GEO‐3, the flagship report of the world’s leading environment organization, was launched in London on 22 May. Based on information supplied by a global network of research institutions, it is a uniquely authoritative and accurate assessment of the state of the global environment. It will provide the benchmark environmental input to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), to be held in August in Johannesburg, South Africa, and for environmental policy and research worldwide. A free CD‐ROM is included, containing the full text of the report in Adobe pdf format and a compendium of the data used in preparing it. GEO‐3 analyses the full range of environmental conditions, trends and policy responses since the Stockholm environment conference in 1972, focusing on human vulnerability to environmental change. Detailed scenarios show what could happen over the next 30 years, depending on what policies and actions we adopt now. For more information and to read a pdf version of the report visit: