Seven communities in Armenia will voice their environmental challenges and proposals at the UN COP17 conference
On October 21 at 14:00, an official side event entitled “Communities as Biodiversity Conservers and Sustainable Users” will take place in the Green Zone of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17).
The event is organized by EcoLur Informational NGO in cooperation with the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
Focus of Event
The voices of local communities are often overlooked in global environmental decision-making. During this session, representatives of the following settlements in Armenia will present their firsthand experience and proposals for ecosystem conservation to the international community: Sevan in Gegharkunik Region, Dilijan in Tavush Region, Jermuk and Yeghegnadzor in Vayots Dzor Region, Armash in Ararat Region, and Debet and Dsegh in Lori Region.
Urgent topics to be discussed:
· The impacts of climate change and the water resource crisis;
· Forest conservation and the socioeconomic well-being of residents;
· The impact of mining on biodiversity, tourism areas, and agricultural zones;
· The development of ecotourism and local green entrepreneurship.
Key Event
At the end of the event, the communities will adopt and publish a community statement entitled “For the Conservation, Restoration, and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity,” addressed to the Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the Parties, and international organizations.
Agenda Details
Opening remarks by Inga Zarafyan (President of EcoLur Informational NGO), Paul Wilthier Skedsmo (Senior Researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and Coordinator of “Supporting Armenia's CBD COP Presidency and Domestic Implementation” project, and Mkrtich Dallakyan (Climate Change and Environment Programme Coordinator at the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Yerevan Office).
Moderator: Victoria Burnazyan (Vice President of EcoLur Informational NGO).
We invite media representatives to actively cover this important meeting, interview representatives of the affected communities, and support the international enhancement of local voices.
Venue: Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex (Address: Building 1, Tsitsernakaberd Park, Yerevan; Green Zone, “Workshop Room 1”).
Duration: 90 minutes․
The article was prepared within the framework of “Supporting Armenia's CBD COP Presidency and Domestic Implementation” 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 those of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
October 20, 2026 at 16:26