Scientists from the University of the West Indies (UWI) have once again placed the Caribbean at the centre of global environmental discourse, playing a key role in the research, analysis, and development of ‘The Global Environment Outlook, Seventh Edition: A Future We Choose (GEO-7), a 2025 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) flagship environmental report addressing some of the world’s most pressing ecological challenges.

The report, launched at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together leading scientists, economists, and policy experts from across the globe to examine critical environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, land degradation, and sustainable-development pathways.

Professor Donovan Campbell, director, The University of the West Indies, Western Jamaica Campus, served as a coordinating lead author for the Latin America and the Caribbean chapter, and Dr Shanecia Lester, lecturer in the Department of Geography and Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology, served as a fellow and contributing author on the same chapter.

The report, produced under the auspices of the United Nations, examines critical issues, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, environmental resilience, and sustainable development, drawing on expertise from leading scientists across continents.

Campbell and Lester contributed regional data, scientific analysis, and policy-relevant insights, ensuring that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Caribbean realities were fully represented.

Their involvement underscores UWI’s growing reputation as a hub for world-class environmental and climate research. Both scientists collaborated with international teams, contributing evidence-based findings that shaped key sections of the report.

“GEO-7 is a forward-looking, solutions-focused report that examines the technological and behavioural changes needed to meet global environmental targets. For Latin America and the Caribbean, the report provides clear evidence that nature-based solutions, climate-resilient infrastructure, and inclusive governance can significantly reduce future losses from the current planetary crises,” Campbell said.

“The recent impacts of Hurricane Melissa underscore why GEO-7 emphasises resilience and system-wide change rather than short-term fixes. Siloed thinking and piecemeal approaches will not deliver the transformations required in SIDS at the pace and scale needed. The fact that Melissa triggered simultaneous food, energy and health crises in western Jamaica is a clear indication of the deep linkages among these systems. Recovery efforts that ignore these interconnections will only set the stage for the next disaster,” Campbell added.

Influential Assessment

United Nations flagship environmental reports are among the most influential scientific assessments globally, informing international policy, government action, and funding priorities. The UWI’s contribution means that Caribbean perspectives are helping to shape decisions that affect environmental governance worldwide.

Lester said she is honoured to have contributed to an assessment that equips us with the knowledge and pathways needed to take meaningful action towards a resilient and sustainable future.

“GEO-7 does not only help us to understand the interconnected environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution at global and regional scales, but it also empowers us to create solutions and drive transformative change. This transformative change depends on behavioural shifts, technological innovation, and strong governance,” she said.

“I am pleased that the report emphasises a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. This is a timely and important message as we rebuild as a nation following the impacts of Hurricane Melissa. It is imperative that we recognise that meeting environmental goals and targets, while ensuring social and economic benefits, is not a job for the Government alone, nor only for environmental agencies or advocates,” Lester added.

The teams also provided expertise in areas where the Caribbean is both highly impacted and highly knowledgeable, particularly climate vulnerability, coastal ecosystems, disaster risk, food security, and adaptation strategies.

Heavy toll

The report highlights the urgency of addressing environmental threats while strengthening resilience in developing regions.

The Global Environment Outlook, Seventh Edition: A Future We Choose (GEO-7), released during the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, is the product of 287 multidisciplinary scientists from 82 countries.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report finds that climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, desertification, and pollution and waste have taken a heavy toll on the planet, people, and economies, already costing trillions of dollars each year. Following current development pathways will only intensify this toll.

However, approaches to transform the systems of economy and finance, materials and waste, energy, food and the environment would deliver global macroeconomic benefits that could reach US$20 trillion per year by 2070 and continue growing.

A key enabling factor of this approach the report said is moving away from GDP to indicators that also track human and natural capital – incentivising economies to move towards circularity, decarbonisation of the energy system, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and more.

“The Global Environment Outlook lays out a simple choice for humanity: continue down the road to a future devastated by climate change, dwindling nature, degraded land and polluted air, or change direction to secure a healthy planet, healthy people and healthy economies. This is no choice at all,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director.

“And let us not forgot the world has already made so much progress: from global deals covering climate change, nature, land and biodiversity, and pollution and waste to real-world change in the booming renewables industry, global coverage of protected areas, and the phasing out of toxic chemicals,” she added.

“I call on all nations to build on this progress, invest in planetary health and drive their economies towards a thriving, sustainable future.”

To read the full G7 article, click here.