World Leaders Gather in Nairobi as UNEA-7 Pushes for Environmental Solutions

The seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) opened today in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together Ministers of Environment, intergovernmental organizations, multilateral environmental agreements, UN system entities, civil society, young people, and the private sector from across the globe. The Assembly aims to advance solutions for a resilient planet through strengthened multilateralism.

The UN Environment Assembly is the world’s highest decision-making body on environmental matters, with all 193 UN Member States represented. Meeting biennially, it sets global environmental policy priorities, and the resolutions adopted guide the work of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

“Today we reaffirm our shared responsibility: to transform our determination into tangible results for people, ecosystems, and our planet’s stability,” said H.E. Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, President of UNEA-7 and President of the Environment Authority of the Sultanate of Oman.

“We convene at a decisive moment. Around the world, communities continue to endure the intertwined impacts of climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and waste—challenges that test not only our economies and societies but also trust in our collective will,” he added. “Our success this week depends not only on the outcomes we adopt but also on how we reach them: through trust, transparency, compromise, and inclusiveness.”

This year’s Assembly is negotiating 15 draft resolutions, addressing issues ranging from saving the world’s glaciers to curbing massive seaweed blooms and reducing the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence. Although not legally binding, UNEA-7 resolutions enable countries to find common ground and have previously laid the foundation for landmark international agreements.

“This Assembly must dig deeper than ever, because environmental challenges are accelerating,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Average global temperatures are expected to exceed 1.5°C within the next decade, with consequences intensifying at every fraction of a degree. Ecosystems are disappearing, land is degrading, dust storms are increasing, and toxins continue to pollute our air, water, and soil.

“And this Assembly must dig deep because the world is navigating turbulent geopolitical waters, which strains multilateral processes. We all want the same thing: a better future for ourselves and our families—one with a stable climate and a clean, safe, and sustainable environment.”

UNEA-7 was preceded by a Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum, a Cities and Regions Summit, and the Youth Environment Assembly, where more than 1,000 youth delegates issued the Global Youth Declaration outlining their priorities. Throughout the week, the Assembly will also host three high-level dialogues focusing on the importance of environmental sustainability to industry, global finance, and human health. Heads of State and Government, including Kenya’s President William Ruto, will address the high-level segment on UNEA-7’s penultimate day.

On 9 December, UNEP will release the seventh edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) and announce the 2025 Champions of the Earth, recognizing five climate trailblazers from around the world.

“A resilient planet is about more than protecting ecosystems,” said Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry. “It means using our resources wisely, building just and inclusive societies, ensuring economic growth respects planetary boundaries, and embracing innovation to prevent harm before it occurs. Kenya stands ready to partner with governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, and local communities. Today, partnership is not optional—it is essential.”

UNEA-7 has registered more than 6,000 participants from over 180 countries, including 79 Ministers and 35 Vice-Ministers. The Assembly is being held under the theme Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet.