Armenia to host COP17 with a very clear call for action, says European Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera

Armenia decided to host COP17 with a very clear call for action, and international partners have reached an agreement with Armenia on the main issues to be addressed, European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition Teresa Ribera told reporters on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Summit ahead of COP17 in Yerevan.

“We know that biodiversity is at the foundation of prosperity, well-being, development, and food security, so we need to make sure that we rely on the right tools to protect or restore nature. This also means relying on resources. Taking this factor into account when financing processes that support biodiversity is extremely important. All of this was also reflected in the very clear call made by the Prime Minister of Armenia to the COP17 delegates,” Ribera said.

She said it is necessary to contribute to addressing global challenges through various means for the sake of the future. This includes, in particular, the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, which provides opportunities to cooperate with partners around the world by promoting bilateral cooperation, as well as through multilateral development instruments and the Global Environment Facility.

“This will be an important way to support regional and national programs implemented across different continents. Ensuring prosperity and development programs and modernizing infrastructure are directly linked to biodiversity and environmental protection. Therefore, consistently addressing issues such as water resource management, habitat protection, and food security, as well as preventing deforestation, is part of what we are trying to do,” the European Commission Executive Vice-President said.

She added that they often have the information needed to make the right decisions and choose infrastructure that coexists harmoniously with nature and the environment. Ribera said it is better to make the right decision at the outset, although practices sometimes emerge that are not consistent with the goals of nature protection and conservation.

“And this is precisely where we need to find ways to eliminate harmful practices and promote cleaner alternatives. The Prime Minister of Armenia gave very concrete examples, showing how important forests and trees have been for heating homes during difficult times, and how crucial forest restoration has been in sustaining people’s livelihoods, drawing on Armenia’s natural environment and mountains,” she said, referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s speech at the summit.

“This is exactly what we need to do everywhere, relying on the cleanest alternative to achieve the same goal. This is where cooperation and learning from one another can be extremely useful. Land, water, seas, and ecosystems are assets that no one wants to give up, and we strive to preserve all of them while ensuring our well-being,” Ribera concluded.

The Leaders’ Summit is expected to culminate in the adoption of the Yerevan Call for Action, a concise Political Declaration, reaffirming the central role of biodiversity as the foundation of sustainable development, peace, prosperity, and human well-being. The Declaration will express renewed political commitment to accelerating implementation of the KMGBF, strengthening international cooperation, mobilizing nature-positive finance, promoting policy coherence across sectors, and supporting the global review of progress under the Framework. It will also underscore the need for transformative action, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches and enhanced partnerships among governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, youth, women, civil society, academia, business and the financial sector.