This regional Global Environment Outlook (GEO) report,the fourth for Latin America and the Caribbean (with the previous GEO regional assessment for LAC published in 2010), places emphasis on identifying some of the most worrying and persistent threats to the region through an environmental lens, but also on the achievements, successstories and opportunities in the region.
There is a clear trend in Latin America and the Caribbean towards addressing pressing issues. These include improving access to water and sanitation, reducing poverty, phasing out ozone-depleting substances and expanding the network of protected areas. However, the region still faces significant environmental challenges characterized by land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, vulnerability to climate change, and unsustainable production and consumption patterns.
The governments of Latin America and the Caribbean region have the opportunity to build on existing efforts, and to focus on transformative actions to put the region on the path towards sustainable development. As expressed at the twentieth Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean in March 2016, the rich experience of the region plays a vital role in delivering low-carbon economic growth, resource efficiency and effective ecosystem management.
