Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) 

The Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) was established to guide the assessment process and to ensure scientific credibility and overall quality and integrity of  sixth edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-6). The panel was selected through the nomination and engagement process. It will comprise three experts from each region of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and up to six global experts. The UNEP Chief Scientist’s Office supports the SAP. 

Key roles and responsibilities (Terms of Reference): 

• Provide scientific leadership and guidance to the assessment process and ensure scientific credibility and overall quality of all sixth Global Environment Outlook processes; 
• Ensure that mandates, scope and process are fully realised within the implementation plan; 
• Provide guidance on ensuring that the process for conducting assessments and consultations is credible, systematic and objective; 
• Review, inform and monitor adherence to standards and guidelines for the use of source materials; 
• Advise on the process of ensuring a comprehensive scientific and expert review; 
• Select Review Editors for the Global and Regional Assessments in close consultation with the Secretariat, inter alia the Chief Scientist’s Office and coordinating lead authors; 
• Advice on dealing with data and information credibility, grey literature, including local, traditional and Indigenous knowledge; 
• In cases of uncertainty and/or contentious science-related issues as raised by the Coordinating Lead Authors, Community of Practice Moderators, government participants, the Global Environment Outlook Secretariat or expert reviewers, the Scientific Advisory Panel will make the final determination; 
• Conduct periodic internal evaluations of the sixth Global Environment Outlook assessment with respect to adherence to scientific guidelines, appropriate conduct of experts, methodology and content; 
• Actively participate in the Global Environment Outlook Communities of Practice and on-line discussions amongst Scientific Advisory Panel members and attend the Scientific Advisory Panel meetings; 
• Read, review and endorse the scientific credibility of the final sixth Global Environment Outlook report; and 
• Where necessary, the Scientific Advisory Panel will provide recommendations to the Secretariat and coordinating lead authors on ways to improve both methodology and content (in consultation with the Assessment Methodologies, Data and Information Working Group). 

Scientific Advisory Panel Members: 

1. Prof. Paulo Eduardo Artaxo Netto - Brazil 
2. Prof. Odeh Al-Jayyousi - Jordan 
3. Dr. Byung-Kook Lee - Republic of Korea 
4. Dr. Carlos Afonso Nobre - Brazil 
5. Dr. Danling Tang - China 
6. Dr. Nicholas King (chair) - South Africa 
7. Prof. Sarah Green (chair) - United States of America 
8. Dr. Asma Abahussain - Bahrain 
9. Prof. Ahmed Khater - Egypt 
10. Prof. Alastair Charles Lewis - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 
11. Dr. Maria del Mar Viana Rodriguez (vice-chair) - Spain 
12. Dr. Franklyn Lisk - Sierra Leone 
13. Dr. Paolo Laj - France 
14. Prof. Rosina M. Bierbaum - United States of America 
15. Dr. Toral Patel-Weynand - United States of America 
16. Prof. Naohiro Yoshida - Japan 
17. Prof. Enrico Giovannini - Italy 
18. Prof. Anand Patwardhan - India 
19. Prof. N.H. Ravindranath (vice-chair) - India 
20. Prof. Wedelin Stark - Swizerland 
21. Prof. John B.R. Agard - Trinidad and Tobago 
22. Dr. Torkil Jønch Clausen - Denmark