Armenia plans to revise its candidate Emerald Network sites. “The revision of the Emerald Network is not an exercise in mapping for its own sake. It should ensure scientifically substantiated, manageable, and publicly trusted territorial protection of protected species and habitats,” said Alik Badalyan, Chief Specialist of Department of Specially Protected Nature Areas and Biodiversity Policy of Environment Ministry, during the workshop entitled “Civil Society Agenda at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity”
In 1989, the Contracting Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) initiated the establishment of the Emerald Network, a unique mechanism for nature conservation in Europe. The Emerald Network is an ecological network composed of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs). These are sites of vital importance with the potential to maintain and restore species and natural habitats in a favourable conservation status. As a Party to the Bern Convention, Armenia has submitted candidate sites for adoption by the Standing Committee in order to become part of the Emerald Network. In 2016, Armenia proposed 23 candidate Emerald Network sites covering 1,033,719.5 hectares, or 34.7% of the country's territory. The revision of these sites has been underway for several years.
Candidate Emerald Network sites are regarded as an important instrument for implementing Targets 3, 28, 29, and 30 of Armenia's 2026-2030 National Biodiversity Action Plan, as Alik Badalyan, Chief Specialist of Department of Specially Protected Nature Areas and Biodiversity Policy of Environment Ministry, stated during the workshop entitled “Civil Society Agenda at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity”. The workshop was organized by EcoLur Informational NGO in cooperation with the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
The international Emerald Network operates under the Bern Convention. It is an ecological network composed of Areas of Special Conservation Interest.
To become part of the Emerald Network, Armenia submitted candidate sites for adoption by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention.
In 2016, Armenia proposed 23 candidate Emerald Network sites, covering 1,033,719.5 hectares, or 34.8% of the country's territory. However, the revision of these sites has been ongoing for several years.
Within the framework of the European Union for Environment (EU4Environment) Programme, the World Bank prepared the report “Recommendations for the Review of Candidate Emerald Sites in Armenia,” which proposes 30 candidate sites instead of 23, with a total area of 707,739.22 hectares, representing 23.8% of Armenia's territory.
“The revision of the Emerald Network sites should be viewed as a process of improving the quality of biodiversity conservation rather than serving any particular interest or position. In the context of COP17, it is also an opportunity to demonstrate that Armenia links its international commitments with practical domestic reforms.
The revision should ensure scientifically substantiated, manageable, and publicly trusted territorial protection of protected species and habitats. The main idea is to consider Emerald Network sites as a tool for territorial conservation and participatory governance. The figures are important, but the ultimate goal is the quality of the sites and the effectiveness of their protection. The proposed revision should not be regarded as a final state decision; rather, it is a basis for discussion, refinement, and the reconciliation of stakeholders' positions. It should be built not only on cartographic overlaps but also on an integrated assessment of species, habitats, legal protection regimes, and stakeholders' views,” Alik Badalyan noted.
He presented the relationship between the Emerald Network and Armenia's 2026–2030 national biodiversity targets, noting that Target 3 provides the foundation for territorial conservation, while Targets 28–30 constitute its social and governance framework.
Alik Badalyan stated that the establishment of Emerald Network sites will make it possible to clearly define the territorial requirements for the conservation of protected species and habitats, while identifying areas of limited conservation significance or sections that present management challenges.
In line with the 2026-2030 Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan, the following activities are envisaged:
- scientific review of candidate Emerald Network sites, including clarification of target species, habitats, and sufficiency indicators;
- refinement of GIS data and site boundaries, verification of spatial overlaps, and habitat mapping;
- public consultations with NGOs, local communities, and scientific institutions, followed by the consolidation of recommendations;
- strengthening legal and management links between Specially Protected Nature Areas (SPNAs), Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), management plans, and conservation regimes;
- monitoring through periodic assessments of the status of species and habitats.
“The revision process can move forward only through dialogue and evidence-based positions. The proposed approach is to begin with areas where there are relatively few disagreements and then proceed to more complex issues through separate, well-substantiated discussions. The process should be understandable and acceptable not only to experts but also to society as a whole. This means not only informing the public but also listening, providing reasoned responses, and incorporating local knowledge and civil society expertise wherever possible,” Alik Badalyan said.
He emphasized that the Emerald Network could become a key pillar of Armenia's 2030 biodiversity agenda if it develops on the basis of:
- scientifically substantiated and updated data;
- alignment with national legal and governance instruments;
- transparent and inclusive procedures that foster public trust.
Alik Badalyan also noted that Armenian legislation does not currently establish specific legal regimes for Emerald Network sites, but that following the completion of the revision process, the intention is to develop management plans for these areas.
“Effective conservation is impossible without management plans. Once the revised boundaries and clear zoning are in place, management plans will be developed,” he noted.
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.
July 24, 2026 at 12:16