Highlights and images for 8 December 2025

The seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), under the theme, “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet,” opened to pomp and ceremony at the headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi. After a lively cultural performance by the Kenyan Boys Choir, delegates embarked on their heavy agenda.

In his opening statement, Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, UNEA-7 President (Oman), underscored that, “today we reaffirm our shared responsibility to transform our determination into tangible results for people, ecosystems, and our planet’s stability.” He emphasized that delegates must deliver on implementable resolutions guided by science and supported by adequate resources for implementation.

Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.

In a video message, Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, welcomed delegates to Nairobi, the city embodying “the promise of our shared future.” She urged all those present to commit to bold action toward ensuring that multilateralism is more than words and delivers tangible results for people and planet.

Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, stressed this is the time to step down from “the ramparts of individual positions and meet on common ground,” in the face of accelerating environmental challenges and turbulent geopolitical waters. She underlined that, “we all want the same thing – a better future for ourselves and for our families.” She noted that this entails a stable climate, a safe, clean, and sustainable environment, and a pollution-free future.

Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General, UN Office at Nairobi (UNON), reiterated UNON’s support for UNEA-7, encouraged delegates to recall that the health, survival, and the sustainable growth of the planet is dependent on peace, equality, and justice for all. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Kenya, called on the Assembly to spark sustainable solutions, strengthen resilience, and champion inclusive environmental governance.

Delegates then established a Committee of the Whole (CoW), chaired by Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment, Saint Kitts and Nevis. They also elected Nino Tandilashvili, First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Georgia, as the CoW Rapporteur.

The CoW established two contact groups, which considered four clusters of issues: nature and climate; governance and law; circular economy, chemicals, waste and pollution; and strategic, budgetary, and governing bodies matters. With 15 draft resolutions and two draft decisions still requiring further consideration, the Assembly quickly dived into substantive negotiations.

In their discussions on the environmental sustainability of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, delegates debated, among other issues, a request to UNEP to convene inclusive, multi-stakeholder dialogues to further assess the environmental benefits, risks, opportunities, and impacts of AI systems across their life cycle and their potential to contribute positively to sustainable development.

On strengthening the global response on the management of fires, delegates heard a proposal for a new paragraph urging developed countries to mobilize financial resources to assist developing countries with their national plans.

Delegates also held discussions on the active protection of deep-sea ecosystems but were deadlocked about whether to shelve the resolution as a whole or continue trying to reach compromise.

Focusing in on a resolution to enhance the meaningful participation of children and youth in environmental governance, delegations extensively deliberated on whether they should permit children and youth into decision-making processes. Following this, and one delegation threatening to block the resolution in its entirety, delegates agreed on allowing youth “participation in environmental matters and processes.”

Elsewhere on the UNON campus, delegates were invited to attend a special dialogue on the role of Indigenous Peoples and their communities in advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet. They also attended a host of side events, including on:

• mobilizing the Regional Seas Conventions and action plans for effective implementation of the Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement (BBNJ);
• local and regional action for a resilient planet;
• synergies in the chemicals and waste cluster; and
• transboundary water cooperation to restore and sustain water ecosystems from source to sea.