Training Materials on Integrated Environmental Assessment and Reporting

Resources developed for the Global Environment Outlook initiative

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Systematic reporting on environmental trends and their interactions with economic and social policies is becoming mandatory for many organizations around the world. Assessment and reporting can increase accountability and help answer important questions about development and the environment. What is our environmental performance like? How is it related to our current policies? What are our policy options?

With the aim of building the capacity of organizations for evidence and science-based integrated assessment and reporting, IISD has played a key role in developing two resource books, a four-day training manual published in 2000 and a comprehensive resource book as its successor, to be published in 2007.

Both the earlier GEO training manual and the new GEO Resource Book have been prepared as part of the United Nations Environment Programme's Global Environment Outlook initiative. GEO is UNEP's flagship publication and reporting program on the global environment, produced by UNEP and an international network of Collaborating Centres. IISD is one of UNEP's Collaborating Centre in Canada with a key role in capacity building and scenario analysis.

GEO Resource Book (2007)

The GEO Resource Book builds on advances in the science and practice of integrated environmental assessment and reporting (IEA) based on UNEP's GEO-4, and the rich experience with IEA capacity building using the earlier GEO training manual. The Resource Book will be launched in 2007 and includes contributions from over 40 leading experts in assessment and reporting.

The IEA approach underlying the Resource Book helps assessments answer the following five questions:

  1. What is happening to the environment and why?
  2. What are the consequences for the environment and humanity?
  3. What is being done and how effective is it?
  4. Where are we heading?
  5. What actions could be taken for a more sustainable future?

Recognizing that the assessment and reporting needs of governments and other organizations vary, the Resource Book is modular in order to facilitate customization. The Resource Book consists of eight training modules, complete with exercises, PowerPoint presentations and instructor guidelines. Emphasis was placed on creating a user-friendly, adaptable resource that could be applied in multiple regions globally. Translations into other official UN languages will follow.

GEO Resource Book Table of Contents

All sections of the GEO Resource Book will be available electronically on a CD-ROM and on UNEP's and IISD's Web Site. In order to facilitate customization, sample training agendas will be made available in MS Word and slides in MS PowerPoint format.

For more information please contact IISD's Director of Measurement and Assessment, László Pintér.