Standfirst: Governments are being urged to turn biodiversity promises into measurable action as countries prepare for COP17 in Yerevan. The UN biodiversity summit will assess progress towards the 2030 nature targets, including the goal of protecting 30% of land and oceans.
The COP17 biodiversity summit in Yerevan, Armenia, is being presented as a crucial test of international cooperation on nature protection. Nearly 200 countries agreed a global biodiversity framework in 2022, but a draft United Nations review indicates that implementation remains too slow to meet its 23 targets by 2030.
The talks will examine progress on habitat protection, pollution reduction, threatened species and biodiversity finance. Governments are also expected to face pressure over subsidies and other incentives that support activities damaging ecosystems.
COP17 will assess whether the 2030 nature targets remain achievable
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework established 23 targets designed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by the end of this decade. One of its best-known objectives is the “30×30” goal: conserving at least 30% of the world’s land and inland waters and 30% of the global ocean by 2030.
However, available national commitments do not yet match that ambition. An analysis by Campaign for Nature indicated that existing pledges, if fully implemented, would cover about 27% of land and inland waters by 2030. Commitments for the oceans would reach only around 12%.
That gap does not necessarily mean the target is impossible, but it shows that governments would need to increase both the scale and pace of conservation measures. The summit will be the first major opportunity for countries to collectively review progress since the biodiversity framework was adopted.
Key areas under discussion
- Protection and restoration of land, rivers, coastal areas and oceans.
- Measures to reduce pollution and protect threatened species.
- Reform of subsidies and incentives that encourage environmental damage.
- Greater mobilisation of public and private finance for biodiversity.
- Improved national reporting and implementation of biodiversity plans.
Finance is expected to be one of the most difficult issues
Funding is likely to dominate negotiations in Yerevan, particularly the financial support available to developing countries. Governments have committed to mobilising $200 billion (€179 billion) annually for biodiversity by 2030 from public and private sources, including $30 billion (€27 billion) a year in international finance for developing countries.
The source report says countries remain behind schedule in reaching those objectives. Wealthier governments are being asked to close the funding gap while dealing with domestic budget pressures and competing priorities.
Attention is also expected to focus on the Cali Fund, a UN initiative launched in February 2025 to channel corporate contributions towards conservation in developing countries. The fund was intended to raise $1 billion (€894 million) annually, but it had attracted only $6,000 (€5,363) at the time of reporting.
UN biodiversity officials have said the fund could still become significant, although corporate participation has been slower than expected. Its performance is likely to be closely examined during the summit.
Governments face calls to reform environmentally harmful subsidies
Another major obstacle is the continued use of incentives that encourage practices harmful to nature. The biodiversity framework includes an objective to reduce nature-damaging incentives by $500 billion (€447 billion) each year by 2030.
Progress on subsidy reform has been limited, particularly in politically sensitive sectors such as agriculture and fossil fuel production. UN figures cited in the report suggest that around $30 continues to flow into activities that degrade nature for every dollar invested in protecting or restoring it.
More than 130 businesses and financial institutions, including Nestlé and H&M Group, have called for governments to reform incentives. They pointed to an estimated $2.6 trillion (€2.3 trillion) in annual public spending that supports practices depleting soils, water and ecosystems.
Reforming subsidies can be politically challenging because it may affect farmers, energy producers, consumers and regional economies. Negotiators will therefore need to consider not only environmental outcomes but also how changes are financed and introduced fairly.
What happens at the Yerevan summit?
A leaders’ meeting is expected on 16 October, with around 10 heads of state or government due to attend. Formal negotiations are scheduled to begin on 19 October.
The leaders’ session is intended to give political direction to negotiators. Conservation groups are calling for governments to agree specific measures rather than simply repeat existing commitments. The summit also takes place shortly before the annual climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye, placing biodiversity policy within a wider debate about environmental cooperation.
The United States is not participating in the negotiations because it is not a party to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Its absence is likely to remain part of the broader diplomatic context, although the formal decisions at COP17 will concern parties to the convention.
Why COP17 matters beyond conservation groups
Biodiversity policy affects food systems, water security, climate resilience, public health and economic stability. Healthy ecosystems support pollination, soil quality, fisheries and flood protection, while their degradation can increase risks for communities and businesses.
For European countries, the negotiations may also influence national conservation planning, development finance, agricultural policy and corporate reporting. The European Union is a party to the global biodiversity process, meaning EU institutions and member states will have an interest in how targets are implemented and financed.
For Ireland, the discussions may be relevant to farming, marine protection, peatlands, forestry and the use of public incentives. COP17 itself will not automatically change Irish law, but international commitments can shape future EU policy and national biodiversity measures.
The central test is implementation
The Yerevan meeting will not be judged only by the wording of its final decisions. Its significance will depend on whether countries strengthen national plans, commit credible funding and begin changing policies that continue to damage ecosystems.
Officials say the 2030 goals remain achievable, but only with major changes in approach. Conservation organisations are seeking clear milestones and accountability so that progress can be measured before the next review.
COP17 is therefore a test of whether governments can move from broad biodiversity promises to funded, enforceable and practical action. The most important outcome will be a credible course correction that brings the world closer to its 2030 nature-protection targets.
