NAIROBI, Kenya – As the 7th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) concludes in Nairobi, Greenpeace Africa acknowledges the adoption of the Colombia–Oman resolution on minerals and metals as a crucial, albeit modest, milestone in the global fight for environmental justice.

For the first time, the assembly has formally recognised the accelerating environmental and social costs associated with the rising global demand for minerals – an issue that disproportionately impacts African nations. While the resolution stops short of binding global rules, it successfully places mineral governance on the multilateral agenda, creating a mechanism to transition away from destructive extractive models.

Koaile Monaheng, Greenpeace Africa’s Pan-African Political Strategist, said:

“The UNEA-7 resolution on minerals and metals is weaker than what frontline communities need and deserve, but it keeps the door open. Sometimes keeping the door open is the first act of resistance. This resolution gives us the political space to fight harder at UNEA-8, and we intend to use it.”

The adoption of this resolution coincides with the launch of the UN Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, signalling a shift in how the UN system approaches the energy transition. These developments suggest a growing global consensus that the green energy revolution cannot be built on the same logic of exploitation that defined the fossil fuel era.

Focus Shifts to Geneva: Maintaining Momentum on Plastics

As delegates depart Nairobi, attention now turns to the resumed Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.3) in Geneva on February 7, 2026, where a new INC Chair will be selected. The interconnectedness of these environmental crises – extraction and pollution -demands a unified front.

Hellen Dena, Pan-African Plastics Project Lead at Greenpeace Africa, added:

“We urge Member States to stay committed and maintain momentum for the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations. While some substantive discussions have taken place, there is still a huge amount of work ahead of us. As we look forward to the next round of negotiations, Member States must set their economic interests aside, bridge the gaps, and build connections during the intersessional period to deliver an effective plastic treaty.”

Greenpeace Africa commits to actively engaging in both the mineral governance dialogues and the Plastics Treaty process. Whether addressing the extraction of minerals for the energy transition or the pollution caused by the plastics life cycle, our goal remains clear: to ensure global governance centres on people and the planet, not profit.

ENDS

Contact:

Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, +254 722 505 233, [email protected] / [email protected]