UNEA-7 Cities and Regions Summit

Opening Session                                       

Time: 09:30-10:45 EAT (Nairobi Time)                                    

Cities and Regions Summit Opening: Advancing sustainable solutions through local action

This session will set the context and objectives of the Cities and Regions Summit and its agenda. Connecting to the theme of the UNEA-7, it will highlight how cities and regions play a crucial role in implementing sustainable solutions and tackling environmental issues through coordinated and holistic strategies. It will take stock of the outcomes of several milestone events taking place in 2025, including the UN-Habitat Assembly, the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) and the UNFCCC COP 30, and lay to other key ongoing global processes, such as the review of the newly submitted Nationally Determined Contributions and the forthcoming IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

It will also be an opportunity to introduce some of the key elements at the agenda of the UNEA-7, including UNEP’s 2026-2029 Medium Term Strategy and resolutions under negotiations that are particularly relevant to local and regional governments.

09:30 EAT - Opening and welcome addresses

• Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
• H.E. Mr. Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, President of UNEA-7 and President of the Environment Authority, Sultanate of Oman
• H.E. Hon. Sakaja Arthur Johnson, Governor of Nairobi City County, Kenya

10:00 EAT - Group Picture

10:15 EAT - High-level interventions on the role of local and regional governments in advancing solutions for a resilient planet

• H.E. Mr. Sultan Hajiyev, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Embassy of Azerbaijan in Kenya
• Mr. Beyrouk Mohamed Lemine Beyrouk, Vice President of the Nouakchott Region, Mauritania
• Ms. Meritxell Budó, Mayor of La Garriga and President of the Catalan Association of Municipalities, Spain 

10:45 EAT - Coffee Break

Thematic Session 1                           

Time: 11:15-13:00 EAT (Nairobi Time)                            

Environmental Governance: Empowering Local and Regional Governments to Achieve the Goals of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements

The first session will highlight the crucial role of Local and Regional Governments in advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet and achieving the goals of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). This session will also highlight how effective multi-level governance mechanisms and adequate frameworks can spur local implementation of integrated solutions that create synergies between climate, biodiversity, and pollution and deliver multiple benefits. The Generation Restoration project in Iloilo City, Philippines, illustrates this synergistic potential: the restoration of a 3-hectare park and a vast mangrove forest is sequestrating over 60 tons of CO2 annually, while restoring the ecosystems and shielding residents from swells and surges with nature-based solutions.

Master of Ceremonies: Ms. Mirey Atallah, Chief, Adaptation and Resilience Branch, Climate Change Division, UN Environment Programme

11:15 EAT - Keynote presentation on the participation and contribution of Local and Regional Governments in key MEAs

• Mr. David Dodman, General Director, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies

11:35 EAT - Panel discussion on the barriers and enablers for synergistic local action to achieve the MEA goals

4 high-level panelists representing different levels of government highlighting concrete examples of their contributions to the MEA processes and/or how they facilitate local and regional governments’ participation in MEA process at the international or local level.

• Mr. Pedro Mariano Martins Pontes, General Coordinator for Bilateral / Plurilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil
• Mr. Balakhsher Qazi, Mayor of Turbat, Pakistan
• Ms. Meghan Hertel, Deputy Secretary, Biodiversity & Habitat, California Natural Resources Agency
• Ms. Rebekah Shirley, Deputy Director for Africa, World Resources Institute

12:20 EAT - Interventions from the floor by cities and regions

• Mr. Archie Klaas, Mayor, Overstrand, South Africa
• Mr. Ali Nizar, Mayor of Addu City, Maldives
• Mr. Benoit Herzbrun, Deputy General Delegate / Environment, City of Paris, France
• Mr. Joaquín Alberto Buitrago Romero, Director, Barranquilla Verde (District Environmental Authority), Colombia
• Mr. Guillem Gibert Rubio, European Environmental Economics and Policy Student, Children and Youth Major Group

12:50 EAT - Wrap-up and closing of the session

• Mr. Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy, ICLEI World Secretariat, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

13:00 EAT - Lunch

Lunch Roundtable lunch buffet on the Turkana Terrace in the Events and Wellness Centre. 

Urban Action Corner: exchange with experts from UNEP and partner organisations on urban sustainability issues

Thematic Session 2                               

Time: 14:30-16:45 EAT (Nairobi Time)                         

Overcoming the Financial Barriers: Unlocking Finance for Synergistic Local Action

The second session will examine how to unlock finance for integrated local solutions, ensuring resources reach where they create the greatest impact. Building on ongoing processes, such as the work of the Local2030 Coalition on Financing, SDSN Global Commission on Urban SDG Finance, Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance, and the 4th Financing for Development Conference, it will showcase practical instruments such as green bonds, blended finance, guarantees, and pooled funds, alongside enabling conditions like governance frameworks, capacity-building, and partnerships that de-risk investments. The discussion aims to surface actionable ideas for scaling finance through collaboration with development banks, private sector actors, and city networks to accelerate synergistic local action and transformative change.

Master of Ceremonies: Mr. Hongpeng Lei, Chief, Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Division, UN Environment Programme

14:30 EAT- Keynote presentation

• Ms. Émilie Maehara, Deputy Director, Sustainable Finance Observatory

14:50 EAT - Panel discussion on unlocking finance for synergistic local action

5 high-level panelists representing different levels of government as well as Multilateral Development Banks and the private sector, highlighting concrete mechanisms that unlock financing for local action.

• Ms. Patricia Baariu, Assistant Director, Department of Urban Governance, Management and Resilience, State Department for Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Republic of Kenya
• Ms. Voahary Rakotovelomanantsoa, Expert in WASH and Regional Development / Former Governor of Anôsy, Madagascar
• Mr. Silvio Barros, Mayor of Maringá, Brazil
• Mr. Julius Kamau, Group Acting Sustainability Director, Equity Group Holdings
• Mr. Anthony Okoth, African Regional Director, C40 Cities

15:45 EAT - Interventions from the floor by cities, regions and financial institutions

• Mr. Jacquis Gabriel Kemleu, Mayor of Dschang, Cameroon
• Mr. Ross Palmer, Associate Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Middle East and Africa, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• Mr. Guoli Gao, Director General, China Center for Urban Development, National Development and Reform Commission of China

16:15 EAT - Wrap-up and closing of the session

• Prof. Eugenie Birch, Nussdorf Professor and co-Director, Penn Institute for Urban Research, University of Pennsylvania

16:25 EAT - Coffee break

Cities and Regions Summit Wrap-Up: Linking Summit Outcomes to UNEA-7 and the Global Sustainability Agenda                                       

Time: 16:45-18:00 EAT (Nairobi Time)                                   

Cities and Regions Summit Closing

The closing session will summarize key messages and embed the discussion in the broader framework of the UNEA-7 theme, focusing on how to successfully and effectively catalyze  local and regional governments’ synergistic action to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate, biodiversity loss and pollution. In addition, it will make the connections to upcoming processes and initiatives, including the Innovate4Cities Conference, the 2026 conference of the parties (UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD), the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum, and the forthcoming IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

Master of Ceremonies: Mr. Rafael Peralta, Regional Director, Regional Office for North America, UNEP

16:45 EAT - Mapping strategic engagement opportunities for Cities and Regions - a panel discussion

4 high-level speakers

• H.E. Mr. Mirko Giulietti, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya
• Mr. Rafael Tuts, Director, Global Solutions Division, UN-HABITAT; and Co-Chair of the Local2030 Coalition
• Mr. Jordi Llopart, Senior Advisor to the Administrator, UNDP
• Ms. Kamelia Kemileva, Co-Director, Global Cities Hub

17:25 EAT - Closing interventions by the Local Authorities Major Groups co-chairs and presentation of the outcome document

• Mr. Carlos Mascarell, Head of Regional Affairs, UCLG, and Co-chair of the Local Authorities Major Group
• Mr. Magash Naidoo, Head of Circular Development, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, and Co-chair of the Local Authorities Major Group

17:40 EAT - Closing remarks

• Mr. Ali Nizar, Mayor of Addu City, Maldives
• Mr. Martin Krause, Director, Climate Change Division, UNEP

List of participants:

Cities and Regions Summit Opening: Advancing sustainable solutions through local action

· Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme

· H.E. Mr. Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri, President of UNEA-7 and President of the Environment Authority, Sultanate of Oman

· H.E. Hon. Sakaja Arthur Johnson, Governor of Nairobi City County, Kenya

· Mr. André Corrêa do Lago, President of COP30; Vice-Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil

· Mr. Jean Lemire, Envoy for Climate Change, Northern and Arctic Affairs, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie (MRIF), Quebec, Canada

· Ms. Chilando Nakalima Chitangala, Mayor, Lusaka City Council, Zambia

Thematic Session 1 - Environmental Governance: Empowering Local and Regional Governments to Achieve the Goals of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)

· Mr. David Dodman, General Director, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies

· Mr. Archie Klaas, Mayor, Overstrand, South Africa

· Ms. Meghan Hertel, Deputy Secretary, Biodiversity & Habitat, California Natural Resources Agency

· Ms. Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director for Africa, World Resources Institute (WRI)

· Mr. Balakhsher Qazi, Mayor of Turbat, Pakistan

· Mr. Ali Nizar, Mayor of Addu City, Maldives

· Mr. Benoit Herzbrun, Deputy General Delegate / Environment, City of Paris, France

· Mr. Yunus Arikan, Head of Global Policy and Advocacy, ICLEI World Secretariat, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

Thematic Session 2 - Overcoming the Financial Barriers: Unlocking Finance for Synergistic Local Action

· Ms. Émilie Maehara, Deputy Director, Sustainable Finance Observatory

· Ms. Voahary Rakotovelomanantsoa, Governor of the Anosy Region, Madagascar

· Mr. Silvio Barros, Mayor of Maringá, Brazil

· Mr. Anthony Okoth, African Regional Director, C40 Cities

· Mr. Jacquis Gabriel Kemleu, Mayor of Dschang, Cameroon

· Ms. Basani Ndindani, Director of Environmental Policy, Planning & Coordination (EPPC), Department of Environment, Gauteng Provincial Government, South Africa

· Mr. Ross Palmer, Associate Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Middle East and Africa, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

· Mr. Guoli Gao, Director General, China Center for Urban Development, National Development and Reform Commission of China

· Prof. Eugenie Birch, Nussdorf Professor and co-Director, Penn Institute for Urban Research, University of Pennsylvania

Cities and Regions Summit Wrap-Up: Linking summit outcomes to UNEA-7 and the global sustainability agenda

· H.E Mr. Sultan Hajiyev, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Embassy of Azerbaijan in Kenya

· H.E. Mr. Mirko Giulietti, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya

· Mr. Rafael Tuts, Director, Global Solutions Division, UN-HABITAT; and Co-Chair of the Local2030 Coalition

· Ms. Kamelia Kemileva, Co-Director, Global Cities Hub

· Mr. Beyrouk Mohamed Lemine Beyrouk, Vice President of the Nouakchott Region, Mauritania

· Mr. Carlos Mascarell, Head of Regional Affairs, UCLG, and Co-chair of the Local Authorities Major Group

· Mr. Jacob Mafume, Mayor, Harare City Council, Zimbabwe

· Mr. Magash Naidoo, Head of Circular Development, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, and Co-chair of the Local Authorities Major Group

· Mr. Martin Krause, Director, Climate Change Division, UNEP

Main summary & highlights of the UNEA-7 Cities and Regions Summit:

• Summary Report

Learn more by exploring the session recordings and accompanying presentations:

• Livestream recording
• MEA Session Keynote_David Dodman
• Finance Session Keynote_Emilie Maehara
• Closing Remarks_Mirko Giulietti
• Miro Board
• Photos from the Summit

If you have any questions or would like more information about the Summit, please contact unep-citiesandbuildings@un.org.