World Environment Day 2026 calls for stronger climate action under “#NowForNature” campaign
By Ghada Eltaher
UN Resident Coordinator in Kuwait
H.E. Dr. Matar Hamed Al-Neyadi
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the State of Kuwait
H.E. Assan Sougoue
Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to the State of Kuwait
The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025 ranks escalating environmental degradation — caused by biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, with climate change among the most prominent threats facing the world over the coming decade.
By 2030, more than one million species are expected to face extinction, and climate-related disasters are likely to impact the livelihoods of millions of people. These are not distant future warnings; they are present-day realities that demand urgent, collective action.
Our environment is an inseparable part of security, prosperity, and peace. Natural ecosystems — including forests, wetlands, and coastal habitats — are the lifelines upon which entire communities depend. Protecting and restoring them is therefore indispensable to safeguarding public health, economic stability, and societal resilience.
As the world celebrates World Environment Day on June 5, this year’s theme, “Climate Action,” reminds us that environmental challenges weigh most heavily on the most vulnerable: smallholder farmers, pastoralists, indigenous communities, and women, who depend directly on fertile land for food, water, and survival.
When ecosystems deteriorate or collapse — particularly during periods of climate stress and conflict — the burden on these communities multiplies.
The UN World Environment Day 2026 campaign, under the slogan “#NowForNature – Every Action is a Message,” calls on governments, cities, businesses, and individuals everywhere to act, affirming that healthy ecosystems remain a fundamental pillar for achieving food and water security, carbon sequestration, community protection, and enhanced climate resilience and sustainable development for all.
Furthermore, recent regional conflicts and events in the Strait of Hormuz have confirmed beyond any doubt that the duty to protect freedom of navigation, supply chains, maritime infrastructure, and the physical infrastructure of all waterways across the globe is a shared international responsibility among all member states of the United Nations.
The Sustainable Development Report 2025 indicates that overall global progress toward SDG 15 — which concerns the protection, restoration, and promotion of sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems — and SDG 13 on climate action, remains clearly below the required level.
This is critically important, as a resilient natural environment is a fundamental pillar for progress across the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, encompassing health outcomes, food security, economic development, and peace.
Recognizing the pressing need to accelerate progress, the international community will convene at the UN Water Conference 2026, to be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Senegal from December 8 to 10, 2026. This partnership reflects the global nature of the environmental challenge and the unity of our world under a shared commitment to advancing sustainable environmental stewardship and international solidarity.
The Conference aims to mobilize political commitment, strengthen international cooperation, and stimulate investment and innovation to accelerate progress toward SDG 6, building a water-secure future for all.
Through six main thematic tracks — Water for People, Water for Prosperity, Water for the Planet, Water for Cooperation, Water in Multilateral Processes, and Investments in Water — the Conference will bring together governments, the UN system, financial institutions, academia, civil society, and the private sector to develop practical and scalable solutions to the global water crisis.
In the months leading up to these global milestones, dialogues on our shared environment and water security will also be held in Kuwait. The UN system, in collaboration with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates and the Embassy of Senegal, and in partnership with the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, will organize a symposium on the UN Water Conference on October 7, 2026.
This event will bring together ambassadors, government representatives, academics, development partners, civil society, and innovation leaders to deliberate on themes of water resilience, innovation, financing, and international cooperation.
As we mark World Environment Day this year and look ahead to the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on June 17, we recognize that water lies at the heart of ensuring a healthy planet — one inseparable from ensuring human resilience and dignity.
The road to the UN Water Conference 2026 and beyond presents an opportunity to renew our collective commitment to mobilizing knowledge, partnerships, and solidarity in order to protect the natural systems and waters upon which all life depends.
For when our environment and water are secure, communities grow stronger, societies become more resilient, and the horizons of peace and prosperity expand — for everyone.
