Youth Environment Assembly
Youth Environment
Assembly 2025
Convened by UNEP as a space for young people to share perspectives, solutions, and priorities — a contribution to the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly.
“Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet”
Nairobi & hybrid29–30 Nov & 7 Dec 2025
About the Assembly
Amplifying youth voices in environmental multilateralism
UNEA-7
Convened by UNEP
The Youth Environment Assembly was convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a space for young people to share their perspectives, solutions, and priorities as a contribution to the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7).
Aligning with the UNEA-7 theme — “Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet” — the Assembly brought together youth leaders, advocates, and policymakers from across the world to discuss and agree on a Global Youth Declaration for the Environment.
The 2025 Assembly convened in two parts: the first part took place on 29–30 November, followed by a second part on 7 December, directly before UNEA-7 (8–12 December).
Key outcome
The Global Youth Declaration
The centrepiece of YEA 2025 was the Global Youth Declaration on the Environment — a youth-led declaration articulating six transformative pathways for environmental governance, endorsed by young people across all six UNEP regions.
The Declaration was developed through a global consultative process engaging youth across regional assemblies, thematic sessions, and resolution consultations at the Assembly. It carries youth priorities directly into the UNEA-7 policy space, helping to amplify youth voices in advancing environmental multilateralism and sustainable solutions for a resilient planet.
“The voice of youth is not just about the future. It is about the present. Our inclusion in environmental decision-making is not a concession. It is a necessity.”
Six transformative pathways
Declaration pillars
Just and Equitable Climate Action
Regenerative and Circular Economies
Environmental Education and Awareness
Protection and Restoration of Biodiversity
Clean Air, Safe Water and Healthy Oceans
By the numbers
What YEA 2025 achieved
1,000+
Youth delegates
Over 1,000 young people participated across plenary sessions, parallel tracks, and resolution consultations — representing all six UNEP regions.
6
Thematic sessions
Sessions covered multilateral reform, climate finance, environment-migration nexus, children's rights, ozone protection, and UNEA-7 resolution consultations.
1
Global Youth Declaration
The Assembly produced the Global Youth Declaration on the Environment — six transformative pathways endorsed by young people across all regions.
Programme recap
Sessions at a glance
The Assembly ran a full day of plenary sessions, parallel tracks, and resolution consultations around UNEA-7.
Opening Plenary
Constituency updates on UNEA-7 achievements, post-UNEA-6 engagement, and capacity building.
Reforming the Multilateral Environmental Architecture
High-level session on challenges in today's environmental governance system.
Financing the Future
Reforming the international financial architecture for the SDGs and environmental action.
Environment-Migration Nexus
Youth perspectives on how environmental crises influence migration patterns.
Children and Youth Rights
Panel on children's rights in environmental governance and participation mechanisms.
Ozone and Climate Protection
Dialogue with the Ozone Secretariat on the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment.
Get involved in CYMG
Join the Children and Youth Major Group and participate in future assemblies, consultations, and governance processes.