The EESC at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity - COP17

As in previous years, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will actively participate in COP17 to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which will take place from 19 to 30 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia.

Under the theme “Taking Action for Nature”, COP17 will be the second biodiversity COP since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the first one to include a Global Review of the Framework implementation. This will mark an important milestone in assessing global progress and actions towards the achievement of the GBF biodiversity targets.

The Global Review will analyse National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and assess whether progress is on track on the implementation of the GBF biodiversity targets or whether additional efforts are required to meet the 2030 targets. Although the first Global Review is not legally binding on Parties, it will play a crucial role in evaluating global efforts and identifying areas where further action is needed.

The EESC's delegation and key messages

At COP17, the EESC will be represented by one Member and the EESC Youth Delegate to the COP. As part of the EU delegation, they will participate in bilateral meetings, side events and policy discussions, promoting stronger synergies between the CBD and UNFCCC processes, the phasing out of environmentally harmful subsidies to mobilise additional financial resources, and a stronger role for organised civil society, and young people, in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

In particular this year, the EESC has prepared a contribution to the first GBF Global Review in which highlights the crucial role of organised civil society in the effective implementation and monitoring of the GBF framework, calls for stronger accountability and inclusive governance, as well as greater policy coherence to ensure that biodiversity objectives are integrated and pursued across all relevant sectors.

More generally, the messages that the EESC will convey at COP17 will build on its recent opinions Roadmap towards Nature credits and Healthy planet for healthy people: towards a comprehensive ‘One Health’ approach. 

COP17 - What to expect? 

At COP17, Parties to the Convention are expected to present their national reports and demonstrate progress in aligning and implementing their NBSAPs with the GBF biodiversity targets.

Discussions at COP17 will also focus on resource mobilisation and innovative financing mechanisms to support the implementation of the GBF, in particular the operationalisation of the benefit-sharing mechanism for digital sequence information on genetic resources, including the Cali Fund, with a view to supporting biodiversity conservation and local communities worldwide.

COP17 will also further advance the monitoring, reporting and review mechanisms under the GBF. In addition, Parties are expected to consider the possible establishment of a governance framework for biodiversity credits, including safeguards related to environmental integrity, human rights and equitable benefit-sharing.

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