Armenia and Colombia present initiative to establish endangered species recovery coalition at COP17

Armenia and Colombia have initiated the establishment of the Coalition of Action to Recover Endangered Species (CARES), which aims to accelerate the conservation and recovery of endangered species and support the implementation of Target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Armenia and Colombia co-chair the coalition, while the Reverse the Red action partnership serves as its secretariat.

Presenting the initiative, Armenian Deputy Environment Minister Aram Meymaryan stressed that CARES aims to translate internationally agreed goals into practical action, reducing the risk of species extinction and supporting population recovery.

“Target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework calls for urgent action to prevent human-induced species extinction and ensure species conservation and recovery. CARES is intended to help countries achieve practical results in this area,” the deputy minister said.

He noted that habitat conservation and restoration, efforts to tackle invasive species and the reduction of climate risks are not always sufficient to conserve all endangered species.

“Each species faces its own threats and has specific recovery needs. Targeted action must therefore be based on scientific evidence and an assessment of each species’ status,” Meymaryan stressed.

He said CARES would enable countries to exchange experience, use practical species recovery methods and cooperate with an international network of experts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Species Survival Commission and its partners could provide technical support.

Discussing the initiative’s significance for Armenia, the deputy minister stressed the need for close coordination between science, public administration and practical action.

“Scientific assessments must be translated into clear programmes, and their implementation must deliver visible and measurable results. As the host country of COP17, we value cooperation that helps countries advance their national priorities. Platforms such as CARES enable us to address challenges collectively, exchange effective practices and identify support needs more clearly,” Meymaryan said.

The deputy minister also highlighted funding, noting that species recovery often requires sustained, long-term work. Joint efforts under CARES could help mobilise financial resources. Funding mechanisms to support member countries are also envisaged.

“The success of this cooperation must ultimately be measured by results in nature. Have threats been reduced? Have species’ prospects for survival improved? Are their populations recovering? Our shared goal is to ensure that species endangered today have safer conditions for survival and recovery in the wild tomorrow,” Aram Meymaryan concluded.

Asked by Armenpress about progress in revising Armenia’s Red Book and plans to involve the private sector in endangered species conservation initiatives, Meymaryan said the Red Book was currently under review.

“Discussions are under way with scientific institutions to determine how we should organise work on the new edition of the Red Book, study and analyse both previously listed and new species, assess their current status and publish the new Red Book,” Meymaryan said.

Turning to private-sector involvement, the deputy minister said cooperation was already taking place with both non-governmental organisations and business representatives.

“One example is the programme to restore Sevan trout. Private companies operating around Lake Sevan often approach us to fund the release of a certain number of trout into the lake. However, these remain separate, small-scale initiatives. I hope we will soon be able to establish larger partnerships and make this process more institutionalised,” Meymaryan stressed.

Colombian Deputy Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development David Felipe Olarte Amaya also highlighted the launch of the endangered species recovery coalition, expressing hope that commitments made within the COP framework would be translated into action as quickly as possible.

“The launch of this coalition is very important for Colombia, and we hope that the commitments already made within the COP framework will be fulfilled as soon as possible through practical action to protect endangered species. In cooperation with Armenia, Colombia plans to undertake species recovery action by sharing scientific knowledge and mobilising expertise,” the deputy minister said.

He said Colombia had significant resources in this area and was already working to restore two important species.

“Our goal is to restore viable populations capable of ensuring the reproduction of these species. Recovery is possible when scientific institutions, international partners and local communities work together. Conservation therefore means much more: protecting one species also means restoring an entire ecosystem and ensuring environmental conditions in which species can thrive and reproduce,” Olarte Amaya stressed.

The deputy minister also said the coalition had already brought together 17 countries.

“We have already brought together 17 countries within this coalition. Once again, I would like to thank the Armenian Government for its support, for hosting us in this wonderful place and for supporting the coalition’s launch,” he concluded.