"Italy at UNEA-7 in Kenya with Deputy Minister Gava" by Carlo Coppola
La versione italiana di questo articolo di Carlo Coppola si trova su "Bariconnessa" diretto da Marina Basile al seguente indirizzo: https://www.bariconnessa.it/news/attualita/litalia-in-africa-prima-linea-anche-nelle-politiche-ambientali/3068
«Իտալիան UNEA-7-ում Քենիայում՝ փոխնախարար Գավայի հետ»: Կառլո Կոպպոլայի հոդված.
A Virtuous Model of Circular Economy Between Sustainability and International Cooperation
By Carlo Coppola
From December 8 to 12, 2025, the Kenyan capital is hosting the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), centered on the theme "Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet". The Italian delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy Security Vannia Gava, sees Ambassador Vincenzo Del Monaco as the key figure in weaving the complex diplomatic relations that characterize this multilateral meeting.
Del Monaco, a seasoned diplomat whose experience in international forums is recognized globally, will be the pivot around which the numerous working tables and strategic bilateral meetings will revolve. His ability to build bridges between institutions, the scientific community, civil society, and the private sector represents a fundamental asset for strengthening Italy's position in multilateral agreements, including in the energy and environmental sectors.
Italy presents itself with numbers that certify a virtuous model: 76.7% packaging recycling, 50.2% plastic recycling, and second place in Europe in the circularity index with a value of 65.2%. These are results that Del Monaco will put on the negotiating table as a concrete example for the international treaty on plastics.
The diplomatic agenda is packed. Alongside Deputy Minister Vannia Gava, the Ambassador will coordinate the bilateral meeting with Kenyan Deputy Minister of Energy Alex Wachira to consolidate collaboration within the framework of the Mattei Plan for Africa, with particular attention to the alternative fuels research project that will involve the Polytechnic University of Turin. This is an initiative that fits within the Belém 4X Pledge, the commitment to quadruple sustainable fuel production by 2035, and which develops in coordination with Minister of Energy and Petroleum James Opiyo Wandayi.
Also of great importance will be the meeting with Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. On the table is the 3DEN program for the digitalization of electricity networks in developing countries, with 23 million euros from Italy allocated between 2024 and 2026, and the EPIC initiative for sustainable cooling in logistics chains, with 2 million already earmarked to guarantee this fundamental right in port supply chains.
The delegation will also work to promote the new five-year MASE-UNEP initiative on sustainable infrastructure (NBS-IA), presented at COP30 and aimed at strengthening climate resilience through nature-based solutions.
The objective agreed upon by the diplomatic asset together with the political and technical staff of the Ministry of Environment, Director General Alessandro Guerri, and ISPRA, is for UNEA-7 to close with a decisive ministerial declaration that reaffirms the principles of the Rio Declaration and translates the Sustainable Development Goals into concrete actions for environmental protection.
