David Songulashvili Delivers Remarks at the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7).

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mr. David Songulashvili, addressed the participants of the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, Kenya. 

The session will take place from 8 to 12 December 2025 at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, on the theme "Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet”.


UNEA-7 is attended by the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change from around 50 countries—including Belgium, Finland, Norway, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, Türkiye, Armenia, the United Kingdom, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, and others along with representatives of 130 countries and international organizations.
 

The UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, and the President of Kenya, Mr. William Samoei Ruto, addressed the audience.

During his remarks on the leadership panel, Mr. David Songulashvili spoke about the priorities of Georgia’s environmental policy, the progress achieved, and the significant role the country plays in global sustainable development processes.


The Minister emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the region as essential prerequisites for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He underlined that Georgia’s strategic choice remains peace as a constant responsibility and a fundamental basis for development.

Minister Songulashvili presented the participants with Georgia’s key accomplishments in environmental governance, climate action, and green development. He highlighted:


The ban on single-use plastic and expanded polystyrene (EPS) products will start in January 2026. 

The adoption of a new Water Resources Management Law is fully aligned with EU directives.

The commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

 
The Minister placed special emphasis on expanding protected areas, noting that the area of protected territories has doubled over the past decade, and that Georgia is successfully implementing its plan to ensure that at least 30% of the country’s territory is under protection by 2035.

According to Mr. Songulashvili, Georgia’s experience demonstrates that even a small country can make a meaningful contribution to global processes when sustainable policies are driven by strong political will and international partnership.

 The First Deputy Minister, Mrs. Nino Tandilashvili, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Mr. Gia Macharadze, accompanied Minister Songulashvili at the opening of the session.