The seventh edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) was mandated by the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) through resolution 5/3, approved in March 2022.
In the resolution, the UNEA-5.2,
“Requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to establish an ad hoc intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder advisory group, governed by the rules of procedure of the Environment Assembly, ensuring geographic balance across all United Nations regions and also ensuring disciplinary and gender balance.”
A call for nominations issued in June 2022 resulted in UNEP receiving 52 nominations from Member States and 37 from accredited stakeholders. The Secretariat thoroughly reviewed the nominations, and after further informal consultations with Member State representatives, a final group was identified.
The group includes 25 experts from Member States (5 per UN region) and 10 representatives from Major Groups and Stakeholders. The members have been carefully selected, taking into account gender, geographic, and disciplinary balance.
This group will bring crucial policy expertise to guide the Executive Director and the team of experts in producing the GEO-7. The main tasks of the Intergovernmental and Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group (IMAG) include:
Providing advice to draft the scope of the GEO;
Providing advice on needs related to capacity building, knowledge generation and support for policymaking;
Providing advice on the development of the work plan and budget and setting out a programme of activities;
Interacting with assessment authors and the Multi-disciplinary Expert Scientific Advisory Group (MESAG) to provide relevant advice to the Executive Director.
The IMAG met for the first time at UNEP’s Headquarters in Nairobi on Friday, 21 October 2022, to discuss their role and responsibilities and the next steps.
This first face-to-face meeting of the IMAG took place after the second ad Hoc Open-Ended Meeting of the GEO-7 process, the scoping meeting, which was held in a hybrid format from 17 to 20 October.
The second face-to -face meeting of the IMAG took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 14-16 March 2023.
