In the GEO-6 regional assessments, air pollution, climate change and energy development, as well as the intersection of these three issues, were identi ed as top priorities in every region. Growing cities, energy, and transportation demand were consistently identi ed as issues of concern. Indoor air pollution and access to clean household energy were priorities in Africa and Asia. Other regional priorities highlight differences in theinstitutional capacities of governments in different regions: improving observational networks (Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, West Asia), strengthening governance (Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean), and understanding costs and bene ts of mitigation measures (Asia). The following sections build upon the GEO-6 regional assessments to explore the state of these challenges from a global perspective.