As the world prepares for the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), young people from across the Arab region have come together to articulate a powerful and urgent vision for environmental justice. Through the Arab Youth Environment Forum, they developed and adopted the Arab Youth Environmental Manifesto 2025, a 19-point declaration that outlines both their aspirations and demands for a sustainable, equitable future. The manifesto reflects the lived experiences of youth across diverse contexts—many of whom face the compounded crises of climate change, conflict, and social inequality.
Below is an article-style presentation of the manifesto’s 19 distinct points, each preserved in its own clarity.
1. Affirming the Right to a Healthy Environment
Arab youth collectively assert that both current and future generations have the inherent right to live in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment—an essential foundation for life and dignity.
2. Reaffirming Global Environmental Commitments
The manifesto reiterates youth support for the 2030 Agenda, global environmental conventions, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and UNEA resolutions, while emphasizing the crucial role of young people in shaping sustainable development.
3. Centering Intergenerational Equity
Youth call on governments to embed intergenerational equity into all levels of policy and governance, ensuring that present-day decisions do not compromise the well-being of future generations.
4. Standing with Communities in Crisis
The manifesto expresses deep solidarity with communities affected by occupation, conflict, displacement, and instability. It stresses that environmental protection cannot be separated from the protection of human life and dignity.
5. Youth as Active Partners in Solutions
Rather than being seen merely as advocates, youth pledge to work alongside governments, UN bodies, academia, civil society, and the private sector to deliver practical solutions to the planet’s crises.
6. Inclusion of All Youth in Governance
The manifesto urges UNEA and Member States to formally recognize the centrality of youth voices and ensure meaningful participation, especially for marginalized groups and those in conflict-affected areas.
7. Demanding Transparency and Accountability
Youth call for open access to environmental data, clear accountability systems for governments and corporations, and structured involvement of youth and civil society in monitoring environmental commitments.
8. Addressing Unequal Climate Impacts
Recognizing that the Arab region faces disproportionate climate impacts despite low historical emissions, the manifesto demands an accelerated and just transition to renewable energy, supported by climate finance, technology transfer, and regional cooperation.
9. Confronting Water Scarcity
Water scarcity is highlighted as one of the region’s most pressing challenges. Youth call for sustainable water management, regional collaboration on shared water resources, and recognition of water as a fundamental human right.
10. Tackling Pollution and Waste Crises
The manifesto addresses the region’s pollution and waste challenges, including toxic chemicals, burning waste, and plastic pollution. Youth call for robust standards, sound chemical management, and a fair global treaty to end plastic pollution.
11. Protecting Ecosystems and Biodiversity
With ecosystems under increasing pressure from deforestation, degraded land, rapid urbanization, and unsustainable farming, youth urge immediate measures to protect biodiversity and restore damaged environments.
12. Advancing Circular Economies
Youth promote a shift toward circular economies that prioritize reuse, recycling, and waste reduction. They also welcome the Mottainai Youth Declaration and commit to driving zero-waste culture in the region.
13. Strengthening Environmental Education and Green Skills
The manifesto stresses the need to integrate environmental education at all levels, expand vocational green-skills training, support environmental journalism, and ensure accessible Arabic-language materials for communities.
14. Celebrating Culture and Arts in Environmental Action
Recognizing the power of music, literature, storytelling, and visual arts, the manifesto highlights the role of Arab culture in shaping environmental values and calls for greater support to young creators.
15. Empowering Youth in Local Governance
Youth urge municipalities and local administrations to involve them in environmental initiatives, community campaigns, and participatory programs that build local-level resilience and awareness.
16. Linking Environment, Humanitarian Response, and Peacebuilding
The manifesto underscores the environmental dimensions of humanitarian crises, calling for environmentally sound reconstruction, ecosystem restoration, decontamination in conflict areas, and justice for displaced populations.
17. Expanding Youth-Led Innovation and Finance
To unlock local solutions, youth demand increased access to sustainable finance, small grants, and direct investment in youth-led innovations, especially in fragile contexts where traditional donor support is limited.
18. Strengthening Regional Solidarity and Youth Leadership
Arab youth pledge to strengthen cross-border collaboration, exchange knowledge, and support one another in leading environmental action grounded in creativity, perseverance, and courage.
19. Commitment to a Livable, Just Future for All
The manifesto closes with a powerful commitment to continue innovating, advocating, and implementing solutions that secure a fair, sustainable, and livable world for every person.
Conclusion
The Arab Youth Environmental Manifesto 2025 stands as a unified, determined, and solutions-driven declaration from a generation that refuses to be passive in the face of global and regional crises. Each of the 19 points reflects not only the urgency of environmental action but also the resilience, creativity, and leadership of Arab youth. As UNEA-7 approaches, their message is clear: youth are ready to lead—what is needed now is recognition, partnership, and decisive action from the world.