The UN’s Highest Body is Meeting: How We’re Planning to Champion the Citizen Science Charter

Article written by Ram Dayal Vaishnav, (Head – Citizen Science at The Naturalist School) originally at LinkedIn.

The world is currently grappling with a triad of existential threats: the climate crisis, the rapid loss of nature and biodiversity and pervasive pollution and waste. The responsibility for forging a coordinated global response rests on the shoulders of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment.

From December 8 to 12, 2025, I will be in Nairobi, Kenya, for UNEA-7, under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet.” I am attending not just as an observer, but as a delegate for the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP), ready to advocate for the inclusion of citizen science and innovation at the core of global policy.

Our mission is simple yet revolutionary: to bring the voices, data and solutions from millions of citizens directly to the multilateral table.

The Crucial Mission: Securing the Citizen Science Charter

UNEA-7 is where the world’s environmental agenda is set, resolutions on emerging issues like responsible AI and environmental crime are debated and the foundation for major agreements (like the future plastics treaty) is laid. This is where we need to act.

My primary objective is to champion the CSGP Charter on Citizen Science, advocating for its formal adoption and integration into international environmental agreements (MEAs). This Charter is critical because it establishes standards and recognition, ensuring that robust, high-quality citizen science data is respected and utilized by governments to track progress and inform enforcement.

To make this happen, the CSGP delegation is focusing on five core objectives:

• 1. Promote the CSGP Charter: Directly engaging Member States to secure support for the Charter’s adoption.
• 2. Build Strategic Partnerships: Deepening formal ties between CSGP and UN Member States to expand the practical application of citizen science globally.
• 3. Secure Program Partnerships: Finding and securing dedicated partners to fund and scale critical global citizen science initiatives, particularly those focused on air quality and climate change mitigation.
• 4. Leverage Artificial Intelligence: Highlighting how our community is already using AI and machine learning to dramatically enhance data collection, validation and analysis, making citizen science indispensable for real-time monitoring.
• 5. Enhance Collaboration: Deepening alliances with key institutional partners like UNEP, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), UN Major Groups and the Global Covenant of Mayors for integrated climate and energy solutions.

A Voice for Asia and the Next Generation

My work in Nairobi is multi-faceted, spanning critical preparatory meetings to the main assembly itself: the Youth Environment Assembly (YEA), the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF), the OECPR (Committee of Permanent Representatives) and finally, UNEA-7.

It is vital that global solutions reflect local realities. A key part of my personal commitment is ensuring the Asian perspective is central to this dialogue. The Asia-Pacific region faces unique, acute environmental stressors – from severe air pollution and resource overuse to extreme climate vulnerability. Citizen science is arguably the most powerful tool for empowering communities across our continent to monitor, document and drive action tailored to their specific local context.

Furthermore, by engaging extensively through the YEA, I am committed to making sure the collective voice of youth – who have the greatest stake in a resilient future – is not just heard, but is strategically integrated into the formal resolutions and negotiating texts.

Action Over Observation

UNEA-7 is not just a conference; it is a critical opportunity to push for systemic change. By blending high-level policy advocacy with the irrefutable power of citizen data, we can move beyond simply acknowledging the planetary crises and begin to enact truly sustainable solutions.

My time in Nairobi will be spent translating this vision into tangible partnerships and policy mandates. I am excited to champion the Citizen Science Charter and demonstrate how the collective efforts of global citizens can deliver the resilience our planet urgently needs.

Stay tuned at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gurumukhi/ for further updates directly from Kenya about UNEA.

Read more about UNEA at https://www.unep.org/environmentassembly/unea7 and about the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP) at https://citizenscienceglobal.org/.