UNEA7: Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet

CGIAR News December 11 2025

The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) will take place from 8–12 December 2025, at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi

The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) will take place from 8–12 December 2025, at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, after a week of negotiations at the seventh session of the Open-ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR) (OECPR). This year’s Assembly convenes under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet,” calling for urgent, coordinated global action to address environmental degradation, climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and pollution. 

This biennial process is particularly significant, as UNEA is the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment, setting political direction, mandating scientific work, and shaping the frameworks that guide countries and institutions in advancing sustainable land and ecosystem management. Its outcomes influence global priorities and open concrete opportunities for science–policy engagement, partnerships, and on-the-ground implementation. 

This is the first time that CGIAR is participating as an official observer in the meetings and negotiations taking place across a wide range of topics. These negotiations are not just diplomacy, they set the direction for global environmental governance and shape the enabling environment for integrated landscape solutions, restoration efforts, and climate-resilient development. 

In the lead-up to UNEA-7, the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes (MFL) Program, together with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and FAO, convened a global webinar titled “Progress, Challenges & Opportunities in Land Restoration and Sustainable Land Management.” The session brought together governments, scientists, restoration practitioners, and community leaders from across regions to reflect on the state of global restoration efforts and the pathways needed to accelerate impact on the ground. 

The discussion underscored that effective restoration is increasingly rooted in partnerships, science-based planning, and local leadership. Contributions from UN Decade Coordinator Natalia Alekseyeva highlighted how global frameworks are converging—from Ramsar COP decisions on freshwater ecosystems, to CBD’s Target 2 restoration roadmap, to the stronger collaboration emerging across UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD processes. These developments are opening new opportunities for countries to align restoration commitments with practical implementation support, capacity development, and regionally adapted solutions. The webinar also showcased real examples of progress: innovative private-sector investments in rangeland restoration, large-scale national programs such as Saudi Arabia’s work under the Riyadh Agenda, and powerful farmer-led models from Uganda demonstrating how simple, low-cost practices can transform degraded lands and livelihoods. 

See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/unea7-advancing-sustainable-solutions-resilient-planet