UN Environment Programme Executive Director, Inger Andersen, with UN Secretary General, António Guterres, during a past event. PHOTO/FILE.
By PATRICK MAYOYO
The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) opened today in Nairobi, bringing together over 6,000 participants from more than 180 countries to address the escalating environmental crises threatening the planet.
Ministers of Environment, key intergovernmental organisations, UN entities, civil society representatives, youth leaders, and the private sector are gathering to advance solutions for a more resilient and sustainable future.
The UN Environment Assembly, the world’s highest decision-making body on environmental issues, sets priorities for global environmental policies. Its resolutions, while not legally binding, shape the global environmental agenda and have often paved the way for landmark international agreements.
UNEA-7 will negotiate 15 draft resolutions addressing critical issues such as glacier preservation, managing seaweed blooms, and reducing the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence.
Opening the assembly, H.E. Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, President of UNEA-7 and Head of the Environment Authority of Oman, emphasized the urgency of the moment.
“We reaffirm our shared responsibility to transform our determination into tangible results for people, ecosystems, and our planet’s stability,” he said. “Our success this week depends not only on the outcomes we adopt but also on how we reach them—through trust, transparency, the spirit of compromise, and inclusiveness.”
In her remarks, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), underscored the accelerating pace of environmental degradation.
“The rise in average global temperatures will likely exceed 1.5°C within the next decade, bringing escalating consequences with every fraction of a degree,” she warned. “This Assembly must dig deeper than ever, as environmental challenges intensify and geopolitical tensions add new complexities to multilateral processes.”
One of the key moments preceding UNEA-7 was the Global Youth Declaration, issued by over 1,000 youth delegates from across the globe. Their priorities will be highlighted during the assembly, underscoring the pivotal role of young people in shaping the future of environmental governance.
This year’s UNEA-7 also includes high-level discussions on the role of industry, finance, and human health in promoting environmental sustainability. Kenya’s President, William Ruto, will join other heads of state and government for the high-level segment later this week, as global leaders commit to forging stronger partnerships for environmental action.
A major highlight of the Assembly will be the launch of UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7), alongside the announcement of five climate trailblazers who will be named Champions of the Earth for 2025.
Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, called for global collaboration: “Partnership is not optional; it is absolutely essential.”
With environmental challenges at a critical juncture, UNEA-7 presents a pivotal opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to a sustainable and resilient planet for future generations.
