Executive Summary
The Seventh Session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) commenced on December 8, 2025, in Nairobi, setting an energetic and hopeful tone with a vibrant cultural performance by the Kenyan Boys Choir. However, the scene quickly shifted from celebration to palpable urgency, as leaders emphasized the need to confront the "triple planetary crisis" of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Delegates immediately moved into the Committee of the Whole (CoW), a high-pressure environment tasked with advancing 15 draft resolutions and two draft decisions within a challenging two-and-a-half-day timeframe, encapsulating the struggle to translate global rhetoric into concrete, implementable action.
Opening Messages and Organization of Work
The UNEA-7 President, Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, opened the session by calling for ambitious, implementable resolutions that are guided by science and supported by adequate resources. He stressed the need to enhance coherence among Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). Via video message, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed delivered stark warnings from UN reports, citing the risk of crossing 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming this decade, the impact of land degradation on billions, and the nine million annual deaths attributed to pollution. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged delegations to unify, moving "away from the barricades of individual positions" to deliver sustainable solutions. The host country, Kenya, underscored the importance of adopting the Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) and the Programme of Work and Budget (PoW) 2026–2027 as foundational documents.
Following the opening, the Committee of the Whole (CoW) was established. Debates immediately arose over procedural matters, particularly regarding the scheduling of work. Regional groups, including the African Group, requested limiting parallel sessions and avoiding late-night meetings to ensure the effective participation of small delegations. Despite the tight deadline, delegates eventually agreed that any extension of work beyond 10 pm would require consensus among the attending Member States.
Civil Society and Spaces for Dialogue: The Voice of Environmental Justice
Over the first two days, Major Groups and Stakeholders maintained a vital presence, linking the technical negotiations to wider environmental and social justice concerns. Youth groups called for stronger environmental governance, while Indigenous Peoples advocated for their rights and warned against extractivist models, urging a focus on collective health over profit. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) pushed for the recognition of the rights of nature and the need to address ecocide.
On the margins of UNEA-7 on December 9, a significant civil society press conference was held, offering a platform for these voices. The focus was squarely on the urgency of the triple planetary crisis, the critical need for Means of Implementation (finance, capacity, technology), and the protection of civic space. The press conference, which was moderated by Ahmed Fathy , provided a first-hand opportunity to gauge the expectations and demands of civil society, directly informing the analytical pulse of this report. The day also saw the launch of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) report, adding a scientific backdrop to the ongoing political debates. Dalia fernanda Márquez Añez
Four Negotiation Fronts in the Committee of the Whole
Cluster A – Nature and Climate
Discussions in Cluster A, co-chaired by Japan and Norway, commenced on resolutions covering wildfire management, Sargassum seaweed proliferation, and deep-sea ecosystems. While delegations successfully converged on language promoting knowledge-sharing platforms for integrated fire management, disagreements persisted over paragraphs concerning financial support for developing countries. The resolution on Sargassum was particularly contentious, with affected states, notably from the Caribbean and West Africa, insisting on characterizing the phenomenon as a "crisis" on the grounds of environmental justice, while other delegations proposed the alternative term, "serious environmental challenge."
On Day 2, technical difficulties emerged on the resolution concerning karst ecosystems, primarily due to disagreements over references to existing conventions, such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Conversely, some forward momentum was reported on the coral reefs resolution, with negotiations increasingly focused on the provisions for finance and Means of Implementation (MoI).
Cluster B – Governance and Law
Work in Cluster B, co-chaired by Egypt and Germany, began with the resolution on the environmental sustainability of artificial intelligence (AI). Delegations immediately tabled a high volume of amendments, increasing the complexity of the text and prompting discussions on gender balance in expert workshops. The resolution on youth participation saw a temporary setback when previously agreed language was reopened by some delegations demanding explicit mention of "decision-making," a move met with strong resistance. A compromise was eventually found, settling on "participation in environmental processes and affairs." Disagreements also arose over the use of "green skills" versus the broader wording of "skills needed to advance sustainable development" (aligned with SDG 4.7). The resolution on enhancing synergies among Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) focused on technical details, particularly reducing reporting burdens without undermining the established mandates of individual agreements. Day 2 continued with debates on youth roles in science-policy interfaces and sensitive exchanges over gender-related language concerning UNEP employment.
Cluster C – Circular Economy, Chemicals, Waste and Pollution
Cluster C handled some of the most substantial and technically demanding files, covering pollution, chemicals, and waste, primarily through late-evening sessions. Over the two days, numerous substantive paragraphs within these resolutions, including those on the circular economy, remained enclosed in "brackets"—signifying a lack of consensus. This recurring deadlock was largely attributable to delegations linking progress on operative text to unresolved questions surrounding finance and means of implementation. The result was that the issue of resourcing became a systematic bottleneck across nearly every draft resolution in this cluster.
Cluster D – Strategic, Budgetary and Governance Matters
This track is institutionally crucial to the future mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme. On Day 1, several regional groups, most notably Kenya, made strong calls for the prompt adoption of the Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) and the Programme of Work and Budget (PoW) 2026–2027, viewing these documents as the necessary foundation for UNEP’s subsequent work. However, tensions escalated sharply on Day 2. Some delegations warned that failure to adopt the MTS could result in an "existential crisis" for UNEP, questioning the credibility and operational capacity of the Programme without a clear strategic direction. A stocktaking plenary debate addressed working hours, confirming the agreement to continue negotiations until 10 pm, with any further extension requiring the consensus of the CoW, following the withdrawal of an earlier proposal for a streamlined "take it or leave it" approach to non-papers.
In the Corridors – Time Pressure and Hard Lines
The atmosphere in the corridors and informal consultation rooms was marked by fatigue, especially for small delegations struggling to cover concurrent late-night sessions. Frustration mounted as some delegates attempted to reopen delicately balanced compromises that had been achieved during weekend consultations. Concerns were voiced that the consensus-based approach was, at times, being employed as a de-facto veto, obstructing progress rather than promoting genuine agreement. Delegates also expressed worry that scarce negotiation time was being spent on what they considered "impossible" resolutions, diverting energy from texts where consensus and implementable outcomes were within reach.
What to Watch on Day 3?
As the Committee of the Whole races towards its scheduled conclusion on Wednesday evening, all eyes are on the final moments. Will delegations succeed in breaking the deadlock surrounding the crucial Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) and the Programme of Work (PoW), which is so vital to UNEP's operational credibility? Which of the heated files—including coral reefs, karst ecosystems, AI governance, and the circular economy—will successfully transition from bracketed proposals to agreed final language? We invite Sustainable Horizon readers to share their views on which of the four clusters they believe holds the most decisive weight for UNEP's future and the advancement of environmental justice.
1. Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB), (Vol. 16 No. 181 -Vol. 16 No. 182)
2- UNEA7 website https://www.unep.org/environmentassembly/
3- on ground participantion from YLE Following clusters B,C.
