Nearly 200 nations approved a new action plan to halt nature loss after marathon negotiations in Yerevan, Armenia, though the UN warns the world is on track to achieve only one of 24 biodiversity targets. The deal, reached in overtime on Saturday morning, seeks to correct a course that scientists say has led to a sixth mass extinction event, with species disappearing at 100 times the natural rate, BBC reported.
Yerevan delegates approve action plan despite missed targets
Delegates at the COP17 conference reached an agreement on the key components of a new nature action plan hours after the summit was scheduled to end. Meeting president Hambardzum Matevosyan declared the result “perfect” as the gavel fell on the documents, France 24 reported.
The agreement follows a 2022 landmark deal, the Global Biodiversity Framework, which committed nations to “halt and reverse” nature decline. A primary goal of that framework is the “30 by 30” target: protecting 30% of the world’s land and seas by 2030. Current progress varies by region; Mongabay reports that as of October 2026, African countries have secured 19.9% of terrestrial and 17.2% of marine areas, slightly above the global averages of 18.7% and 10% respectively.
HMEFCC Shri @byadavbjp met Mr. Hambardzum Matevosyan, President of #CBD COP17 and Minister of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, to discuss priorities for advancing global biodiversity goals.The discussions focused on the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal… pic.twitter.com/dBBNgnN9rK
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Countries have already placed 623 million acres (252m hectares) of degraded land under protection—an area larger than Greenland, according to BBC.
Funding gaps and the $170 billion private capital goal
Money remains the primary barrier to accelerating conservation. In 2022, nations pledged $30 billion for nature recovery by the end of the decade and aimed to mobilize $170 billion. However, the UN reports that many nations have redirected international aid toward defense budgets and energy shocks, leaving pledges below the required rate.
At the Yerevan summit, specific mechanisms like the Cali Fund—designed for companies profiting from genetic material to donate to conservation—have struggled. France 24 reports the fund aimed for $1 billion annually but had attracted only about $10,000 at the start of the meeting.
The European Union pushed for wealthy emerging economies, including China, to contribute to global conservation funding, a point of contention at COP17, France 24 reported.
As #COP17Armenia comes to a close in Yerevan, one message stands out.The challenge is no longer one of ambition. It is one of delivery.Whether we close that gap now comes down to choice and speed: the will to act, and how fast we do it.#Biodiversity #NatureForAll #COP17 pic.twitter.com/SqpU1jV6XS
| Funding Target/Source | Goal/Amount | Status/Source |
|---|---|---|
| Public Nature Recovery | $30 Billion | Under-paced (UN) |
| Private Mobilization | $170 Billion | Target for 2030 (BBC) |
| Cali Fund (Genetic) | $1 Billion/year | ~$10,000 raised (France 24) |
Industry subsidies and the “double payment” paradox
Pro tip:
Effective conservation often requires “reciprocal environmental agreements.” For example, the Great Apes Project in Belgium offers technical support for cacao plantations to local hunters in exchange for reduced bushmeat hunting, Mongabay reports.
Biodiversity summit process reforms
Some officials argue the current multilateral process is fractured. Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN environment programme, told The Guardian that the environmental agenda is “cluttered” with a plethora of overlapping conventions on wildlife trade, migratory species, and wetlands, which she suggests may need streamlining to avoid an “energy-sapping effect.”
At the #COP17Armenia High-Level Segment, IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar set out five calls to action to move from promise to delivery.Full statement 👉 https://t.co/63UUZJ7dtk#COP17 pic.twitter.com/cUTBXowAxf
African Development Bank Initiatives
The African Development Bank held a session on using policies and investment to deliver the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in Africa. Another session focused on “Unlocking Nature Finance in Africa,” where Amita Ramachandran of the Climate Investment Funds highlighted the need for project preparation and early-stage support.
Common Questions About the Yerevan Nature Deal
What is the “30 by 30” target?
It is a goal from the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework to put at least 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, coastal, and marine ecosystems under effective conservation and equitable management by 2030.
Why is the Cali Fund struggling?
France 24 reports it has raised only about $10,000 against a $1 billion annual goal.
Who will host the next biodiversity summit?
The COP17 summit was expected to decide whether Panama or Ecuador will host the next biodiversity summit in 2028, according to France 24.
HMEFCC Shri @byadavbjp addressed the side event, “From Policy to Practice: Advancing India's Biodiversity Commitments through Innovation, Finance, ABS and OCEMS”, at #CBD COP17, alongside Mr. Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Armenia.He… pic.twitter.com/gUf0sJlcX7
Whether the new action plan can bridge the gap between political pledges and the $700 billion annual financing gap estimated by the IUCN remains the central uncertainty for the 2030 targets.