On February 25, a workshop was held at the United Nations Office within the framework of “Development of a Multi-Year Work Plan and Budget for BES-Net Armenia” project. The objective was to discuss and validate the goals and intervention areas of the project being developed by the United Nations Development Programme Armenia office, which will subsequently be submitted for financial support to BES-Net.
BES-Net (Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network) aims to strengthen the capacities of policymakers and promote structured collaboration between scientists and practitioners in biodiversity conservation. The initiative is jointly implemented by UNDP, UNEP-WCMC, and UNESCO. The representatives of RA Ministry of Environment, scientific institutions, international organizations, and civil society participated in the workshop.
In his opening remarks, UNDP representative Hovhannes Ghazaryan stated:
“This project aims to translate the scientific assessments and studies conducted by the intergovernmental science-policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services into practical solutions at both national and local levels.”
According to Hovhannes Ghazaryan, the two-year program is launching at a critical period ahead of COP17, serving as a resource for preparatory activities and for providing support during the process. He emphasized that this project offers Armenia an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment and contribution to global biodiversity conservation processes.
Three main directions have been identified and prioritized by Environment Ministry:
1. Valuation of ecosystem services;
2. Development of science-based foundations and methodologies for ecosystem assessment and payment determination;
3. Piloting ecosystem service payments in a selected area.
National consultant of the project, Areg Karapetyan, noted that the key focus is the assessment of ecosystem services and the development of potential monetization pathways, which are to be piloted and integrated into local-level policies. The project’s overarching objective is to improve the frameworks for biophysical and monetary valuation of ecosystem services.
Based on this objective, three main results have been formulated:
· Harmonization of ecosystem service assessment methodologies with Armenia’s local characteristics and needs;
· Establishment of institutional coordination and dialogue on ecosystem service assessment through the launch of a multi-stakeholder national biodiversity and ecosystem services platform;
· Pilot testing of biophysical assessment and monetization approaches for ecosystem services.
Karapetyan emphasized that Armenia currently has limited experience in ecosystem service valuation. The second result is considered an important step toward launching a national platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services, either through creating a new structure or reorganizing existing platforms.
“The third result concerns pilot testing, which will allow the application of selected methodologies under specific field conditions, and the integration of obtained results into relevant policy documents,” he stated.
Deputy President of EcoLur Informational NGO Victoria Burnazyan welcomed the initiative and inquired whether Armenia currently has legal regulations specifically addressing ecosystem services.
Karapetyan responded that there is no standalone regulation on ecosystem services in Armenia. Relevant provisions exist in certain legislative acts, including the draft Law on Specially Protected Nature Areas, but there is no unified and clearly defined legal framework. The project, he noted, provides an opportunity to initiate relevant legislative proposals, and the establishment of a national platform would contribute to clarifying ecosystem services regulation in Armenia.
Hakob Matevosyan, Chief Specialist of Department of Specially Protected Nature Areas and Biodiversity Policy of RA Ministry of Environment and National Focal Point for the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, added that although no separate legal or sub-legal act regulates ecosystem services provision in Armenia, certain provisions are included in sectoral laws such as “On Fauna,” “On Flora,” and “On Specially Protected Nature Areas.” However, these do not provide comprehensive and systematic regulation.
“One of the key objectives of the program is to form a methodological and conceptual basis upon which a new, comprehensive legislative framework can be developed, or existing legal acts can be harmonized accordingly,” Matevosyan stated.
Victoria Burnazyan emphasized the need for legislative regulation, noting that the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure has recently introduced a legislative initiative aimed at simplifying land allocation procedures for soil management. According to the draft, the community must grant consent not only for the activity but also for the allocation of the respective land plots at the first public hearing stage. After the full package of permits is prepared, the land category must be changed and transferred to the subsoil user within two months.
She pointed out that the draft provides exceptions only for forest lands and specially protected nature areas, while other biodiversity-rich territories could still be included in soil management processes. According to her, this creates risks both for biodiversity conservation and for the practical application of ecosystem services, potentially contradicting the objective of the National Biodiversity Strategy to protect biodiversity-rich areas outside protected zones.
Karapetyan acknowledged the importance of the issue, noting that it stems from the first national target of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which envisages the legal protection of valuable ecosystems located outside specially protected areas.
Workshop participants delivered remarks and proposals, emphasizing that the issue is complex and multi-layered. Even in developed countries, the practical application and institutionalization of ecosystem services remain in stages of development and refinement.
It was considered essential to focus on improving the effectiveness of forest management and specially protected nature area management, combining available data, utilizing local expertise, accurately identifying measurable ecosystem services, and incorporating international best practices.
March 05, 2026 at 13:27