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I send warm wishes to Nairobi, a city that embodies the promise of our shared future, and the home of environmental multilateralism.

I also wish to express my deep gratitude to the Government of Kenya for its hospitality and leadership at this pivotal moment.

Now is the time for nations to come together and turn promises into action – to strengthen our planet’s resilience and deliver prosperity for all. 

Though I am unable to join you in person at UNEA-7, I stand firmly with you in spirit and purpose. 

We must act with urgency to safeguard the health of our planet and the wellbeing of our fellow people, as agreed in the Pact for the Future.

We must also seize this opportunity to advance collective environmental action which is at the heart of our 2030 Agenda. 

There will never be a better time than now to invest in a stable climate, thriving ecosystems, and resilient lands – or in sustainable development that delivers for all. 

We’ll need to draw on valuable lessons, protect what works, and champion innovations that scale. 

And we’ll need to ensure that multilateralism is more than just words – that it delivers tangible results for people and planet. 

Coming so soon after the conclusion of COP30, we must carry forward the momentum generated in Belém – demonstrating that when countries, civil society, and youth come together, real progress is possible: from protecting forests, to increasing climate finance, to advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and women.

Despite some notable progress, efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals are significantly off track – with dangerous consequences for our well-being, our economies, and our planet.

The evidence on climate is all around us: 

In UNEP’s latest Emissions Gap Report, which warns that we will overshoot the 1.5 degree red line within the next decade – meaning we must act boldly to bring global temperatures back down as quickly as possible. 

In the Adaptation Gap Report, which finds that developing countries will need up to 365 billion US dollars annually by 2035 for adaptation – meaning the big CO2 emitters must quickly step up their support.

And in the droughts, disasters and other calamities that keep growing in frequency, scale, and severity. 

Twenty to 40 per cent of the world’s land has been degraded, affecting over three billion people.

One million species are at risk of extinction.

And nine million people a year die prematurely due to pollution. 

We cannot afford for our long‑term investments in prosperity and stability to remain disconnected from our green agenda. 

Meeting our sustainable development commitments – including those on climate – is still within reach.

But it requires a reformed green agenda that is financially viable, socially equitable, and politically relevant. 

As your discussions unfold this week, I urge you to commit to bold and transformative action for a healthy planet, healthy people, and healthy economies.

Thank you.