By Augustine Muema , Flavian Wanzala and Peter Thini

Climate YES delegates joined thousands of participants from across the world at the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), convened under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet.” The assembly brought together governments, civil society, youth, faith actors, Indigenous peoples, scientists, and private sector representatives to confront the interconnected planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, pollution, and unsustainable consumption. Climate YES actively participated throughout the UNEA process, beginning with preparatory meetings and continuing through the main assembly sessions, side events, and consultations, ensuring that youth and faith-based perspectives were meaningfully represented.

The UNEA-7 process was preceded by key preparatory platforms, notably the Youth Environment Assembly (YEA), which served as a pre-summit space for over 1,200 youth
delegates from around the globe. Over two days, young people engaged in strategic discussions, developed shared priorities, and drafted youth demands, action points, and a declaration aimed at influencing the UNEA negotiations. The Women Environment Assembly (WEA), held on 29 November, similarly provided a safe and empowering platform for women and girls to exchange experiences, showcase impactful initiatives, and strengthen collective advocacy ahead of UNEA-7.

Indigenous peoples and the UN Major Groups and Stakeholders also conducted consultations, developing coordinated key asks to present during the assembly. During these engagements, Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash, Chair of the Advisory Board, delivered a compelling call to action, urging greater mobilization of faith communities in environmental conservation and questioning the closure of UNEP’s Faith for Earth programme, while emphasizing the unmatched reach and influence of faith actors worldwide.

UNEA-7 officially opened with a strong and urgent message. Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, underscored that incremental and cautious approaches are no longer sufficient, calling instead for bold, integrated, and inclusive action. She emphasized that environmental challenges cannot be addressed in isolation, as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and land degradation are deeply interconnected. This message was reinforced by UNEA-7 President Abdullah Al-Amri, who reaffirmed the collective responsibility of global leaders to transform commitments into tangible outcomes that protect people, ecosystems, and planetary stability.

Throughout the five days of UNEA-7, Climate YES delegates actively engaged in plenary sessions, intergenerational dialogues, and thematic side events focusing on environmental conservation, health and well-being, advocacy, faith and interfaith engagement, and emerging technologies. Climate YES delegates contributed meaningfully to discussions and leadership spaces.

Peter Thini served as a panelist in the side event “Inner Strength and Ethical Leadership:Driving Change for a Resilient Planet,” organized by Brahma Kumaris, where he spoke on values-driven leadership, the role of faith traditions in nurturing compassion and service, and the importance of ethical leadership in responding to the intertwined crises facing humanity and nature.

Climate YES also contributed to initiatives addressing gender and youth inclusion, including participation in the Gender Gap Exhibition and Dialogue organized by UNEP’s Women’s MajorGroup and Children and Youth Major Group in collaboration with academic and research institutions. Delegates further supported science-policy engagement activities for rural high school students from Africa and Asia, highlighting the importance of early environmental education and youth empowerment in shaping long-term sustainability outcomes.

Key thematic discussions attended during UNEA-7 included sessions on community-led sustainability models from the Global South, which showcased practical innovations and locally driven solutions for resilience. Dialogues on One Health, animal welfare, and sentience emphasized the need for integrated policy approaches that recognize the interdependence of human, animal, and ecosystem health. Indigenous Peoples’ dialogues highlighted Indigenous knowledge systems as essential foundations for sustainable, community-rooted solutions, while reinforcing the importance of Indigenous rights, self-determination, and meaningful participation in environmental governance.

A significant highlight of UNEA-7 was the Faith in Action side event held at ICRAF and organized by the Laudato Si’ Movement, which brought together faith leaders, youth, and environmental champions from across Africa. The session focused on accelerating an inclusive renewable energy transition grounded in justice and integral ecology. Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash delivered a powerful message calling for prayers for UNEA negotiators, solidarity with communities most vulnerable to environmental harm, and strong advocacy to halt deep-sea mining until its impacts are fully understood. Other speakers emphasized the role of faith-based organizations, learning institutions, and churches in promoting renewable energy, divestment from fossil fuels, youth inclusion, and community resilience.

Other sessions of UNEA-7 addressed human rights, sustainable consumption, and technological innovation. Discussions reaffirmed that a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is foundational to all human rights and highlighted how children and youth are disproportionately affected by environmental harm while remaining underrepresented in decision-making. Sessions on artificial intelligence and environmental sustainability explored both opportunities and risks for the Global South, including challenges related to infrastructure, data access, job displacement, and data protection. Our delegate Flavian raised critical questions regarding data credibility, security, and inclusive methods for collecting community-based data to ensure that AI solutions support, rather than undermine, environmental justice.

On the final day, Climate YES delegates participated in sessions on land restoration and including a science-policy dialogue supporting the Great Green Wall Initiative, graced by the African Union Commission. Delegates engaged with research institutions working on soil and seed conservation across Africa, reinforcing the importance of science-based solutions and regional cooperation. Additional sessions addressed methane emissions reduction, wastewater management, chemicals and waste governance, energy transition, environmental justice, and faith-based consultations.

As UNEA-7 concluded, a clear consensus emerged that global leaders must move beyond commitments and deliver bold, concrete action, particularly in the lead-up to COP30. The assembly demonstrated growing recognition of the vital role played by youth, faith communities, Indigenous peoples, and Global South actors in addressing planetary crises. Climate YES left UNEA-7 encouraged by the increased inclusion and meaningful participation witnessed, and hopeful that future sessions will further strengthen collaboration, accountability, and action for a just and sustainable planet.