United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17)
From 19 to 30 October 2026, the Republic of Armenia will host the Seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17), bringing together in Yerevan representatives of governments from around the world, international organizations, the scientific community, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and the private sector.
CBD COP17 will be held under the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, alongside the Twelfth 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 to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization (NP-MOP-6).
The conference will take place at a pivotal stage in the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Since the Framework was adopted in 2022, countries will, for the first time, jointly assess progress toward its 23 targets—shifting the focus from commitments to tangible results and evaluating which agreed actions have been effectively implemented.
PML’s professor Matt Frost will participate in a range of side events, roundtables and meetings throughout CBD COP17, showcasing research on marine biodiversity, emerging observation and monitoring technologies, ecosystem restoration and the science underpinning implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement. A selection of these engagements is highlighted below.
Monday 19/10/2026
- 13:00- 14:15: From Ratification to Implementation: National Experiences and Lessons Learned ton the BBNJ Agreement, Ocean Pavilion
- 1815 – 19.45: Next-Generation Marine Biodiversity Assessment: Biomolecular Approaches for Scalable, Policy-Ready Ocean Data; Tatev – Subnational Group Meeting Room – Block 2, 3rd Floor, details on the CBD COP17 website here: https://www.cbd.int/side-events/7401 and click here for the event flyer and here for the dedicated event page developed by the event lead POGO.
Thursday 22/10/2026
- 0900 – 1015: An ocean of opportunity: integrating marine carbon dioxide removal with conservation of biodiversity, Ocean Pavilion
- 14:30 – 15:45: Driving Action for Coral Reef Restoration through AI, Science-Industry Collaboration, and Global Management Solutions, Ocean Pavilion
Friday 23/10/2026
- 13:15 – 14:45: UN DOALOS and CBD side event – From commitments to action: Leveraging synergies between the BBNJ Agreement and the work under the CBD in support of their effective implementation, Komitas – Business and Industry Organizations Group room – Block 2, 3rd Floor.
About the Convention for Biological Diversity
At the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development aimed at ensuring a healthy and productive planet for future generations. One of the Summit’s landmark achievements was the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Signed by the vast majority of the world’s countries, the Convention establishes commitments to conserve the foundations of the Earth’s ecosystems while pursuing economic development. Its objectives are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. These objectives are pursued through appropriate access to genetic resources, the transfer of relevant technologies—taking into account all rights over those resources and technologies—and the provision of adequate financial resources, in accordance with the Convention’s provisions.
Find out more about the conference by clicking here and about the CBD by clicking here.
