This 8th Edition of the UN Environment Programme flagship report, the UNEP Year Book 2011, examines global emerging issues and provides the latest environmental science. It also highlights major environmental events and developments over the past year, and presents the most recent data and indicator trends.

What are the potential impacts of the large amounts of plastic that find their way into the ocean? Are we using phosphorus wisely in agriculture? Phosphorus is needed for food production, but its availability is limited and over-application can cause environmental problems. How will forest biodiversity management affect future carbon storage discussions? The 8th Edition of the UN Environment Programme flagship report, the UNEP Year Book, examines these global emerging issues and provides the latest science in a policy-relevant context. It also highlights major environmental events and developments over the past year, and presents the most recent data and key indicator trends.