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The outcomes of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, COP17, have been reviewed in a report by the international specialist reporting team Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).
The report examines the role of Armenia’s presidency and the agreements reached in Yerevan, as well as the challenges and next steps in biodiversity conservation.
The key points of Earth Negotiations Bulletin’s final report on COP17, according to the accompanying document, are:
1.Armenia’s presidency and its role in securing agreement on difficult issues. The report emphasises that informal discussions and the skilful leadership of COP17 President and Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan made it possible to reach agreement on several contentious issues. Decisions were adopted on 31 October following negotiations that continued through the night.
2. The first global review and the “Yerevan Pathway”. Collective progress in implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was assessed. Priorities were set for accelerating action towards 2030: strengthening national commitments, expanding financing, improving monitoring and involving the whole of society.
3. The main concern: the gap between commitments and action. Despite growing political will and participation, the report finds that the targets will not be met by 2030 at the current pace. Reducing business impacts, sustainable consumption, capacity-building and technology transfer are lagging particularly far behind.
4. A compromise on biodiversity financing. Agreement was reached on the criteria for the financial mechanism and an approach to voluntarily broadening the range of contributing countries. The final structure of a permanent financial mechanism remains unresolved, with work set to continue until COP19.
5. Reforming incentives and subsidies harmful to nature. Particular attention was paid to Target 18: reducing harmful incentives by at least US$500 billion annually and expanding positive incentives. The report presents the “Friends of Target 18” initiative and the Yerevan Biodiversity Finance Challenge as initiatives that help turn pledges into practical action.
6. Progress on digital sequence information on genetic resources (DSI). A working group was established to further develop the multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism, including the Cali Fund. It was clarified that only monetary contributions matching the specified indicative rates — 1% of profits or 0.1% of revenue — qualify for a fund certificate.
7. Strengthening the participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Rules of procedure were adopted for the subsidiary body on Article 8(j) of the Convention. Community representatives retained the ability to nominate candidates through their own procedures: one co-chair is nominated by the parties, and the other by representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Some organisational matters were left for consideration at COP18.
8. Discussions on several issues will continue. Time constraints meant that some draft decisions were not adopted and were deferred to the next conference. These included issues concerning cooperation with other conventions and a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism under the Nagoya Protocol.
9. COP18 to be held in Ecuador. Ecuador was selected by secret ballot to host the next conference, which is scheduled to take place in Quito in the final quarter of 2028.
10. Special recognition for Armenia’s communications work. The report comments positively on the host country’s social media campaign built around the Yerevan blue butterfly, describing it as a powerful visual approach that highlights the vital role of even the smallest species in maintaining ecological balance.