is evidence of this happening.
An example in this reporting period is the fact that the problem of severe water shortage in Sana’a, which
was flagged in the GYB is now being addressed by authorities in Yemen. Our review of records verifies
that decision-makers are responding to our assessment processes and findings. Governments have shown
their great interests in the work related to environmental assessments and early warning and responded
positively to such activities through intergovernmental meetings. For example, representatives from as
many as 93 countries and more than 50 observers met in Nairobi, 14-15 January 2004 and agreed on a
statement on conclusions and recommendations regarding strengthening the scientific base of UNEP (see
UNEP/SI/IGC3). Governments individually and in decision SS.VIII/1 expressed their appreciation of the
efforts made in strengthening the scientific base of UNEP related to environmental assessment and
monitoring, as well as of the production of the GEO Year Book 2003 in bringing to the attention of
Governments emerging environmental problems during the 8th special session of the UNEP GC/GMEF,.
Furthermore, during the ministerial segment of the 8th special session of the UNEP GC/GMEF, statements
were made by Governments in recognition of the importance of accurate and scientifically credible
assessments and monitoring of river basins to underpin the integrated management and planning of water
resources. Comments from more than 60 countries had been received at the stage of the end of December
2005 and more are expected in 2006 in response to the Governing Council decision 23/1, which requested
the Executive Director of UNEP to update his ‘Environment Watch’ proposal and circulate it to
Governments for comments. The proposal was circulated to all governments and other stakeholders for
comments in August 2005 together with a ‘Situation Analysis and Capacity Building Needs Assessment
Questionnaire’. An analysis (of comments) will be presented to GC.SS/IX as document UNEP/GC.SS/X/3.
Furthermore, the conclusions and recommendations in the intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder
statement (UNEP/SI/IGC3) have served as a basis for: 1) the new orientation of sub-programme 1 [DEWA]
in the approved Programme of Work for 2006 -2007; 2) the strengthening of the process for the fourth
Global Environment Outlook (GEO-4); and 3) presenting a proposed ‘Environment Watch’ system for
keeping the environment under review (see UNEP/GC.23/3). In further strengthening the GEO-4 process,
representatives from 93 countries and more than 40 observers met in Nairobi 19-20 February 2005 and
agreed on a statement on the scope and process of GEO-4 (see UNEP/GC.23/CRP.5). This statement was
furthermore acknowledged by the GC in decision 23/6. This is strengthening the legitimacy and relevance
of the GEO-4 process and guides participating scientists and collaborating centers in responding to needs of
decision makers in the context of the work of the Council.