The World Veterinary Environmental Alliance (WVEA) participated in the 21st Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum and the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) through its close partnership with, and accreditation granted by, the World Veterinary Association (WVA). The meetings were held in Nairobi in December 2025 under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet.” UNEA-7 reaffirmed the urgency of coordinated multilateral action to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, adopting 11 resolutions alongside a Ministerial Declaration and UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy (2026–2029). ‘Across multiple side events, discussions highlighted the growing recognition of One Health as a unifying framework linking animal welfare and sentience, environmental sustainability, human health and food security, including through issues such as invasive species, soil health, ecological connectivity and evidence-based policymaking, as supported by both WVEA and WVA.’
A particularly significant outcome for the veterinary profession was the adoption of a dedicated UNEA resolution on the environmental dimensions of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), marking an important step in integrating environment, health and development. The resolution emphasises environmental surveillance, pollution reduction and knowledge-sharing on AMR, while implicitly recognising animal welfare as a key preventive factor in reducing disease risk and antimicrobial use. Overall, UNEA-7 underscored the indispensable role of veterinarians in advancing One Health approaches, environmental governance and AMR stewardship.
The priority now is implementation: translating global commitments into national action through strong multi-sectoral partnerships and sustained veterinary engagement to protect animals, people and the planet.
