UNEP year book 2011: emerging issues in our global environment

This report presents work in progress on scientific understanding of global environmental change, as well as foresight about possible issues on the horizon. It showcases and explains three emerging issues: (i) plastic debris in the ocean, (ii) phosphorus and food production, such as sustainable agriculture and sustainable land management in the context of mitigating land degradation and drought disaster risk management, (iii) emerging perspectives on forest biodiversity.

Its purpose is to strengthen the science-policy interface. It presents recent developments and new insights of particular interest to policy-makers.