NAIROBI, December 7, 2025 — At the conclusion of the Open-Ended Committee of the Permanent Representatives meeting ahead of the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), the Center for International Environmental Law is expressing concern over the direction of negotiations. The OECPR takes place the week before the Assembly and is the body that negotiates draft resolutions and decisions, and sends recommendations to UNEA for formal adoption. 

Giulia Carlini, Senior Attorney and Environmental Health Program Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law, issued the following statement:  

“Last week’s OECPR meeting showed that certain Member States are too willing to engage in the same kinds of tactics we have seen in other recent environmental negotiations to prevent progress. This is compounded by the growing trend of limiting the meaningful participation of CSOs and rights holders. We remain concerned about these attempts to undermine multilateralism, roll back progress, and prevent action on climate and environmental matters that science and justice demand.  

“The Assembly will begin on Monday, providing an opportunity for a restart. At UNEA-7, Member States have the opportunity to make essential progress on items that span from minerals to chemicals and waste, as well as ensuring that UNEP remains operational and funded in the years to come. Member States must recall their commitments to existing environmental governance and principles, including equity, as well as existing legal obligations, and act upon them to effectively solve the triple planetary crisis.” 

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Media contact: 

Cate Bonacini, [email protected], +1-510-520-9109 (WhatsApp and Signal)