From 8–12 December 2025, governments will gather in Nairobi for the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNEA-7 resolutions that matter most for animals
UNEA-7 represents a pivotal moment for animal welfare in environmental sustainability. The World Federation for Animals (WFA) and its members will be there to ensure animal welfare is recognised as essential in three major resolutions addressing antimicrobial resistance, environmental crimes, and circular economy transitions.
1. Resolution on the Environmental Dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
What does it seek to achieve?
Proposed by Kenya with UK co-sponsorship, this resolution addresses a stark reality: over the next 25 years, someone will die every three minutes from treatable conditions because antibiotics have stopped working. The resolution calls for surveillance systems to monitor antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment. It aims to reduce antimicrobial use in food and farming systems by 2030. It also strengthens manufacturing standards to prevent pharmaceutical waste discharge.
Why is it important for animals?
AMR is a One Health emergency that affects people, animals, plants, and the environment. Routine surgeries could become life-threatening again without proper action. By improving animal welfare in farming systems, we can significantly reduce the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials that drive resistance. Better housing, reduced overcrowding, improved hygiene, and minimised stress all help animals stay healthier without relying on antibiotics.
WFA action
WFA has worked closely with the Government of Kenya to develop this critical resolution. This resolution gives the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the environmental community the mandate to act on one of the most pressing health threats of our time.
2. Resolution on Crimes that Affect the Environment
What does it seek to achieve?
Proposed by Kenya and Peru, this resolution tackles the far-reaching consequences of environmental crimes on ecosystems. It aims to strengthen national and international responses to environmental crimes. The resolution will establish a joint UNEP-United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) programme for sustained cooperation. It will also provide technical assistance to environmental governance authorities.
Why is it important for animals?
Environmental crimes destroy habitats and devastate the animals that depend on them. They also harm communities whose livelihoods are intertwined with animal well-being. From illegal wildlife trade to crimes that disrupt ecosystems during conflict, animals are both direct victims and indicators of environmental stability. When animals suffer, so do the people who depend on them for food security, income, and cultural identity.
WFA action
Our member Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys is advocating for the illegal donkey-skin trade to be formally recognised as an environmental crime and supporting regional cooperation to strengthen monitoring and enforcement. Each year, more than six million donkeys are slaughtered for their skins to produce ejiao. Research warns that Africa could lose half its donkey population by 2040 if the trade continues unchecked. The trade drives significant environmental harms: carcasses dumped in rivers contaminate soil and water, unregulated slaughter creates unmanaged waste streams, and informal animal movements increase disease-transmission risks.
3. Resolution on the Transition to a Circular Economy
What does it seek to achieve?
Proposed by the Republic of Korea and Zambia, this resolution focuses on establishing a sectoral needs assessment framework for transitioning to circular economies. The resolution recognises that circular economies contribute to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, water scarcity, and pollution. It calls for developing a policy and technology framework for member states to assess their needs and identify priority sectors.
Why is it important for animals?
Circular economy principles offer a pathway to transform food systems away from resource-intensive industrial animal agriculture. By reducing waste, improving resource efficiency, and prioritising sustainable production methods, circular approaches can address the environmental footprint of food systems whilst improving animal welfare. Nitrogen management, a key component of circular economy discussions, is directly linked to intensive animal agriculture and its environmental impacts.
WFA action
Our member Compassion in World Farming is working to ensure that food systems transformation is meaningfully reflected across UNEA-7 discussions. This includes advocating for outcomes that fully recognise the interconnection among human, animal, and environmental health. We are calling for resolutions and UNEP programmes that prioritise food systems which nourish people directly, reduce reliance on intensive animal production, and support agroecological transitions. These shifts are essential to advancing environmental resilience and achieving sustainable development within planetary boundaries.
Join WFA at our reception on animal welfare and sustainable development
Join WFA, the Government of Cameroon, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and New York University’s Center for Environmental and Animal Protection (CEAP) at an evening reception on 5 December 2025 at the Tribe Hotel in Nairobi.
The event will bring together policymakers, civil society, researchers, and practitioners to reinvigorate the conversation on the nexus between animal welfare and sustainable development. We will also share insights from their latest report, “Integrating Animal Health and Welfare in Sustainable Development: The 2030 Agenda and Beyond”.
Follow WFA on social media for live updates from Nairobi!
