Biodiversity on planet Earth is under threat, largely due to human activity.
Biodiversity is one of the key prerequisites for sustaining life on Earth. Its conservation is critically important for the survival of all living organisms and the functioning of vital life processes.
According to the global assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), around 1 million species are at risk of extinction. WWF in 2024 published the Living Planet Index https://livingplanet.panda.org/en-GB/, based on monitoring 5,570 species and 41,884 populations, showing that between 1970–2020, wildlife populations declined on average by 73%, as “Biodiversity Conservation Goals of the Republic of Armenia and the 2026–2030 Action Plan,” approved by Order No. 100-L of the RA Minister of Environment states.
As part of the Caucasus region, Armenia is recognized as one of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots, characterized by rich yet threatened biodiversity.
According to the above-mentioned document, the main threats to biodiversity loss in Armenia are as follows:
- mining and other heavy industries, large infrastructure development
- hydropower
- agriculture and the food industry
- deforestation
- recreation and tourism, household waste and pollution
- overexploitation of biological resources
- invasive species
- military actions
- forest fires
- diseases and pests affecting ecosystems
- climate change
According to the document, Armenia’s Red Book of Plants (2010) includes about 452 species of vascular plants (11.89% of the flora) and 40 species of fungi (about 1% of the mycobiota). The Red Book of Animals includes 155 invertebrate and 153 vertebrate species.
In 2022, the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, aiming to take urgent and effective actions to halt biodiversity loss.
Countries that are parties to the Convention have committed, under Target 3 of the framework, to ensure the effective conservation of at least 30% of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems globally by 2030. Each country is also expected to ensure the protection of 30% of its own territory.
Armenia has set a national target to ensure the effective conservation of 20% of its terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems by 2030. To achieve this, the country plans to expand its network of specially protected nature areas to cover 20% of its territory. Currently, these areas account for 13.1%. Another measure envisages the establishment of at least one biosphere reserve, which will be proposed for recognition under UNESCO’s “Man and the Biosphere” Programme.
Reminder: in 2025, the draft Government decision published on the unified platform for legal acts (www.e-draft.am) on approving “National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of the Republic of Armenia for 2025–2030” envisaged 30% territorial conservation. To achieve that target, it was planned to increase specially protected areas to 16.6% and ensure protection of at least 13.3% of the territory through other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), as well as to establish a biosphere reserve.
To be continued
April 18, 2026 at 13:01