UNEA-7: Charting the Course for a Resilient Planet in 2025

Gearing Up for UNEA-7: The World’s Top Environmental Summit

The international community is setting its sights on Nairobi for the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), scheduled for December 8-12, 2025. Under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet,” this summit will convene leaders, scientists, civil society, and private sector representatives from over 170 nations. As the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, UNEA-7 is poised to set the global agenda for tackling our most urgent ecological challenges.

But to understand where we’re going, we must first look at where we’ve been. The outcomes of the recent UNEA-6 provide a crucial foundation for the actions and negotiations to come.

Lessons and Momentum from UNEA-6

Held in early 2024, UNEA-6 was a testament to the power of multilateralism even amidst global tensions. The assembly brought together over 7,000 delegates from 182 countries and concluded with the adoption of 15 significant resolutions. These resolutions targeted the core of the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Key takeaways from UNEA-6 include:

• A Unified Stance: A Ministerial Declaration reaffirmed the global commitment to intensify efforts against environmental threats. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), praised the “spirit of multilateralism – true, inclusive multilateralism” that defined the event.
• Actionable Resolutions: The 15 adopted resolutions covered a wide spectrum of issues, from the sustainable mining of energy transition minerals and air pollution to the protection of our oceans and freshwater resources.
• Critical Reports: Three landmark reports were launched, providing stark warnings and policy guidance:
  • The Global Waste Management Outlook stressed the urgent need to drastically cut waste for a livable planet.
  • The Global Resources Outlook highlighted the alarming rate of natural resource depletion.
  • A report on Used Heavy-Duty Vehicles offered strategies to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

What’s on the Agenda for UNEA-7?

Building on this groundwork, UNEA-7 aims to push the environmental agenda even further. Delegates are expected to negotiate around 15 new draft resolutions on a diverse range of pressing topics, including:

• Preservation of glaciers and coral reef resilience
• Proliferation of sargassum seaweed
• Management of chemicals, waste, minerals, and metals
• The environmental impact of artificial intelligence

Additionally, the summit will feature the launch of the seventh Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) report, a comprehensive assessment of the state of the global environment that will guide future policy.

The Realities of Global Negotiations

While UNEA-6 was a success for multilateralism, it wasn’t without its challenges. Experts noted that geopolitical divides, particularly between the Global North and South, complicated negotiations and sometimes led to diluted language in resolutions. For example, a promising resolution on the circular economy was ultimately withdrawn due to a lack of consensus. Similarly, discussions on solar radiation modification and nature-based solutions reached a deadlock.

These hurdles underscore the complexities of global environmental governance. However, they also highlight the essential role of UNEA. The assembly acts as a crucial incubator for ideas, a starting point for global treaties, and a powerful influence on national policymaking. Though its resolutions are not legally binding, they create the political momentum needed for tangible action on the ground.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

As we look toward UNEA-7, the mission is clear. The interconnected crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution demand a united and decisive global response. The discussions and resolutions from UNEA-6 have paved the way, providing a roadmap of both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The upcoming summit in Nairobi will be a critical moment for world leaders to translate commitments into concrete, sustainable solutions. The health of our planet depends on the success of this inclusive, multilateral effort to build a more resilient future for all.