UN Biodiversity Summit in Armenia Concludes with New Plan to Accelerate Conservation

Conservation Goals Falling Short

A UN biodiversity summit in Yerevan, Armenia, concluded with the recognition that the world is unlikely to meet its 2030 conservation targets. Representatives from nearly 200 countries reviewed progress on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, an agreement established four years ago to protect approximately one-third of the world's land and seas by 2030.

The Yerevan Pathway Agreement

Following an overnight session, attendees agreed on a new plan called the Yerevan Pathway. This initiative aims to accelerate progress ahead of the next summit in Ecuador in two years. The pathway involves redoubling efforts to address subsidies harmful to nature, increasing financial, scientific, and technical support for developing countries, and strengthening monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

Financial Obstacles Highlighted

Steven Guilbeault, former Canadian minister of environment and climate change, stated that finance remains a significant barrier to achieving global biodiversity goals. A fund established at the previous meeting, intended for companies profiting from genetic materials to contribute voluntarily, has largely remained empty, which was described as "especially disappointing."

Guilbeault emphasized the need to mobilize more public and private finance, reform nature-harming subsidies, and ensure funding reaches countries and communities most affected by the nature crisis.