On June 17, 2026, Ecolur Informational NGO, in cooperation with the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, organized Civil Society Agenda at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Workshop.
The workshop brought together representatives of the Ministry of Environment, civil society organizations, scientific and educational institutions, international organizations, local communities, and regional administrations.
During the event, Alla Aleksanyan, Senior Advisor on the Convention on Biological Diversity COP17 at WWF-Armenia, delivered a presentation entitled " The “Whole-of-Government, Whole-of-Society” Approach to the Implementation of Armenia’s Biodiversity Action Plan and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework."
She outlined the rationale for engaging civil society and non-state stakeholders within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), both in the implementation of the Convention and in the development and execution of national biodiversity strategies and action plans.
According to Alla Aleksanyan, a transition process is required to move from the broader public to the category of stakeholders, as not all citizens can be regarded as stakeholders.
"Not every member of the public can be considered a stakeholder unless they have a specific interest in, or are affected by, the processes concerned," she noted.
Aleksanyan explained that the Convention on Biological Diversity recognizes nine major stakeholder groups, established in 1992 under Agenda 21. These groups are:
- Business and industry
- Children and youth
- Indigenous Peoples and local communities
- Civil society
- The scientific and technological community
- Local authorities
- Farmers
- Women
- Workers and trade unions
Benefits and Participation Mechanisms for Civil Society under the Convention on Biological Diversity
Alla Aleksanyan presented the workshop participants with the benefits that civil society—as one of the Convention's major stakeholder groups—can gain through engagement with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). These include:
- Expanding national and international cooperation;
- Access to CBD tools, methodological guidance, and information resources;
- Increased visibility and recognition in international forums;
- Opportunities for knowledge sharing and exchange of experience;
- Opportunities to support the implementation and monitoring of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
Aleksanyan also introduced the mechanisms that enable stakeholders to participate in the implementation of the Convention.
One of the most important mechanisms is the Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM).
The Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) is a global multilateral platform that facilitates the exchange of biodiversity-related information, knowledge, and expertise through a worldwide network of professionals and institutions engaged in the implementation of the Convention.
The CBD's Clearing-House Mechanism was established pursuant to Article 18.3 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
"It is an open-access platform that is available to everyone," Alla Aleksanyan noted.
The objectives of the Clearing-House Mechanism Work Programme for 2024–2030 are as follows:
Objective 1: Promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation.
Objective 2: Facilitate the exchange of information.
Objective 3: Support planning, monitoring, reporting, and review.
Objective 4: Facilitate networking and collaboration among Parties and partners.
Additional Key Mechanisms of the Convention on Biological Diversity for Civil Society
Another important instrument is the Action Agenda (An Agenda for Action), which provides a common platform for bringing together a wide range of biodiversity-related initiatives. This process is driven primarily by civil society organizations.
Another key mechanism is the CBD Alliance, a global network of NGOs, community-based organizations, social movements, Indigenous Peoples' organizations, activists, and representatives that advocates for more effective and informed participation in the processes of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society Approach
Addressing the Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society Approach, Alla Aleksanyan noted that when the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted in 2022, this principle became one of its fundamental pillars.
Whole-of-Government Approach
The Whole-of-Government Approach ensures that biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity are not treated solely as environmental issues or the responsibility of environmental authorities. Instead, it requires all sectors of government—including agriculture, finance, energy, infrastructure, territorial administration, and urban development—to integrate biodiversity objectives and priorities into their policies, programmes, administrative decisions, and budgeting processes.
Whole-of-Society Approach
The Whole-of-Society Approach is based on the principle that biodiversity conservation and the implementation of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity are not the sole responsibility of governments. While governments establish policies and create enabling conditions, all sectors of society have an important role to play in implementation, including civil society, the private sector, the scientific and academic community, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, youth, women, and individual citizens.
Online Reporting Tool (ORT)
Alla Aleksanyan explained that, in order to ensure that the Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society processes are coordinated, transparent, manageable, and accessible to all stakeholders, the Online Reporting Tool (ORT) was established.
"It is a multifunctional platform used by both governments and non-state actors. The platform is openly accessible and serves multiple purposes. Governments use it to submit national reports, biodiversity strategies, and national targets established under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to the Convention Secretariat. Civil society, in turn, uses the platform to report its own activities and contributions to biodiversity conservation," said Alla Aleksanyan.
The system accommodates different categories of users:
- National Coordinators – government representatives;
- Authorized Users – representatives of government institutions;
- Non-state Actors – organizations reporting their biodiversity-related contributions;
- Observers – users with viewing access to the information.
Submitting Commitments through the ORT
Alla Aleksanyan also explained the procedure through which civil society organizations can submit commitments via the platform.
According to her, every commitment must be aligned with either the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework or the country's national biodiversity targets.
"If a commitment is not aligned with either the global or national targets, the system simply does not allow it to be submitted," she explained.
She added that submitting commitments contributes to greater accountability, broader stakeholder engagement, and improved assessment of global progress.
Why Submit a Commitment?
Submitting a commitment offers several important benefits:
- Promotes transparency and accountability. Commitments are made publicly available, demonstrating an organization's willingness and concrete actions to support implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
- Strengthens the Whole-of-Society and Whole-of-Government approach. Commitments are shared with national governments for review and potential cooperation, reinforcing collaboration between public authorities and civil society or the private sector.
- Contributes to measuring global progress. Information submitted through the platform will be reflected in global reports presented at COP17 and COP19.
- Provides inspiration and promotes good practice. Public commitments can encourage other organizations to take action and serve as examples for knowledge sharing and replication.
Who Can Submit Commitments?
The following stakeholders are eligible to submit commitments:
- Indigenous Peoples and local communities;
- Subnational governments, cities, and local authorities;
- Intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
- Women's organizations, youth organizations, and research institutions;
- The business and financial community.
Commitments must be submitted on behalf of an organization rather than an individual. The organization must also be accredited under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Accreditation for CBD Meetings
Alla Aleksanyan also presented the registration and accreditation procedures for participation in meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
According to her, organizations are required to submit several documents, including:
- a letter signed by the head of the organization;
- the organization's charter or statutes; and
- its certificate of state registration, accompanied by an English translation.
Once accreditation is approved, organizations become eligible to submit commitments through the Online Reporting Tool.
"Following approval, an organization may submit information on its activities through the platform in accordance with the established procedures," she said.
Questions and Discussion
During the question-and-answer session, Aram Gabrielyan, an expert from Khazer NGO, raised concerns regarding the limited role of observers in the negotiation processes of CBD Conferences of the Parties (COPs).
"Observers are excluded from the stages where the documents are actually drafted. There is no mechanism that allows them to participate. Even as observers, they cannot sit in negotiation or contact groups, and in some cases they are not even allowed into the meeting rooms. So how can meaningful participation be ensured?" he asked.
In response, Alla Aleksanyan stated that observers are able to participate in open meetings, working groups, and contact groups.
This article was prepared within the framework of “Supporting Armenia's CBD COP Presidency and Domestic Implementation” project, which is implemented by Ecolur Informational NGO in cooperation with the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
The views expressed within the framework of the project do not necessarily reflect the views of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
June 25, 2026 at 11:23