UN environment assembly opens in Kenya with call to safeguard planetary health

The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) opened on Monday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, amid calls for a lasting solution to mounting threats facing the planet.

Hailing from over 170 countries, nearly 6,000 delegates are attending the five-day conference under the theme "Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet." Attendees include environment officials and representatives from multilateral agencies, academia, industry, and civil society.

As the world's highest-level decision-making body on matters related to the environment, UNEA has been held since 2014 with universal membership of all 193 UN member states.

During this year's edition, delegates will discuss 15 draft resolutions and three draft decisions calling for enhanced protection of glaciers, sustainable production of metals and minerals, and reducing the ecological footprint of Artificial Intelligence.

Sustainable management of transboundary freshwater resources, a shift to circularity, migratory species, ocean governance, and climate justice are among the topics set for discussions.

UNEA-7 President Abdullah Bin Ali Al-Amri said the forum will give impetus to the global green agenda, guided by science and the spirit of consensus.

Strengthening multilateral environmental agreements, promoting inclusivity and cooperation, will occupy center stage at the assembly to help chart resilient pathways for the planet and its inhabitants, Abdullah said.

In her opening remarks, Inger Andersen, executive director of United Nations Environment Programme, emphasized the urgent need for global cooperation in tackling escalating environmental challenges. She urged all parties to deliver sustainable solutions for a resilient planet. She also called on countries and organizations to maintain a long-term perspective, build consensus, and collaborate to safeguard the future of the planet.

During a thematic side event on the green energy held on the same day, guests engaged in in-depth discussions on the topic, "Promote New-Type Electrification Centered on Clean Energy: Seeking Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Resilient Planet."

They emphasized the importance of leveraging the global energy internet as a pivotal platform to support countries in meeting their emission reduction commitments and protecting the ecological environment.

According to Thomas Opande, Africa Energy Lead at WWF-International, many countries in the Global South will be looking toward Chinese leadership as these efforts advance.

"We know that China is the biggest producer of renewable energy, solar panels and other renewable energy effects. And as Africa, we rely on our brothers and sisters in China together with our brothers and sisters everywhere to improve access, to improve finance for renewable energy and for technology transfers," said Opande, speaking on the sidelines of the event.

UN environment assembly opens in Kenya with call to safeguard planetary health

Highlighting the "Future Energy" as a key direction for China's strategic emerging industries, the country's nuclear energy development, guided by its three-step strategy, has seen major strides in the past year, said a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

In a recent press briefing, Xin Feng, also deputy general manager of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), updated the media on the progresses China has achieved under the strategy.

"China's three-step strategy for nuclear energy development -- from the thermal reactor to the fast reactor and the fusion reactor -- was formulated in 1983 as a medium- and long-term plan. For the thermal reactor, over the past year, our 2.0 version of the Hualong One technology has been approved. This is a unified and fully self-owned intellectual property based third-generation nuclear power technology solution. And the Linglong One small modular reactor also successfully completed its cold-state functional test last year and is expected to be put into commercial operation this year," he said.

For the second and third steps, Chinese researchers and engineers have achieved milestones in the past year with the government support, Xin noted.

"Then for the fast reactor, last year, a closed-cycle system for an integral fast reactor successfully achieved preliminary standard design. We will continue to solve its engineering technology challenges. As for the fusion reactor, in 2025, with national support, we established the China Fusion Energy Company in Shanghai. And our Huanliu-3, a platform for conducting research and development of fusion technology, made a big stride, with an iron temperature in it achieving 117 million Celsius and an electron temperature reaching 160 million Celsius. We will continue to adhere to the development strategy and focus on technological research and engineering technology development," Xin said.

The fourth session of the 14th NPC and the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC kicked off in Beijing on March 5 and March 4, respectively.

The "two sessions" -- which refer to the annual meetings of China's supreme organ of state power, the National People's Congress (NPC), and its top political advisory body, the National Committee of the CPPCC -- are a key event on the country's political calendar and offer a window into the country's development direction.

China's nuclear energy development makes great strides with three-step strategy: CPPCC member