World leaders gather in Armenia for biodiversity conference

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 08:20 · Archive

Nearly 200 countries are meeting in Yerevan at COP17 to agree a plan to halt nature destruction as progress on 2030 targets stalls.

Nearly 200 countries have gathered in Yerevan, Armenia, for COP17, the international biodiversity conference. The meeting aims to rescue a historic deal to end destruction of nature, with targets set for 2030 described as woefully off track. Delegates need to agree on a plan to accelerate progress despite tight national budgets and leaders distracted by conflict, protests and the global energy crisis.

Armenia's selection as host has raised questions about its environmental credentials. Al Jazeera reports that Armenia ranks 75th out of 177 countries in Yale University's 2026 Environmental Performance Index, with particularly poor performance on waste management (164th) and wastewater treatment (165th). The country's economy relies significantly on mining, with major operations at Zangezur, Agarak and Teghut using open-pit methods that generate large quantities of waste. The World Bank has identified mining as a significant source of environmental pollution in Armenia.

The conference comes as a Persian leopard, one of Armenia's rarest and most endangered animals, was spotted in the country's southern-central region just before the summit began. Persian leopards, also known as Caucasian leopards, were once widespread across western and central Asia but their range has shrunk dramatically.

How it is being reported

• COP17 puts Armenia’s environmental record in the spotlightAs Yerevan hosts the global biodiversity summit, concerns over mining and environmental protection deserve scrutiny.Al Jazeera · 24 Oct, 07:52
• At Cop17, the pressure is on to rescue a deal that could end the destruction of natureAs world leaders struggle to meet deadlines to halt nature loss set four years ago, a rare leopard in host country Armenia offers a symbol of what is at stake Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up here The Armenian capital Yerevan is chock-a-block right now with officials, scientists and environmentalists from all over the world gathering for Cop17. Everyone is here to try to rescue a historic deal to end the destruction of nature. The pressure is on. Targets set for 2030 are woefully off track , and the nearly 200 countries present need to agree on a plan to speed things…The Guardian · 23 Oct, 07:00

In this story: Armenia · Yerevan · COP17 · World Bank · Yale University · Convention on Biological Diversity

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