Yerevan summit calls for faster global action on biodiversity
A Leaders' Summit on Biodiversity was held in Yerevan on Friday, with participants calling for faster global action to protect nature and turn international commitments into concrete measures.
The summit, themed "Leaders for Nature," brought together heads of state and government and representatives of international organizations ahead of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP17, scheduled for October 19-30.
Armenian Environment Minister and COP17 President Hambardzum Matevosyan said hosting the conference gives Armenia an opportunity to strengthen its role in international environmental decision-making.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged countries to move faster and show greater commitment toward global conservation goals set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in 2022.
The first global assessment of progress under the framework was also launched in Yerevan. Guterres said progress has been made, but current efforts remain insufficient.
A major challenge is the biodiversity financing gap. According to the United Nations, the world spends around 200 billion U.S. dollars annually on biodiversity protection, while the funding shortfall is estimated at about 700 billion dollars.
The summit adopted the Yerevan Declaration, titled "Taking Action for Nature," reaffirming commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.
According to CCTV+, participants called for stronger international cooperation, increased financing and faster implementation of global biodiversity commitments.
