UNEA-7 opened today. Mayor Ali Nazar from Addu City brought the voice of all local and regional authorities to all Member States – reporting back from the Cities and Regions Summit. He formulated clearly the Summit’s main takeaway: empowering cities and regions is the key to turning global environmental commitments into reality. We are very proud to cooperate with Mayor Nazar who is also an alumnus from the UN Forum of Mayors and true friend of The Global Cities Hub.
The Local Authorities Major Group called for
- institutionalization of multilevel environmental governance;
- a reform of the global financial architecture to localize environmental action;
- integration of climate, nature, environment and people through place-based action;
- advancement of a people-centred just transition.
The Global Cities Hub was pleased to collaborate with and contribute to both important interventions.
The theme this year is: “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet.” While cooling has become essential for urban adaptation. “Cities are heating up at twice the global average rate due to rapid urbanization and the urban heat island effect” a reconnu le secrétaire général des Nations unies, Antonio Guterres, dans sa Appel à l'action sur les fortes chaleurs l'année dernière.
The session “Beat the heat: Local and Regional Action for a resilient planet” explored how local actors are already delivering solutions on the ground and why they must be fully included in UNEA-led processes. Speakers called for cooling and sustainable buildings to become a recurring UNEA topic and encouraged a formal consultation mechanism for LRGs in UNEP processes.
Our event
- Showcased innovative practices and solutions already being implemented;
- Bridged the gap between national frameworks and local delivery mechanisms;
- Elevated the role of LRGs in climate adaptation through cooling/building solutions.
L'Organisation météorologique mondiale confirmée 2024 as the warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level. This follows the trend of previous years, which have all been in the top ten of the warmest. At the beginning of 2025, extreme heat already affected many parts of the world, with temperatures exceeding 45°C in cities in Brazil, India and elsewhere. Heatwaves are on the rise globally, getting hotter and longer due to climate change.
SEVENTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT ASSEMBLY (UNEA-7)
8 – 12 DECEMBER 2025, NAIROBI, KENYA
Speech on behalf of the Local Authorities Major Group :
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues,
True multilateralism is the art of partnerships and co-creation, where all stake- and rightsholders – including the Major Groups – create common solutions for common problems. We all have a legitimate role to play – and these spaces must be respected.
Friday’s Cities and Regions Summit demonstrated something unmistakable: around the world, cities, regions, and local governments are not only living the triple planetary crisis — they are also driving the solutions every day. We will hear more about the Summit from the Mayor of Addu shortly.
Allow me to share the 4 core messages that our constituency brings to UNEA-7.
First, we urge Member States to institutionalize multilevel environmental governance. Implementation is strongest when all levels of government design, deliver and monitor commitments together. As our recommendations underline, multilevel governance in all phases from design to implementation to monitoring must also be reflected in UNEA resolution clusters, including those addressing MEAs, which in order to succeed, need to include the local and regional level.
We call for stronger recognition of subnational diplomacy. Cities and regions can accelerate implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, and connect global goals with territorial realities, with sovereign systems.
Second, we call for a reform of the global financial architecture to localize environmental action. This means long-term, predictable and equitable financing; direct access for cities and regions to global funds and markets; stronger fiscal decentralization and mission-oriented funding; and de-risking tools that allow territories to invest responsibly in resilience and adaptation. No local or regional government should be left behind because of structural barriers.
Third, we must integrate climate, nature, environment and people through place-based action. Our territories show every day that environmental justice and social inclusion are inseparable.
Fouth, UNEA-7 must advance a people-centred just transition. This means placing care, gender equality and social protection at the centre of environmental policies; supporting workers — including waste pickers and community caretakers; and guaranteeing universal access to essential public services such as water, sanitation, energy, housing, mobility and digital connectivity.
Excellences,
These four priorities are not abstract commitments. They emerge from real communities, from territories that are innovating every day.
Our message is clear: UNEA-7 must be a turning point — from commitment to capability, from fragmentation to cooperation, and from pilot projects to systemic transformation.
Merci.
Speech by Mayor Ali Nazar from Addu City:
“ Bismillaahi Rahumaanirraheem.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Assalaam Alaikum. A very Good Morning to you all.
It is my honor to report back on the outcomes of the UNEA-7 Cities and Regions Summit held last Friday here in Nairobi.
In an open and constructive dialogue with Member States, representatives of local and regional governments, and experts discussed issues that affect all levels of government, including sustainable resource management, green finance, climate mitigation and adaptation. Participants agreed that a whole-of-government approach, supported by a strong multilateral and multilevel framework, is essential to address the triple planetary crisis.
Throughout the Summit, we shared challenges and solutions from the ground, showing that local leadership is one of the most powerful levers to advance global resilience. As the mayor of a city in a small island state vulnerable for any change on climate , I cannot overstate the urgency to accelerate action -the world is interconnected, and every life or dollar lost from climate impacts in any locality, ultimately impacts the world.
The Summit’s main takeaway is clear: empowering cities and regions is the key to turning global environmental commitments into reality.
Our key messages are :
First, when cities and regions take action, real progress happens. Everywhere, urban areas are integrating green spaces, restoring lands, and strengthening climate resilience. My city, Addu City in the Maldives, is demonstrating this potential through ambitious climate adaptation projects, including mangrove restoration and coastal protection measures. We have the largest protected wet land areas in the country and Addu is been declared as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with its unique nature and the need for its protection.
Second, multilevel governance is essential. Recognizing local and regional governments within international and national climate, land and biodiversity frameworks – and ensuring their participation – strengthens implementation. Rio Conventions are citing cities and regions as key actors. We also have COP30 Belém Policy Package and others, providing cities and regions with the right tools, data, and support to turn their ambitions into action.
Third, access to local finance is the key in unlocking action. Cities face a mismatch between responsibilities and fiscal space. Funding streams must be integrated – climate, land, biodiversity, resilience. Investments in green infrastructure, transport, climate-resilient urban development are not costs; they are investments in health, safety and prosperity.
Excellencies, the leaders who spoke at the Summit – from Nouakchott to Catalonia, from Yaoundé to Shanghai – are cutting emissions, improving air quality and restoring ecosystems. Their message to UNEA is simple: advancing sustainable solutions from the territories for a resilient planet begins with enabling those closest to communities.
Would like to extend my sincire appriciation for UNEA for giving this opportunity. Also conclude my speech by thanking evryone. Assalaam Alaikum. "