During the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) – the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment, delegates adopted 11 resolutions, three decisions, and a ministerial declaration. UNEA-7 “demonstrated that multilateralism, while sometimes slow, can steadily deliver, achieving tangible progress on environmental policy through strengthened cooperation across agencies.”

This is according to the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) analysis of the meeting.

The ENB summary report notes that delegates “worked tirelessly to build consensus” to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – amid the “triple political crisis” of mistrust, misinformation, and populism. They also addressed new and emerging issues such as the links between the environment – and technology, health, and the global economy.

The Assembly’s Ministerial Declaration, reflecting the theme of the conference, ‘Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet,’ commits to advance global environmental governance in a coherent and collaborative manner through:

  • Driving sustainable solutions to address the global environmental challenges and crises of our time;
  • Implementing respective obligations under multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and other internationally agreed environmental frameworks with collective resolve and commitment;
  • Advancing equity, inclusive societal participation, and accessible means of implementation in actions for the benefit of present and future generations; and
  • Promoting effective and coherent international environmental governance that adheres to international law.

Among other issues, UNEA-7 resolutions address:

  • Global actions to promote the climate resilience of coral reefs;
  • International cooperation on the environmentally sound management of minerals and metals;
  • The global response to the massive influx of Sargassum seaweed blooms;
  • Synergies, cooperation, or collaboration for national implementation of MEAs and other relevant environmental instruments;
  • The meaningful participation of youth in environmental processes and on environmental education;
  • The preservation of glaciers and the broader cryosphere, in particular in mountain regions;
  • The global management of wildfires; and
  • The sound management of chemicals and waste.

Among new areas of work for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the resolutions address the environmental sustainability of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, the environmental dimensions of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and promoting sustainable solutions through sport for a resilient planet.

Delegates did not reach consensus on resolutions addressing deep-sea ecosystems, karst ecosystems, and crimes affecting the environment.

The decisions adopted by the Assembly relate to: the Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) for the period 2026-2029 and the Programme of Work (PoW) and budget for the biennium 2026-2027; the management of trust funds and earmarked contributions; and the provisional agenda, dates, and venue of UNEA-8.

During the Assembly, UNEP launched the seventh edition of its flagship Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7). “[D]elegates were unable to agree on how best to reflect it in relevant decisions,” ENB reports, “finally agreeing not to include reference to the seminal report in the decision on the MTS.”

Preceded by the seventh session of the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR-7) from 1-5 December, UNEA-7 convened at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, from 8-12 December 2025. The first Women’s Environment Assembly, the Youth Assembly, the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum, and numerous side events also took place. [ENB Coverage of OECPR-7 and UNEA-7]