Module 5: Integrated Analysis of Environmental Trends and Policies

Integrated analysis of environmental trends and policies refers to a set of processes and methods for analysing the state of the environment (SoE), as affected by natural forces and human activities. Traditional SoE reporting that tries to answer the question “What is happening to the environment?” has existed for over three decades. Beginning in the 1990s, several countries adopted a broader, more integrated approach to SoE reporting that put greater emphasis on root causes, policy drivers and the impacts of environmental change. This approach, now known as integrated environmental assessment (IEA), was taken up and developed by UNEP in its Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) process.