The Republic of Armenia has published its biodiversity conservation goals and targets ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17). There are 5 goals and 30 targets, aimed at ensuring biodiversity conservation and sustainable use by 2030. These goals and targets are based on the 4 goals and 23 targets set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Armenia’s biodiversity conservation goals and targets are prescribed in the decree by RA Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan No. 100-L “On Approving Biodiversity Conservation Goals and Action Plan of the Republic of Armenia for 2026–2030,” signed on April 3, 2026․
Armenia’s biodiversity conservation goals are as follows:
- preserve the genetic and species diversity of Armenia’s flora and fauna and improve the conservation status of threatened species
- restore and maintain the integrity, connectivity, and resilience of ecosystems
- ensure the sustainable use of biodiversity, and the valuation, conservation, and restoration of ecosystem services
- ensure fair and equitable sharing of monetary and non-monetary benefits derived from genetic resources and digital sequence information, with access for local communities and other stakeholders
- ensure the necessary financial, material-technical, and human resources for biodiversity conservation and implementation of the action plan
Targets (hereinafter ARM T):
- integrate critical habitats into spatial planning
- restore degraded ecosystems
- expand the network of protected areas, including through other effective conservation measures (OECMs)
- improve the management effectiveness of protected areas
- conserve globally threatened species and manage human–wildlife conflict
- develop a legal framework regulating wild species for sustainable collection, use, and trade
- establish a legal framework for preventing, managing, and controlling invasive alien species
- reduce pollution of Lake Sevan’s ecosystem and restore its ecological balance
- reduce pollution of water resources in Armenia (contributes to Global Goal A, Target 7)
- enhance the resilience of forest landscapes to climate change (contributes to Global Goal A, Target 8)
- introduce sustainable hunting practices (contributes to Global Goals A and B, Target 9)
- promote sustainable forestry and agriculture
- apply nature-based solutions
- promote green development of settlements, including cities
- ensure fair access to and use of genetic resources
- raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity conservation at local and national levels
- implement environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations
- develop public “green” procurement
- improve waste recycling rates and promote sustainable consumption choices
- reduce overconsumption of food and food waste generation
- regulate and strengthen biosafety measures and manage biotechnology and benefit-sharing
- reduce harmful impacts on biodiversity
- inventory domestic financial resources
- inventory international financial resources
- develop biodiversity research (including capacity building) and technical cooperation
- strengthen biodiversity inventory and monitoring
- promote access to, use, and exchange of biodiversity data
- encourage public participation in biodiversity research and raise environmental awareness
- involve communities in environmental governance
- ensure gender equality in biodiversity conservation
To be continued
April 17, 2026 at 19:35