Global Environment Outlook (IV), prepared by UNEP, was published in Beijing on Oct. 26 at the press briefing. SEPA Vice Minister Li Ganjie and UNEP Deputy Executive Director Shafqat Kakakhel attended the opening ceremony and made a speech.

UNEP coordinated nearly 1000 international experts and 40 plus institutes to draft GEO IV since 2004. It took them four years to draft the book. GEO IV outlined the state of environment and development trend over the past 20 years, reviewed policies on air, land, fresh water, marine area and biodiversity and analyzed progress and lessons in global efforts to address environmental problems. Different scenarios were set to predict the possible environmental situation that mankind is likely to face from present to the middle of this century and policy recommendations were made in light of the scenarios to environmental decision makers.

Li Ganjie noted at the press briefing that the Chinese government has always attached much importance to the relationship between environment and development. In light of the requirement of applying Scientific Outlook on Development and building an environment-friendly society, the government has formulated and taken a series of policies and measure for energy conservation and environmental protection. These measures have so far achieved some results, making positive contributions to the protection of China's environment and the world as a whole. SEPA highly values the drafting process of GEO. It helps us to deepen our understanding of China's environmental problems and ensures us to make more science-based, proactive and strategic policies on environment and development. And our active involvement in the drafting process ensures the objectivity of the report in reflecting China's state of environment and environmental problems and accurate predication and grasp of the trend of environmental development in China.