The official launch of the fourth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-4), which is the most comprehenvive United Nations assessment reoprt on environment, will take place in 40 cities around the world. In Tokyo, which is one of the sites of launching in Asia and the Pacific region, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) will organize a symposium as mentioned below.

The Global Environment Outlook: environment for development report is the culmination of five years of intensive consultation with stakeholders in all regions of the world. It links findings on the state of the environment with policy analyses, incorporating historical, current and future perspectives, combining global perspectives with sub-global views. GEO-4 also highlights emerging environmental issues that require policy attention. The GEO-4 assessment has used the 1987 report – Our Common Future – of the World Commission on Environment and Development as the baseline for the retrospective analysis of environmental trends and development in the past 20 years. It highlights both environment and development issues, focusing on human well-being and role of environment in development.

The assessment is eagerly anticipated by all parties with a concern for sustainable development. At the symposium, the Japanese version of the GEO-4 overview will be provided to the participants. If you would like to attend the symposium, please send the attached application form by fax, before Wednesday, 24 October. (Fax: 03-5467-4455)
* For more information on the GEO, please visit http://www.unep.org/GEO/.

Event title:	GEO-4 Launch Symposium (Tokyo)
Date:	10:30-12:30 Friday, 26 October 2007
Venue:	Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall (5th Floor, UN House) *Registration Desk is on the 2nd Floor. 5-53-70, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Five minutes’ walk from Omotesando subway station, Exit B2) Map: http://www.unu.edu/hq/japanese/access/index.html
Language:	Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation is available.
Admission:	Free of charge
Organized by:	United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) United Nations Information Centre (UNIC)
Supported by:	Ministry of the Environment (tbc)

 

Programme:

(to be confirmed)

10:00 Registration (2nd Floor, UN House) 10:30 Opening Remarks Ms. Charmine Koda, Director, UNIC Mr. Toshiro Kojima, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs 10:45 Presentation by Panelists (to be confirmed) Moderator: Mr. Mushtag Memon, IETC Project Officer, UNEP Dr. Ancha Srinivasan, Principal Researcher and Manager, Climate Policy Project, IGES Dr. Akira Ogihara, Senior Policy Researcher/ Project Manager, IGES Dr. Toshiaki Ichinose, Senior Researcher, Social & Environmental Systems Division, NIES Dr. Claudia ten Have, Sustainable Development Governance Programme, UNU/IAS Ms. Clarice Wilson, Ecosystems and People Programme, UNU/IAS Dr. Yasuaki Hijioka, Senior Researcher, Social & Environmental 11:40 Discussion and Q&A 12:30 Closing

GEO-4 Launch SymposiumFax Reply Sheet