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A preparatory discussion titled “Toward COP17: Global Review and the Biodiversity Financing Gap” was held at the European Parliament on the key issues on the agenda of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which will be held on October 19-30, 2026, in Yerevan. Armenia is also assuming the COP presidency.
The event was organized at the joint initiative of Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to CBD COP17 Stefan Köhler, the Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the EU, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).
The discussion at the European Parliament was attended by Special Envoy of the Armenian Presidency of COP17 Ambassador Mher Margaryan, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the European Commission, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), IUCN, as well as civil society and environmental organizations.
According to the Armenpress correspondent in Brussels, during the discussion, the speakers agreed that COP17 should become an important milestone in turning international commitments undertaken in the field of biodiversity into concrete and measurable actions. Reference was made to the first global review of progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, overcoming the biodiversity financing gap, and mobilizing the necessary financial resources.
Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to COP17 Stefan Köhler stressed that nature conservation and economic prosperity are not mutually exclusive goals. According to him, it is necessary to find solutions that will simultaneously protect nature, ensure food security and economic resilience.
He described COP17 as an important opportunity for the first global review of the implementation of the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, stressing that setting ambitious targets is not enough: appropriate financing, a scientific basis, effective monitoring and accountability are necessary. Köhler also highlighted the importance of the active involvement of farmers, foresters, fishers, local communities and other stakeholders.
Special Envoy of the Armenian Presidency of COP17 Mher Margaryan emphasized Armenia–European Union cooperation in the fields of environment, climate change and sustainable development. He noted that Armenia’s goal is to make COP17 an inclusive, transparent and action-oriented process.
According to him, key topics of the conference will include financing, resource mobilization, scientific and technical cooperation, the engagement of business and financial institutions, as well as the integration of biodiversity into economic and financial policies.
Margaryan also presented the legal summit planned ahead of COP17 and the “Yerevan Call for Action,” which should provide new political impetus to biodiversity conservation and the implementation of international commitments.
Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to COP17 César Luena noted that Europe has made progress in the field of biodiversity, but progress is still not fast enough. According to him, the main challenge now is turning existing legislation and commitments into practical results. He highlighted the need to increase biodiversity financing, ensure the effective operation of the Cali Fund, review subsidies harmful to nature, and measure actual results.
Luena also stressed the close link between biodiversity conservation and climate resilience, noting that healthy ecosystems are essential for food, water, health and the economy.
Veronika Hunt Šafránková, Head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Brussels Office, stressed the need for closer cooperation among different international processes. According to her, policies on biodiversity, climate, land and chemicals should not be implemented in isolation. In her assessment, COP17 is an opportunity to better coordinate them and make the issue of biodiversity more visible on the political and economic agenda.
Anne Theo Seinen, Team Leader for Global Biodiversity at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment, drew attention to the importance of the first global review of biodiversity progress and the new system of national reporting. According to her, the information collected provides an important basis for accountability and further action. At the same time, she noted that the main challenge remains implementation, while also preserving the possibility of achieving higher ambitions.
Seinen emphasized the importance of regional dialogue, the exchange of experience and the involvement of non-state actors, including businesses, organizations and other institutions.
Ines Verleye, National Focal Point for the Convention on Biological Diversity and technical head of the Belgian delegation to the Convention, stressed that the 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework concern almost all economic and social activities. According to her, biodiversity conservation cannot be limited only to specially protected areas. Attention must also be paid to areas where agriculture, fishing, industry and other economic activities are carried out. She described COP17 as an important opportunity to systematically integrate biodiversity into all economic and social sectors and create new political momentum for achieving the 2030 targets.
During the discussion, Andras Krolopp, Head of Biodiversity Policy in Europe at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), emphasized the role of non-governmental organizations, noting that they bring people together and promote discussions and dialogue that can lead to concrete results.
Boris Erg, Director of the European Regional Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), thanked the organizers of the event and informed participants that on October 26 IUCN will have its pavilion within the framework of COP17, inviting those present to visit it.
The statements of the participants in the discussion converged around one main message: COP17 should contribute not only to confirming new commitments, but also to accelerating the implementation of commitments already undertaken, by ensuring appropriate financing, international and cross-sectoral cooperation, a scientific basis, effective oversight and the involvement of different segments of society. As was emphasized during the discussion, biodiversity conservation can no longer be viewed solely as an environmental agenda; it is directly linked to the economy, food security, climate resilience, health and sustainable development.