On December 20, 2020, the Chinese Edition of the sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6) was launched successfully in Beijing. The United Nations Environment Programme - International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), co-sponsored the event with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Beijing Office, UNEP Science Division, and the UNEP News Division. Distinguished scholars from the field of ecological environment, report authors, representatives of universities and scientific research institutions, and other special guests attended the meeting. Ms. Zhang Linxiu, Director of UNEP-IEMP, attended the launch ceremony and participated in the panel discussion.

The theme of the GEO-6 report is "Healthy Planet, Healthy People". It is a comprehensive assessment on the current state of the global environment that has been seriously damaged. It calls on all countries to abandon unsustainable production and consumption and actively carry out international cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals and other internationally agreed environmental goals. The Chinese version of the report is the first UN official language version other than the English version.

Mr. Zhao Yingmin, vice-minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, congratulated the launch of the report in a video message. He said that GEO-6 was launched as China is drafting its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and will provide important references for its efforts to tackle climate change and protect the environment in the coming five years. China will support UNEP’s role in strengthening global environment governance, enhancing South-South cooperation, and promoting the achievement of the 2030 sustainable development goals. Ms. Inger Anderson, Executive director of the UNEP, pointed out that GEO-6 and other reports published in recent years highlighted the important link between widespread biodiversity loss and zoonotic outbreaks. I would like to thank China, as the co-chair of the high-level intergovernmental Advisory Group, for its expertise and strong support for this important work.

At the launch ceremony, Mr. Liu Jian, Director of the UNEP Science Division, delivered an opening remark. Ms. Huang Yi, co-chair of the Global Environment Outlook policy steering committee and professor of Peking University, delivered a keynote speech. Then Ms. Zhang Linxiu, Director of the UNEP-IEMP, joined several special guests in a wonderful panel discussion. 

From the perspective of UNEP-IEMP, which is a platform that promots South-South cooperation, Director Zhang commented on the importance and guiding significance of the report. Zhang stressed that the Chinese version of GEO-6 was released in a very good time. The current COVID-19 and climate change makes people realize that the goals of achieving good environment, efficient food system, and the harmonious coexistence of human and nature are all closely related. Therefore, we need to use systematic thinking, nexus approach, and transformational change to accelerate actions. This echoes well with the main recommendations provided by the GEO-6 report. The relationship between nature and development used to be seen as a trade-off, but now it should be viewed as a co-benefit. How to promote development while protecting nature is an important issue for scholars and policymakers in the field of the environment to consider. UNEP-IEMP has been committed to promoting South-South cooperation under UNEP's "Climate, Ecosystem and Livelihood (CEL) Flagship Programme. As the first UNEP Collaborating Centre in the South and for the South, it actively promotes multi-departments, multi-level, and multi-disciplines cooperation and exchanges. Its mandate is highly consistent with the concept of cooperative practice environmental governance advocated by GEO-6.

The GEO-6 report was produced by 250 scientists and experts from more than 70 countries. It is the most comprehensive and rigorous assessment on the state of the environment completed by the UN in the last five years. Based on the results of previous GEO reports, this scientific assessment took summarized the current environmental situation, predicted the future development trend of the environment, and analyzed the effectiveness of the policy. The report shows how global governments can lead the world towards a truly sustainable future. It emphasizes the need for urgent and inclusive action by decision-makers at all levels to achieve a healthy planet with healthy people.

UNEP-IEMP Director Linxiu Zhang speaking at the panel discussion session of the lauch ceremony

Mr. Liu Jian, Director of the UNEP Science Division, delivered the opening remark of the lauch ceremony

UNEP-IEMP Director Linxiu Zhang participated in an interview at the ceremony