A crossroads for biodiversity: UN Resident Coordinator on Armenia’s rich and fragile ecosystems

For UN Resident Coordinator Françoise Jacob, one of the best ways to understand Armenia’s biodiversity is to get outside. Since arriving in the country in 2024, she has hiked its mountains, swum across Lake Sevan and explored its forests, discovering landscapes she says reveal an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems.

But the more Jacob has explored Armenia, the more she has also seen how fragile that natural wealth is. Water scarcity, climate change, wildfires, rapidly growing tourism and urban development are putting increasing pressure on the country’s ecosystems.

Now, as Armenia prepares to host COP17 in Yerevan, Jacob sees the conference as an opportunity to renew attention to an issue that has been part of the country’s international engagement since the early years of independence. In 1992, just six months after becoming independent, Armenia participated in the Rio Earth Summit — the first international summit it attended as an independent country — and its first international commitment was on the environment, Jacob notes.

Nearly 35 years later, Armenia is preparing to host the world’s leading biodiversity conference. Jacob says COP17 should not be viewed as an event confined to negotiation rooms. Biodiversity is closely connected to agriculture, water, health, tourism and economic development — and protecting it, she argues, is a responsibility shared by governments, businesses, communities and individuals.

Ahead of the conference, Jacob spoke with Armenpress about what makes Armenia a biodiversity crossroads, the threats she sees growing fastest, and what she hopes will remain after the international delegations leave Yerevan.

Armenpress: You arrived in Armenia in 2024. Is there any particular place in the Armenian landscape that struck you most when you came? A mountain, a view, or something else?

Françoise Jacob: It’s an interesting question. When I came, I was looking for a place to run because I need to do sport on a daily basis, and I read about this thing called the Cascade. I thought, okay, I’m going to go to the Cascade. On my third morning, I went up to the Cascade. I walked up and thought, oh my God, this is exactly 552 steps.

I arrived at the top, and of course, I turned right to go down, and I was facing Ararat! I hadn’t seen it before I arrived because I arrived in the middle of the night, and the first two days I was in the center. The first time you see it, it’s in your face. That was very impressive.

But I want to say that what I found very interesting was that the first weekend I was taken for a hike with some colleagues, and we went to Noravank. Noravank was the first time I saw the tuff, and I saw the ancient monasteries inside a natural area. That was the second thing that really struck me.

And the third one, and all this happened within the first two weeks, was that in my second week I met guys from the triathlon club, and we went swimming at Azat Reservoir, and then I went to Sevan and everywhere. What I realized is that you have a lot of contrast here between water, mountains, and the traditional and cultural aspects, the monasteries. This is what I remember from my very first two weeks here. So, not one particular site.

Armenpress: But you have been here for almost three years. Is there one particular place that you like the most in Armenia?

Françoise Jacob: It’s Lake Sevan. I like to go to the eastern shore. I hike, I bike, I swim. I’m into sports and outdoor activities. There are some races every summer in Sevan. You have a triathlon called the Savage of Sevan. I don’t do the full triathlon; I do the swimming part. And this summer, there was this extreme water race where we crossed from the peninsula to the other side. It’s a six-kilometer crossing that I did. Sevan is definitely my favorite.

There are also some nice places in the south.

I also climbed North Aragats, and I have to say, when you are at the base of Aragats, it’s really, really impressive.

Armenpress: If you had to take one foreign delegate somewhere before all these negotiations and conferences start, where would you take them and why?

Françoise Jacob: I would say Sevan because it’s very unique. It’s very big and also very high, at more than 2,000 meters. It’s not a little Alpine lake; it’s surrounded by high mountains. And you have this natural reserve there with seagulls and all these birds. If you hike around the eastern part of Sevan, you find very interesting tree species. You find a lot of biodiversity. You have so many flowers. So it’s actually both very beautiful and unique. It has multiple ecosystems.

Armenpress: As COP17 is coming to Yerevan in the coming weeks, how would you explain to someone who knows nothing about COP what to expect from the conference? What actually happens there — from negotiations and discussions to exhibitions and other events?

Françoise Jacob: In 1992, there was a big global summit called the Rio Earth Summit. One thing most Armenians don’t know is that this was the first international summit that Armenia participated in as an independent country. Six months after becoming independent, Armenia participated, and so Armenia’s first international commitment was on the environment.

Out of this summit came three conventions, three big frameworks: climate, biodiversity, and desertification. It just shows you that, already in the ’90s, we were talking about climate change. In fact, the UN started to talk about climate change in the ’60s and ’70s already. So Armenia signed and then ratified this convention, and then there was a decision at the Rio Summit that each convention would have a Conference of the Parties — a platform through which all the countries would meet on a regular basis and discuss what needs to be done globally and locally on climate, biodiversity, and desertification.

This is what we call the COP. And it’s called COP17 because this is the 17th time that it meets, and it meets every two years. So there are negotiations, and every two years there are new topics or a review of progress. This year, it takes place in Yerevan. Armenia is now the host, and it’s very significant. You have most countries around the world, including countries that are facing a lot of challenges. Delegations will come. Some delegations will be 10 people; some will be 200 people. They come and negotiate around different topics.

There is a global biodiversity framework with a number of targets, and countries are supposed to report this year on their progress on this global framework. This will be a big deal. Everyone has to show what they did. So that’s the first thing.

Then there might be other topics. For example, a big topic these days is: how do we finance action on biodiversity? Another topic for Armenia will be how to implement one of the commitments of this global framework, which we call “30 by 30.” It’s about ensuring that 30% of the world, both land and water, is protected by 2030.

Armenia has decided to take this as one of its flagship initiatives, meaning it is committed to this target, and we will explore different ways. It can be national parks, but maybe there are other ways to protect certain areas. Maybe certain areas can be protected by communities that use them, but with a very soft type of exploitation.

Another topic will be mountain ecosystems. And I think there will also be quite a lot of discussion around new technologies and biodiversity - both their potentially negative impact, but also how we can use new technologies.

For example, we tend to focus on the negative. But if you look at wildfires, until now, countries like France and Canada have had people stationed in different parts of their forests. But now we could actually use drones. You could have a network of drones constantly flying over forests and immediately detecting smoke. So that’s one way. Drones can also track wildlife movement. It’s very hard to find a Caucasian leopard, but maybe with drones — for example, a drone tracking a leopard with a GPS device - we could get much more information.

Going back to COP, there will be two big areas. One is called the Blue Zone, and the other is the Green Zone. The Blue Zone is where all the negotiations take place. The negotiations will take place over two weeks on all these different topics, and they are supposed to come up with a final declaration. Towards the end, there is a big high-level ministerial meeting, where everyone agrees or disagrees, and there has to be a compromise. It’s mostly professionals who are there - government delegations, of course, the UN, but also some big NGOs like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wildlife Fund, and many others.

There will also be a lot of side events. But for the general public, what’s interesting is that you will have the Green Zone at the Karen Demirchyan Complex, and it will be open to the public. There, you will have a lot of exhibitions.

We are really hoping that children will come, that everyone will come, just to see why this is so important. Because, actually, people don’t understand why biodiversity is important.

Armenpress: Why is protecting biodiversity not only a government responsibility, but a shared responsibility involving communities, businesses, and individuals?

Françoise Jacob: Most people in the world, including in my country, France, think that biodiversity is the Caucasian leopard. It’s the bear. It’s bees. So people think, okay, this is a beautiful forest, etc., but it’s not that important.

Now, if you think about agriculture, agriculture, by the way, is responsible for 50 percent of biodiversity loss because it uses a lot of chemical products, because forests have to be cut down, because things are burned, and so on. But agriculture is the economic sector that needs biodiversity the most, because it needs good soil, very good water, pollination from bees, and then the whole food chain with animals. It needs many things.

So that’s the first sector where we are directly impacted. And in the past few years, the loss of bees has become a very serious concern, because when you lose bees, you cannot pollinate fruit trees. Forget about the production of apricots or whatever. So the loss of bees is a terrible thing.

It’s one of the most urgent issues in the world. And there are still some specific chemical products that contribute to this loss. But there is still resistance, including among lawmakers and political representatives, to addressing this. And I just don’t understand why. I think it’s a lack of knowledge, or it’s short-term versus long-term. I don’t know, but it’s really mind-boggling for me.

The other very important link is with health. Everyone has forgotten, but COVID was the result of a problem with biodiversity, because COVID happened when viruses that are carried by wildlife jumped to humans. The same thing happens with Ebola in Africa, and it can happen because we cut down forests, because of urbanization, and so on.

Another important issue is diseases affecting animals. You have foot-and-mouth disease, for example, and avian diseases that can spread to chickens from wild birds. So biodiversity is also connected to the transmission of diseases between wildlife and domesticated animals.

Also, mining. Mining is very important for Armenia. Even if you use very good practices, mining will directly impact the quality of the water and the quality of the soil. A country always has to balance economic development and the protection of nature. But at least we have to do it. We cannot ignore it. And I think there is a greater awareness in Armenia about that.

Armenpress: What is one thing about Armenia’s biodiversity that you think Armenians themselves underestimate?

Françoise Jacob: There are two things. First, Armenians don’t know how rich the biodiversity is here. The South Caucasus, and Armenia in particular, is one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world. And you know why? Because you have all these different geological plates.

These tectonic plates created the Caucasus Mountains, but these geological plates bring with them many different kinds of elements, and that has created very diverse ecosystems.

Now we hear the word “crossroads” a lot when talking about Armenia, and it’s not just a crossroads for peace. It’s also a crossroads for biodiversity. It’s very interesting. It was a crossroads of empires, but it’s also a crossroads for biodiversity.

And the second thing, which I think many Armenians are not aware of, is how fragile this is. And there are different reasons for that. This is a country that was in conflict for 30 years. And when you are in a conflict, you cannot deal with other things. Your focus and all your resources are on the conflict.

Now there is more space. There is more fiscal space, but there is also more space in the minds of both the leadership and the people to think about something else.

Armenpress: After visiting so many places in Armenia, in your opinion, what are some of the key biodiversity challenges Armenia needs to address?

Françoise Jacob: I think one of the first or biggest challenges is water — the quality and quantity of water, and water sourcing. And it’s not just Armenia. I think the leadership is very aware of that, and so I expect there will be more action on improving the network and reducing waste, because there is a lot of water waste. Water is definitely the number one problem.

Then there is climate change, because Armenia is getting hotter. And it’s happening not only here. It means it will have an impact on a lot of the agricultural economy.

There’s another new challenge that’s coming up, which I’ve noticed: tourism is developing very quickly. And what I was saying a bit earlier is that Armenians, actually, most of us, don’t appreciate how fragile biodiversity is.

Now, what you’ve seen, even just in the last six to ten months, for example, is a boom in off-road tourism. So, all these four-wheel-drive vehicles that try to climb to the top of South Aragats, they go to Dilijan Park. I climbed Mount Khustup in the south. We hiked the whole night to get to the top for the sunrise. And by the time we arrived at the top, there were cars just below the summit. At the end of June, there were something like 20 cars. I’m being told that now you have 80 to 100 cars every weekend in the morning.

And you know, this is not good because, yes, from an economic point of view, you want to develop tourism, but you are going to destroy nature very quickly. And now, in a place that is much more accessible, which is Lake Kari, just at the base of South Aragats, you go there on the weekend and it’s a nightmare. You have cars parked everywhere. You have guys renting quads, and it’s full of junk.

The country will have to put measures in place so that its beautiful and unique nature is not destroyed, because that destroys the very asset you are benefiting from. The government has put in place this Eco Patrol, and this is a very good first step. Now the Eco Patrol needs to take action.

There are many other areas, including urban development. I think Yerevan is a very good case study because in Yerevan you have several unique features. You have these hills with beautiful views. You have gorges — the Hrazdan Gorge. It’s a very unique feature. And right now, it’s not a very nice place. There is, as you probably know, a big project to try and renovate it, involving Yerevan Municipality, the UN, and the Asian Development Bank. This is good, but it should be a wild place. All these constructions that are down there shouldn’t be there. There are cities in the world that have a gorge like this, and they turn it into this amazing natural place, where people come on the weekend. They come and bike, play, and walk.

Yerevan does need a plan that takes sustainability into consideration.

Armenpress: Is there a place in Armenia that you worry we may not be able to show our children in the same condition in 20 or 30 years? And is there a place that gives you hope?

Françoise Jacob: I don't think any of the great places will disappear. I'm really hoping Lake Sevan will still be there. But I think the biggest threat is water. Water levels may go down, and water may become more polluted. It's more the resource that could become smaller or disappear.

Another thing that may happen is more forest fires and more landslides because of climate change. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent.

When I look at my own country, France, I see how, over the past five years, new regions have been affected by forest fires. Suddenly, you have tens of thousands of hectares disappearing, and we never really talk about it. But how many animals are killed in that process?

Fire is potentially a big threat for Armenia, especially since Armenia doesn't have a lot of forest coverage - only 11 percent. There are a lot of programs to replant trees, but they are not always managed in the right way. Sometimes people tell me, “Oh, we have planted 10 million trees.” I always ask, “How many have survived?”

In terms of what will remain, there is a feature that is very interesting and also very little known, including among Armenians: you have more than 300 volcanoes. They are not active volcanoes, but they have created very specific ecosystems.

These volcanic areas have very specific biodiversity. On their slopes, you find all sorts of plants, flowers, insects, and other animals that you might not find anywhere else. They are also an amazing feature from a tourism point of view. Being able to climb a volcano is quite special.

I climbed Azhdahak. It's a hard one to climb because it's cold and steep, but it's amazing. It's red and black, there is a lake inside, and you have snow. It's a very unique ecosystem. That also needs to be protected.

Armenpress: During these two weeks in Yerevan, people from all around the world are coming to talk about the importance of protecting nature, wildlife, and biodiversity. But sometimes people say that these kinds of topics are discussed in conference rooms and stay there. When people leave those rooms, nothing really happens on the ground. So, what can we realistically expect from COP17 in Yerevan?

Françoise Jacob: There are two or three answers to this question. First, of course, you don't get an immediate impact, but countries make commitments, and Armenia, I think, is willing to commit.

Armenia, for example, has developed its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and it has also developed what is called a Nationally Determined Contribution. It's a technical term, but it's also a commitment on climate change.

Now, because Armenia has ratified this convention, it is expected to develop laws, get them approved, and then implement them. So it's a slow process.

Responsibility for the environment is not only with the Ministry of Environment. It's also the Ministry of Health. It's also Territorial Administration, because territorial administration manages infrastructure and zoning. It's the municipalities as well.

Our job with the UN is to keep advocating for the implementation of the laws and then to provide technical support to these different institutions so that they actually implement them. And to implement them, you need a budget. So we also need to work with the Ministry of Finance. Because nothing happens without money, right?

If you look at it from the institutional level, this happens even in my country, France. Laws change, but then you also have to look at the other end of the spectrum - the actions of people like you and me, and everyone else.

If people aren't aware of these issues, they're not going to think they're important. And if they don't think they're important, they're not going to ask their politicians to act. So there won't be enough pressure on politicians, MPs, or institutions to make things happen. This means we need to raise awareness.

Sometimes governments have to make decisions and impose regulations. They have to say, “This is the regulation. You cannot throw your industrial or mining waste into the water. This is forbidden, and you will get a fine.” But at the same time, you need greater awareness. And in between, there are all sorts of actions that can take place.

We can also work with the private sector. Before COP, I went to see a lot of the big industry leaders, and many of them want to do something good for their countries, besides creating jobs and things. They all ask me, “What can I do?” They can do many things. They can look at the way they produce things, reduce waste, reduce pollution, reduce energy consumption. That's one part. They can also sponsor rehabilitation programs.

Then you have academia. They have their own responsibility because they should also be the ones coming up with new solutions.

I believe very much in working with young people because they are the ones who want change. They're enthusiastic. They'll learn something at school, go back home, and tell their parents, “We have to do it this way.” What I'm saying is that it's not the responsibility of institutions alone, or of individuals alone.

Then you have civil society. Civil society can advocate, represent certain communities, and be a channel for action.

So this is really a shared responsibility. But you have to start with awareness. And I wish there were more awareness-raising activities for COP.

We've done quite a few sessions at universities, so we have quite a few students who will be involved. But I think we should do a lot more with the education sector, like schools. Kids have to be aware that their behavior toward nature, as well as their consumption habits, will have an impact.

Armenpress: Armenia will have an important responsibility not only during COP17, but for the following two years. What does this responsibility mean?

Françoise Jacob: It's two years because the next COP will be in two years, and Armenia will be responsible for helping ensure the implementation of the decisions made at this COP. So there will be more action to encourage countries to do more and to provide more financing for biodiversity, and perhaps to make further progress on this “30 by 30” target. This will be Armenia's commitment.

I think it's very good that Armenia has this presidency. What we don't want is to have a conference, have it be a success, and then have the topic disappear. Now Armenia has to commit itself because, as the presidency, you also need to lead by example.

The size of Armenia is relatively small, so you can actually make changes. There are a lot of things you can do, and most people in rural areas understand, perhaps better than you and me, the value of nature.

One of the big efforts now should be to bring nature back into cities like Yerevan. Yerevan is a difficult city because there aren't many green areas. There are quite a few parks, and some of them are very nice, but they are very small. You still hear the traffic and see the cars everywhere.

I really believe that people feel better when they have some form of natural surroundings around them.

Armenpress: Coming to the end of our interview, I want to ask you: Is it sometimes overwhelming to represent an organization from which people expect answers to questions that don't have easy answers?

Françoise Jacob: I don't feel overwhelmed by my work or by the responsibilities. I’m very lucky because I get to deal with so many different topics. Today, we’re talking about the environment, but I also have to deal with everything else.

It's extremely stimulating because I'm someone who really likes to learn. So I try to really understand everything I have to deal with.

Armenpress: If you could leave one message with every person reading this interview ahead of COP17, what would it be?

Françoise Jacob: My message would be: participate. Come for at least a day or two to the Green Zone. There are a lot of opportunities to get involved.

Ask your teachers or your rector to put more focus on these issues.

So get involved. That's my message.

And go out and hike. Don't just stay in your car and look around. A lot of biodiversity is very small, and you have to pay attention. Once you do, you discover how beautiful it is.