Countries must work together towards sustainable solutions for a safer and more resilient planet to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Rio+20 outcome document The Future We Want. UNEA-7 will leverage science and effective governance to guide Member States and partners to work towards this end. The theme will inspire Member States to explore and advance solutions such as coherent policies to implement environmental mandates and commitments, improve access and use of scientific data and knowledge sharing, and strengthen collaboration.  

Science is clear, and the effects of inaction to tackle the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste are already palpable in every corner of the world. We now need effective and ambitious systems in place for inclusive, systemic and action-oriented responses at all levels to slow the curve of the current paths, taking into consideration national context, capacities and priorities.  

How can UNEA improve its ability to create consensus and political momentum on environmental challenges and solutions? 

We aim to strengthen UNEA as the global leader in environmental affairs and will lead consultations to secure a Ministerial Declaration that enhances the Assembly's political mandate at its seventh session.  
 
I call on all Member States to listen to future generations, Indigenous communities, and island states to agree on effective mechanisms to access environmental support and financing faster and more easily for the most vulnerable to confront challenges.   

Finally, we must engage the private sector to play a key role in achieving common goals by raising the level of global environmental performance and supporting the transition to sustainable consumption and production systems. 

Science and environmental data will be the key drivers in finding solutions for a resilient planet.

What are Oman’s ambitions during the presidency of UNEA-7? 

My Presidency will pay special attention to the regional Forums of the Ministers of the Environment and civil society consultations organized by UNEP, which will help Member States and stakeholders prepare their  perspectives and asks from UNEA-7 in December 2025. The Presidency will also look at digital transformation and AI, and their role in advancing solutions to protect the planet. 

The Presidency also encourages Member States to submit draft resolutions which can have an impact on the ground and make available funds for their implementation.  

Furthermore, UNEA will also adopt UNEP’s new Medium-Term Strategy for 2026-2029 and the Programme of Work and Budget for 2026-2027, and will guide UNEP, Member States and partners in the monitoring and implementation of the UNEA mandates.  

Oman is regarded as an environmental leader in the Middle East? Why do you think that is?   

In 1974, two years after the Stockholm Environment Summit, the first government agency for environment preservation was established in the country, the first environmental law was issued, and the first natural reserve for mangrove trees was declared, and it remains the lung of the capital, Muscat, to this day. Since then, Oman has and continues to prioritize the environment in its development plans.   

More recently, Oman announced its national plan for zero neutrality and 2050 as the date for achieving it. We have also issued a resolution to ban the use of single-use plastic bags, and we are working hard to promote the production of renewable energy, solar and wind. 

The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) will take place on 8–12 December 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the overarching theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet." UNEA-7 will approve the Medium-Term Strategy for 2026-2029 and the Programme of Work and Budget for 2026-2027 of the United Nations Environment Programme. Visit the UNEA-7 website to learn more about the official theme and the activities of the President and Bureau.   

Oman is one of UNEP’s full-share funding partners, whose contributions to UNEP’s Environment Fund and further contributions to the UNEP Planetary Funds enable agile, innovative global solutions for climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Learn how to support UNEP to invest in people and planet.