Nations chart ‘Yerevan Pathway’ to speed up action for nature
Parties adopted nearly 50 decisions, covering areas including protected areas and forests, wildlife management, invasive alien species, marine and coastal biodiversity, and synthetic biology
Parties adopted nearly 50 decisions, covering areas including protected areas and forests, wildlife management, invasive alien species, marine and coastal biodiversity, and synthetic biology
Parties adopted nearly 50 decisions, covering areas including protected areas and forests, wildlife management, invasive alien species, marine and coastal biodiversity, and synthetic biology
• The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was held in Yerevan, Armenia from October 19 to 30.
• It was held in conjunction with the 12th meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP-12) and the sixth meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (NP-MOP-6).
What is the Yerevan Pathway?
• One major outcome of COP17 was the Yerevan Pathway, a negotiated response to the outcome of the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF.
• The Yerevan Pathway sets out a shared response to those findings, identifying priorities for action through 2030 and areas where progress will need to be accelerated.
• These include tackling nature-harmful subsidies and incentives, increasing financial, scientific and technical support for developing countries, aligning national budgets and economic decisions with the
KMGBF, and strengthening implementation, monitoring, reporting and review mechanisms.
• The pathway calls on countries to tackle subsidies that harm nature and to increase financial, scientific and technical support for developing countries.
• It also calls for national budgets and economic decisions to be aligned with the framework, and for stronger monitoring and reporting.
Other key outcomes of COP17:
• Parties adopted nearly 50 decisions, covering areas including protected areas and forests, wildlife management, invasive alien species, marine and coastal biodiversity, and synthetic biology.
• Parties also agreed on the rules of operation for the new permanent subsidiary body on Article 8(j), officially named the ‘Sevan Guidelines’. These set the rules of operation for a new permanent body strengthening the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in shaping global biodiversity policy.
• Nearly $2 billion in new biodiversity funding was announced. This included $560 million under the Global Environment Facility’s latest replenishment and $500 million through the Species Recovery Alliance.
• Another $330 million is going to the Value Nature Fund, which aims to mobilise private capital for nature.
• Other initiatives included a new biodiversity bond and investment incubator launched by the Asian Development Bank, and new indicators to improve biodiversity monitoring and accountability.
• With four years remaining to achieve the world’s 23 biodiversity targets, attention now turns to implementing the decisions and commitments made in Yerevan.
• The Yerevan Pathway will help guide national efforts through 2030 with progress to be assessed through changes in policies, delivery of resources and measurable improvements for nature and people.
• The next Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP18) will be held in Ecuador with two years remaining to achieve the world’s biodiversity targets.