As representatives from more than 170 countries arrive in Nairobi for the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), the world’s most pressing environmental challenges are taking centre stage. Held at a moment scientists describe as critical for the planet’s future, the assembly brings together governments, experts and international institutions to confront escalating climate disruption, rapid biodiversity and land loss, and worsening pollution. With natural systems nearing dangerous tipping points, UNEA-7 has emerged as one of the most consequential environmental gatherings of the decade.

Running from 8–12 December, the assembly focuses on mobilizing realistic and implementable actions that can slow the accelerating environmental decline. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has framed this year’s agenda as a call for “real solutions to real-world problems,” underscoring how global efforts remain off track in stabilizing the climate, protecting ecosystems and curbing pollution. Against this backdrop, delegates are examining 15 draft resolutions and three draft decisions that address a wide spectrum of environmental pressures, from saving rapidly shrinking glaciers to managing minerals and metals more sustainably, and combating the spread of massive seaweed blooms that are overwhelming coastlines around the world.

One of the most closely watched resolutions is the proposal urging countries to reduce the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence. As AI technologies expand at unprecedented speed, the data centres powering them consume enormous quantities of energy and water, generate electronic waste and rely heavily on minerals that are often extracted through environmentally destructive practices. The resolution reflects growing global awareness that technological advancement must be accompanied by accountability and ecological responsibility.

Although UNEA resolutions are not legally binding, they play a critical role in shaping international consensus. Many landmark environmental agreements, including those targeting plastic pollution and wildlife trafficking, first emerged from UNEA deliberations.

The current session continues this legacy, framed by high-level dialogues exploring the essential connection between environmental sustainability, global finance, industrial development and human health. These discussions take place amid heightened geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, yet leaders remain confident that Nairobi’s long-standing role as a hub of environmental diplomacy will help foster meaningful progress.

UNEA-7 marks more than a decade since the assembly’s creation in 2014, a milestone that transformed global environmental cooperation by giving every UN Member State an equal seat at the table. Over the years, UNEA has grown into a powerful platform for negotiating policy responses to emerging threats and setting the environmental agenda for the international community. This year, the assembly is also expected to approve UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2026–2029, which will guide global environmental action in the years immediately ahead.

More than 4,800 participants have registered for the session, which is being held at the United Nations Office in Nairobi—the only UN headquarters in the Global South. Alongside formal negotiations, attendees will explore exhibitions, side events and presentations led by multilateral environmental agreements and global research bodies.

UNEA-7 will also see the launch of the seventh Global Environment Outlook, a flagship assessment of the planet’s health, and the announcement of the 2025 Champions of the Earth Award, the UN’s highest environmental honour. A celebratory gala will recognise breakthrough initiatives that are restoring ecosystems and driving environmental innovation.

For audiences beyond Nairobi, all official sessions will be streamed online in the six UN languages, with real-time coverage available through UNEA’s live blog and UNEP’s social media platforms. The accessibility reflects UNEA’s broader mission: to keep global citizens informed and engaged as nations collaborate on solutions to shared environmental challenges.

At its core, UNEA-7 represents both urgency and hope. Despite escalating global instability and the mounting pressures on the natural world, the gathering demonstrates the international community’s continued commitment to environmental diplomacy. As leaders seek pragmatic, science-based solutions, the decisions made in Nairobi this week could shape the trajectory of environmental action for years to come.

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Nations Confront a Planet in Crisis at Nairobi Summit