Coffee at UNEA-7: More than a Drink

Coffee at UNEA-7: More than a Drink

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), held from 8–12 December 2025 in Nairobi, convenes the world to deliberate on the future of environmental governance under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet.”

Brewing Change: Barista Mtaani at UNEA-7

Instead of being a typical refreshment point, the Barista Mtaani “Espresso on the Move” cart becomes a living classroom, a storytelling hub, and a site where climate education flows as freely as the espresso.

At UNEA-7, every cup prepared by the young baristas is meant to:

• Highlight the story of the Kenyan coffee farmer — their struggle, resilience, and adaptation to climate impacts such as erratic rainfall, pests, and declining yields.
• Showcase climate-smart practices and why sustainable coffee matters for both livelihoods and biodiversity.
• Amplify youth empowerment by demonstrating how barista skills and specialty coffee knowledge create green jobs and uplift communities.
• Connect delegates to Kenya’s agricultural heritage, reminding them that climate negotiations affect real people whose lives depend on climate-sensitive crops like coffee.

This is coffee not as a commodity, but as a bridge between grassroots stories and global climate policy.

Why Coffee Matters at a Global Environmental Assembly

1. It grounds global policy in everyday reality

While UNEA-7 focuses on high-level frameworks, Barista Mtaani gives delegates a tangible experience: the taste, aroma, and human story behind a crop that millions rely on. It transforms policy conversations into lived experiences.

2. It showcases youth-led green entrepreneurship

Graduates of Kenya Coffee School are not only baristas — they are ambassadors of climate resilience, educators, innovators, and culture bearers. Their presence symbolizes how equipping youth with practical skills can become a powerful climate solution.

3. It aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the green growth agenda

The initiative reflects national goals of economic inclusion, innovation, and sustainability. It elevates Kenyan specialty coffee as a flagship example of value addition done right.

4. It brings global attention to coffee’s vulnerability

Climate change threatens to reduce suitable land for coffee by up to 50% in some regions. By presenting coffee at UNEA-7, Barista Mtaani makes this vulnerability visible — and urges the world to act.

A Symbol of Hope and Agency

At UNEA-7, the Barista Mtaani coffee cart stands as an unexpected but powerful environmental ambassador.

It tells a story of:

• Kenyan youth shaping the green economy
• Farmers adapting to a changing climate
• The power of skills development in transforming livelihoods
• The cultural and ecological significance of coffee

And most importantly, it reminds the world that meaningful climate action is brewed not only in meeting rooms — but also in the hands of the young people serving each cup.

At UNEA-7, coffee becomes a conversation, a catalyst, and a commitment to a more resilient planet.