Kenyan conservationists have raised alarm over plans by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Patron of the Oceans Lewis Pugh to swim in a glacial lake beneath Mount Kenya’s Lewis Glacier, just days before he delivers a keynote address at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi.
Pugh, a veteran endurance swimmer, announced that he will attempt the swim at 4,500 meters altitude this week to draw attention to the rapid disappearance of Africa’s last glaciers.
Scientists warn that the Lewis Glacier could vanish within three to five years, ending an ice legacy that has endured for millennia.
However, the decision has drawn criticism from conservationists and environmental leaders, who are calling the move “irresponsible” and “dangerous,” warning that it risks turning one of Africa’s most fragile ecosystems into a stage for publicity stunts and could encourage risky tourism.
Pugh’s Challenge
Pugh maintains that the swim is a symbolic act to highlight the urgency of climate action.
“When water disappears, conflict follows. Protecting ice is protecting peace,” Pugh said in a pre-event statement.
Immediately after the attempt, he will address UNEA-7, which runs from 8–12 December 2025 at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi.
Paula Kahumbu, CEO of WildlifeDirect, expressed her disappointment in a public announcement, insisting that the public stunt will attract many irresponsible thrillseekers.
“Shocked and dismayed at UNEP promoting Lewis Hugh in a stunt to swim in the Lewis glacier on Mt Kenya. Couched as a climate act yet desecrating a pristine wetland on our sacred mountain that will attract many irresponsible thrillseekers.”
She further warned that swimming in delicate alpine lakes could introduce contaminants such as sunscreen and sweat, disturb sediments, and harm biodiversity in an environment where recovery is slow or nonexistent.
“Mount Kenya is already struggling, and the last thing it needs is to become the next social-media stage for ‘world-first’ challenges. Climate activism cannot come at the expense of the very ecosystems you claim to defend.”
Africa’s glaciers, found only on Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro, and the Rwenzori Mountains, feed rivers that millions depend on for drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower.
Their disappearance threatens livelihoods and could ignite resource conflicts across the Global South.
Pugh’s message to ministers from more than 150 nations will focus on three priorities:
- Rapid emissions cuts
- Funding for climate adaptation
- Financial support for vulnerable nations
UNEA-7 Summit
The Seventh Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) will open on December 8, 2025. It will run until December 12, 2025, at the United Nations Environment Programme headquarters in Nairobi under the theme “Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Resilient Planet.”
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The assembly brings together all 193 UN Member States, more than 55 environment ministers, and over 3,500 delegates, chaired by Abdullah bin Ali Al-Amri of Oman.
The objectives of the meeting include adopting 19 draft resolutions and decisions, approving UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2026–2029, and endorsing the Programme of Work and Budget for 2026–2027.
The agenda addresses climate change and adaptation, preservation of glaciers and the cryosphere, management of chemicals and waste, ethical use of artificial intelligence, biodiversity protection, including deep-sea ecosystems, circular economy strategies for minerals and metals, global wildfire response, and greater participation of youth and Indigenous communities in environmental governance.
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The High-Level Segment on 11 and 12 December will feature statements from UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, the UNEA-7 President, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and national representatives.
As UNEA-7 deliberates on resolutions to protect glaciers and accelerate climate action, the question remains whether symbolic acts like Pugh’s can coexist with conservation principles or risk undermining the very cause they seek to advance.
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