UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service (GEAS) is a mechanism for identifying, selecting and communicating early warning information on emerging issues to decision makers on a regular basis across the following UNEP's focus areas:
Climate Change
Disasters & Conflicts
Ecosystem Management
Environmental Governance
Harmful Substances
Resource Efficiency
The Global Environment Alert Service continuously scans the scientific literature, analyses results of earth observations and other data sources to produce widely distributed alerts, focussing on policy relevant environmental hotspots, environmental science, and near real-time environmental hazards in an easily understandable format. It takes the pulse of the planet and enhances UNEP's ability to provide regular, science based updates to its member states and the international community on the status and trends of the global environment.
October 2012
Climate Change, Ecosystem Management, Resource Efficiency
Growing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Due to Meat Production
Both intensive (industrial) and non-intensive (traditional) forms of meat production result in the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs). As meat supply and consumption increase around the world, more sustainable food systems must be encouraged.
September 2012
Climate Change, Ecosystem Management
Measuring Glacier Change in the Himalayas
A serious lack of reliable and consistent data severely hampers scientific knowledge about the state of Himalayan glaciers. As a result, the contribution of glacial melt to the Himalayan river basins remains uncertain.
August 2012
Climate Change, Ecosystem Management
Africa Without Ice and Snow
Glaciers are one of the planet's important sources of freshwater. Glaciers store and release water seasonally, replenishing the rivers and groundwaters essential for agriculture, domestic supplies, hydroelectricity and industry.
Archive
July 2012 In Depth Report: Early Warning Systems - A State of the Art Analysis and Future Directions
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June 2012 In Depth Report: One Planet, How Many People? A Review of Earth's Carrying Capacity
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May 2012 Keeping Track of Our Changing Environment-From Rio to Rio +20 (1992-2012)
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April 2012 The end to cheap oil: a threat to food security and an incentive to reduce fossil fuels in agriculture
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March 2012 The Need for Numbers-Goals, Targets and Indicators for the Environment
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February 2012 The Drying of Iran's Lake Urmia and its Environmental Consequences
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January 2012 A Glass Half Empty: Regions at Risk Due to Groundwater Depletion
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December 2011 Oil palm plantations: threats and opportunities for tropical ecosystems
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November 2011 Food Security in the Horn of Africa: The Implications of a Drier, Hotter and More Crowded Future
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October 2011 Drought, Fire and Deforestation in the Amazon: Feedbacks, Uncertainty and the Precautionary Approach
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August 2011 The Decommissioning of Nuclear Reactors and Related Environmental Consequences
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July 2011 The Rush for Land and Its Potential Environmental Consequence
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June 2011 One Small Planet, Seven Billion People by Years End and 10.1 Billion by Centurys End
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May 2011 Geoengineering to Combat Global Warming
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April 2011 Nine of the ten hottest years on record all in the last decade
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January 2011 Athabasca Oil Sands, Require Massive Investments and Energy and Produce Massive Amounts of Oil and CO2 - Alberta, Canada
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January 2011 Green Economy Vulnerable to Rare Earth Minerals Shortages
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January 2011 Largest Fire in Israel's History Consistent with Climate Change Predictions
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December 2010 Sea-level Rise in the Indian Ocean Differs by Region and Low-lying Pacific Reef Islands can Grow or Shrink in Size Depending on Conditions
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December 2010 Huge Iceberg Breaks off Greenland's Petermann Glacier
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December 2010 Amazonian Deforestation Slowing but May Already be at a Tipping Point Mato Grosso, Brazil
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October 2010 Greening Cement Production has a Big Role to Play in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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October 2010 Pakistan's Flood of the Century is a Global Disaster
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October 2010 Carp Aquaculture Overwhelms Lake Kolleru Andhra Pradesh, India
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September 2010 Global Mangrove Extent Much Smaller than Previously Estimated
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September 2010 Satellite images record how wildfires have destroyed one million hectares of forests in western Russia
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September 2010 Ancient Water is Used to Irrigate a Desert Murzuq Basin, Libya
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August 2010 Plant Growth Declined Over the Past Decade
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August 2010 Only Scraps of the South American Atlantic Forest Remain Eastern Paraguay
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August 2010 The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill:the World's Largest Accidental Offshore Oil Spill
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