Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan has announced that exports of Armenian products to EU member states have increased by 51 per cent.

In a Facebook post, Papoyan presented export statistics for January–September this year, comparing them with the same period in 2025.

Exports to EU member states totalled US$475 million in January–September last year, rising to US$717 million in the same period this year.

Papoyan provided the following breakdown by country:

Bulgaria: up 4.9-fold;

Malta: up 4.8-fold;

Austria: up 3.1-fold;

Poland: up threefold;

Estonia: up 2.8-fold;

Slovenia: up 2.7-fold;

Finland: up 2.5-fold;

Lithuania: up 2.4-fold;

Cyprus: up 2.2-fold;

Spain: up 2.1-fold;

Sweden: doubled;

Czechia: up 80.4 per cent;

Croatia: up 71.3 per cent;

Belgium: up 40.6 per cent;

Ireland: up 34.6 per cent;

Italy: up 31.6 per cent;

Hungary: up 31 per cent;

Latvia: up 10.9 per cent;

Romania: up 3.6 per cent;

Denmark: up 1.4 per cent;

Slovakia: down 1.4 per cent;

France: down 1.6 per cent;

Germany: down 7.6 per cent;

Greece: down 10.6 per cent;

The Netherlands: down 13.7 per cent;

Luxembourg: down 32.3 per cent;

Portugal: down 32.8 per cent.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ani Avetisyan delivered opening remarks at an event titled “Traditional Knowledge for Action: Contributions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to the Implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” held under the auspices of Armenia’s COP17 Presidency as part of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

Organized in cooperation with the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), the event brought together representatives of the Convention’s Parties and a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the important contributions of the traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

According to a statement issued by Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Avetisyan emphasized the important contributions of the traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, as recognized in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Referring to the Taking Action for Nature Yerevan Declaration adopted following the Leaders’ Summit, Deputy Minister Avetisyan noted that the declaration underscores the importance of the full and effective participation and contribution of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to achieving the Global Framework’s 2030 mission and targets.

International partners also participated in the event and delivered remarks, including Aluki Kotierk, a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and Ramiro Batzin, Co-Chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.

Armenia and Tajikistan are discussing opportunities to expand cooperation in environmental protection, digitalization, atmospheric emissions monitoring, and exchanging experience in subsoil management.

In an interview with Armenpress, Hovhannes Martirosyan, Head of the Environmental Protection and Mining Inspection Body of the Republic of Armenia, said that issues related to deepening cooperation between the two countries’ environmental agencies were discussed during a meeting with Sheralizoda Bahodur Ahmadjon, Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection of Tajikistan.

“We discussed the environmental priorities of our two countries, the existing challenges, and the opportunities that could contribute to the development of cooperation. Since our agencies have quite similar functions, I believe that exchanging experience could be of practical significance,” Martirosyan said.

Martirosyan said that the meeting also addressed the mechanisms and tools used in digitalization, atmospheric emissions monitoring, and subsoil management.

“Both countries face common challenges in these areas, and it is important to understand what solutions are being applied in each country. Exchanging experience will allow us to study effective approaches and, where necessary, apply them in our work,” he said.

Asked whether cooperation would also be developed through practical projects and reciprocal visits, Martirosyan said the Armenian side had already received an invitation to visit Tajikistan to learn firsthand about its environmental management system and the mechanisms used in the sector.

“We consider it important for cooperation to be continuous and long-term. Our goal is not only to exchange experience but also to establish practical ties that could subsequently help improve the effectiveness of environmental management in both countries,” he said.

Addressing the development of environmental awareness, Martirosyan stressed that, alongside technical and management challenges, it was also important to raise public awareness of environmental issues.

He said that fostering a responsible public attitude toward environmental protection required long-term efforts and that exchanging experience between Armenia and Tajikistan could also be beneficial in this area.

Speaking about the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Martirosyan said it presented an important opportunity for Armenia to showcase its environmental priorities, technological advances, and work in the sector on the international stage.

Asked about the significance of hosting COP17 for Armenia and the opportunities it could create for the country, Hovhannes Martirosyan replied:

“The conference is an important opportunity to present Armenia on the international stage, establish new partnerships, and expand the country’s engagement in international environmental processes.”

We tend to think of nature as something development must protect. We must also recognize that human life and development itself depend on it.

Forests protect soil and water. Healthy landscapes sustain agriculture and livelihoods. Mountain ecosystems regulate water far downstream.

When these systems deteriorate, the consequences reach far beyond the environment. Economies come under pressure. Communities become more vulnerable. Human health and lives are put at risk and so is the future of our children.

Nature is the foundation of life, security and development.

That is why COP17, the 17th UN Biodiversity Conference of the Parties, matters. As countries gather in Yerevan, Armenia, in October 2026, they will review collective progress towards the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for the first time.

The challenge is clear. We have the commitments to protect nature. Now we must turn them into action and results.

Armenia’s COP17 Presidency is calling for stronger action for nature, with UNDP as one of the key partners in translating ambition into results – from protecting Lake Sevan’s unique ecosystem and addressing land degradation, to developing Armenia’s first Biodiversity Finance Plan, as part of a global UNDP effort in mobilizing finance for nature in 130 countries.

Importantly, biodiversity challenges transcend national borders. So must the efforts to protect it.

Rivers cross borders. Wildlife moves across different landscapes. Mountain ecosystems sustain communities far beyond the highlands.

In Central Asia, UNDP is working with countries and communities across the region to protect biodiversity, improve the management of natural resources, and strengthen livelihoods that depend on healthy ecosystems.

In the transboundary Ferghana Valley, spanning Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, UNDP has supported climate-resilient development, risk-informed policymaking and cooperation around shared environmental challenges. In Kyrgyzstan’s Western Tian Shan, UNDP has supported a landscape approach linking biodiversity conservation with sustainable management of land and forests, ecological connectivity and local livelihoods, including cooperation to protect snow leopard ecosystems.

The significance of biodiversity protection goes beyond conservation. Shared ecosystems create shared interests.

Managing them responsibly protects livelihoods, strengthens resilience and opens opportunities for cooperation. It helps countries address environmental and economic challenges that none can manage alone.

This is why biodiversity cannot remain a niche environmental concern. Governments invest in roads, energy systems and digital networks because they are essential to development.

Nature deserves the same strategic priority.

COP17 offers a unique opportunity to move nature to the center of economic and development decisions, underpinned by adequate financial resources. 

We see encouraging dynamics. Yerevan Biodiversity COP17 is already delivering promising results, with the launch of the New Species Recovery Alliance and its $500 million pledge, uniting the Bezos Earth Fund and eight partners to prevent extinctions and accelerate species recovery worldwide.

We, now need to build on the COP17 momentum, ensuring that commitments translate into lasting action for nature, sustainable development and a more peaceful, resilient future for all.

By Ivana Živković, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the CIS

Customs controls help prevent risks to biodiversity and ensure compliance with environmental requirements, an Armenian State Revenue Committee (SRC) official told Armenpress during COP17, as she presented the Committee’s initiatives and work in this area.

Nelly Kharatyan, Deputy Head of the SRC’s Specialized Center-Department for Classification and Customs Tariff Issues, sat down with Armenpress to discuss how customs controls help prevent violations and raise awareness among businesses and individuals.

“Customs control inherently includes a preventive component. This means that we try to raise awareness among businesses as much as possible so that they can, on their own initiative, avoid potential violations. The best platform for raising awareness at present is the ExIm information platform, launched at the initiative of the State Revenue Committee. It has been operating since April and provides information at any stage when a business or an individual intends to carry out imports, exports or transit. The platform is designed to present and explain complex legal language, which may sometimes be difficult to understand, in simpler and clearer terms. It is important to clearly understand and remember that all customs operations must be carried out in accordance with the provisions of legal acts,” Kharatyan said.

She stressed the importance of making requirements for the movement of wild plants, animals listed in the Red Book, and goods of environmental significance accessible to citizens and businesses in advance.

“Through awareness-raising, we warn against and prevent potential violations of the rules, because sometimes violations are not committed with malicious intent. The problem is simply that a business may be unaware of the regulations in force. This platform makes it possible to avoid that problem. People need to be aware of and informed about the applicable regulations in advance and do everything possible to act strictly within the framework of the regulations in force. For our part, we have tried to do everything possible to make this process easy, accessible and understandable for them,” Kharatyan concluded.

Aram Ghazaryan, Director of the Armenian Interior Ministry’s Rescue Service and Deputy Interior Minister, received a delegation led by Beijing Vice-Mayor Wen Xian at the newly opened administrative complex of the Sevan Water Rescue Unit. The delegation is visiting Armenia for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

According to a statement from the Rescue Service, Ghazaryan accompanied the delegation as its members inspected the unit’s technical resources, including water rescue gear, specialised equipment and other technical assets. They were briefed on their operational purposes, capabilities and specific uses.

The delegation also toured the administrative complex, viewing the building’s facilities, infrastructure and equipment in service and work areas.

The tour was followed by a working meeting, during which the two sides discussed prospects for developing cooperation and exchanging professional experience in disaster risk management, firefighting and the organisation of rescue operations.

Ghazaryan stressed the importance of international cooperation in developing professional capabilities, introducing modern technologies and the latest equipment, and improving the effectiveness of efforts to ensure public safety.

Beijing Vice-Mayor Wen Xian praised the Sevan Water Rescue Unit’s technical equipment and the working conditions provided for its personnel. Wen also discussed Beijing’s experience in ensuring safety on bodies of water, outlining efforts to prevent drowning, raise public awareness and organise rescue services effectively in these areas.

Recognising the importance of the friendly relations established between Armenia and China, the two sides reaffirmed their readiness to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Using common, science-based standards to assess the state of nature could help companies identify their impacts on nature, assess their dependence on natural systems and understand the associated financial risks and business opportunities. These issues were discussed at a press conference held during COP17.

Participants included Marco Lambertini, Convenor of the Nature Positive Initiative; Tony Goldner, Executive Director of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD); Gemma Parkes, Head of Communications at the Nature Positive Initiative; and Ross Barton, Senior Manager in EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services.

The speakers said demand for clear, comparable data on the state of nature was growing amid biodiversity loss, deforestation, pollution and pressure on water resources. Such data are important both for environmental accountability and for companies’ strategic decisions, risk management and long-term sustainability.

Marco Lambertini presented the Nature Positive Initiative’s work to develop common, scientifically grounded metrics for assessing the state of nature.

He said businesses and financial institutions increasingly need to understand both the scale of nature loss and its effects on the economy, society and human well-being. This requires a common measurement methodology that enables changes to be assessed, results compared and responsibility taken for improving the state of nature.

The initiative’s proposed system includes four core metrics: ecosystem extent, ecosystem condition, species extinction risk and species population status.

These metrics make it possible to assess whether ecosystems are being conserved and expanded or are deteriorating. They also help determine the importance of particular areas for preventing species extinction and maintaining essential functions of natural systems.

Lambertini said one objective of developing common standards was to align approaches used across different frameworks, enabling companies to use shared metrics for various assessment and reporting purposes.

He said the standards had already been adopted within TNFD and the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), while other organisations were also considering alignment.

TNFD Executive Director Tony Goldner said the new state-of-nature metrics complement the organisation’s assessment approach, allowing companies to understand more clearly how their activities relate to nature.

He stressed that companies should first identify where their operations and supply chains interact with nature, then assess the environmental condition of those areas. These data can help put companies’ impacts and dependencies on natural systems into context and clarify the resulting risks and opportunities.

Goldner said impacts on nature and dependencies on natural systems can be measured in physical units, such as area or water volume, whereas business risks and opportunities are often expressed in monetary terms. Identifying the connection between environmental data and financial consequences is therefore an important step in assessing companies’ activities.

“TNFD’s LEAP approach helps organisations systematically assess their relationship with nature. It involves locating their interfaces with nature, evaluating impacts and dependencies, analysing risks and opportunities, and preparing to respond,” Goldner stressed.

He said more than 1,100 organisations were already voluntarily disclosing nature-related information. He suggested that investor expectations could increase, particularly in sectors where deforestation, pollution and water use are significant concerns.

Ross Barton, Senior Manager in EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services, presented the firm’s involvement in developing and testing the new standards.

He said EY had supported the Nature Positive Initiative for two years, from defining initial threshold metrics through to an international pilot study involving 29 companies. An important part of the work involved translating scientific and technical approaches into practical guidance so businesses could apply the standards.

Barton said these tools should be seen as more than a means of reporting. They can help companies understand whether the natural systems on which their activities depend are at risk of deterioration and use that information in strategic decision-making.

He said assessing the state of nature could support risk management, strengthen business resilience and preserve long-term value. Companies could make better-informed decisions about where to locate their operations and how to conserve and restore natural systems.

Barton also highlighted the role of professional services organisations. They can provide advice to help companies translate scientific standards into practical decisions and offer independent assurance on the reliability of disclosed information.

He said investors and financial institutions need confidence that companies’ data are credible and reflect genuine conservation and restoration outcomes.

During the discussion, the speakers stressed that comparable data on the state of nature could improve the quality of decisions made by companies, investors and financial institutions.

Common standards make it possible to connect environmental changes with economic consequences, identify dependencies and risks, and assess opportunities created through the conservation and restoration of natural systems.

This approach treats the assessment of nature’s condition as both an accountability requirement and a tool for aligning long-term business sustainability with nature conservation goals.

A discussion entitled “Green Standards in the Construction and Operation of Sports Facilities” was held in COP17’s Green Zone at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex.

An Armenpress correspondent spoke about the discussion’s main topic with world and European weightlifting champion Nazik Avdalyan, founding director of the Nazik Avdalyan Sports Development Foundation.

The discussion’s title says a great deal, but could you explain what green standards are and how much of a role they can play in both the construction and subsequent operation of sports facilities?

The discussion focused mainly on a planned sports and education centre that is currently at the design stage. I attach great importance to green standards in this project because, unfortunately, the further technology and equipment advance, the further we move away from nature.

We need to start thinking about how to cause as little harm to nature as possible. I am very pleased that the NAV Sports and Education Centre is being built in accordance with green standards from the outset. It is very important that it causes as little harm to biodiversity as possible.

This will also influence the thinking and values of the children who will train there. I believe facilities like this enhance our country’s standing as one that has chosen a path of sustainable development.

Many of us have followed your sporting career. Your success and achievements owe much to your determination and hard work, but also to supportive coaches and sports schools. Did these experiences inspire the idea of creating a sports centre?

I have lived a life that is important and precious to me. I did not want it simply to pass, remain something that belonged only to me and be recorded merely as a victory.

That desire and dream took shape when I met children living in the regions. I realised how much potential we have there. There are wonderful children with tremendous physical and intellectual abilities who simply need an opportunity.

I have often spoken at schools and sports schools, meeting children and constantly thinking about them. I felt those meetings were not particularly effective: we would visit schools and motivate children, but they lacked suitable facilities, so they would return to their everyday routines and way of life.

My dream became a goal, and I established a foundation to create sports and education centres and sports schools in the regions, giving children the opportunity to take part in sport.

If the sports and education centres I envisage become a reality, within a few years Armenia will become one of the world’s sporting powerhouses.

I hope that happens. Inspiring individuals like you can make a major contribution to it.

I am not alone in working towards that goal and fulfilling my dream. Athletes, the federation, the country, like-minded people and others who seemed to have no connection with sport are standing alongside me and contributing to this work.

I understand that various international partners also took part in the discussion. What did you expect from them, and what response did you receive?

As an athlete, I had heard about green standards, but gaining a complete understanding is difficult. That is where specialists help: you discuss things with them and understand where it all leads. I am very pleased to have met the international specialists who took part in the discussion.

It was a very constructive meeting. It reaffirmed our belief in the need for all this and the importance of having such facilities in the country.

What steps are needed to implement the project?

The project is being implemented with state support. We plan to establish a centre in the Artik area and in other locations as well. We will see how things work out.

Research is under way. We are constantly learning new things and holding discussions. It may be possible to make faster progress in another region. Work continues every day, with new people and specialists continually joining the initiative.

I must also ask about the film made about you. There is a particularly striking scene in which, at the most important moment of your life, you think about the barbell while in church. Ultimately, are athletes born, or does hard work produce the results you have achieved?

I think athletes are born, but not everyone becomes one, because that requires opportunities, suitable conditions and people to guide you. I had those people alongside me.

The film conveyed a very important message: if you want to succeed, you must love your work wholeheartedly and dedicate yourself to it, as I did. I have always had immense respect and love for the barbell and my sport. I feel the same about the work and mission I am pursuing now.

That journey has brought me to where I am today. I have never regarded my victories as an endpoint. I have always thought about what purpose those victories would serve afterwards. I have always asked myself that question. That journey led me to a more important mission and responsibility.

Thank you, Nazik, for accepting our invitation.

My pleasure.

The International Nature Prescribing Alliance (INPA) has officially launched in Armenia during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17). The alliance aims to support healthcare professionals in expanding the use of nature to improve health worldwide.

The new initiative seeks to broaden nature-based health practices and strengthen cooperation between the healthcare and environmental sectors.

Speaking at the event, the alliance’s founder, Dr Melissa Lem, a family physician and clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia, said the initiative brings together organisations from healthcare, conservation and related fields to promote nature as a means of preventing illness and maintaining physical and mental health.

Nature prescribing involves a healthcare professional advising or directing a patient to spend a specified amount of time in nature, individually or as part of a group.

“Nature is more than a pleasant place to visit. It is an important means of protecting human and planetary health. Time spent in nature is good medicine,” Melissa Lem stressed. She added that strengthening people’s connection with nature supports their health and well-being while encouraging a responsible attitude towards environmental conservation.

She said the alliance would support greater international cooperation, provide professionals with clinical and research materials, and organise expert events.

Lem also presented Canada’s PaRx programme, a national nature prescribing initiative. She said more than 22,000 healthcare professionals were registered with the programme and more than two million nature prescriptions had been issued.

Dr Andrew Day, Chief Executive Officer of the BC Parks Foundation, also discussed the alliance’s launch. He said highlighting the connection between conservation and healthcare was important in helping people understand nature’s value in their everyday lives.

Day said the expansion of PaRx had demonstrated that contact with nature could help people manage anxiety, depression and other health problems. He also stressed that conservation measures were important for protecting both ecosystems and public health.

Barnaby Coupe, Head of External Affairs at the UK’s Wildlife Trusts, outlined efforts to strengthen the connection between nature and healthcare in the United Kingdom.

He said the UK had an extensive network of local conservation organisations, but nature prescribing was not yet fully integrated into public healthcare policy. Cooperation between conservation and healthcare organisations could help ease pressure on the health service, he noted.

Citing a 2023 economic assessment, Coupe said nature-based health programmes in Wales could deliver benefits worth around £635 million annually to the UK healthcare system. He also drew attention to unequal access to nature, noting that people in more disadvantaged communities often had fewer opportunities to benefit from its health-enhancing effects.

The speakers agreed that expanding access to nature, involving healthcare professionals and developing international cooperation could improve public health while supporting biodiversity conservation.

The International Nature Prescribing Alliance invites healthcare and environmental organisations, healthcare workers and other professionals to join the initiative and contribute to the health of people, communities and the planet.

Sargis Asatryan

The 2026 Young Ecofeminist international awards ceremony took place in COP17’s Green Zone at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex in Yerevan.

The work of those competing for the award brings together biodiversity protection, the study of climate processes, gender equality and social justice. The winners’ work promotes inclusive, rights-based action as a prerequisite for effective biodiversity protection, contributing to a comprehensive response to planetary crises and the protection of human rights.

In his remarks, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, said the winners served as examples both in their own countries and around the world, because what happens in each country affects the entire world.

“I think these awards are an important reminder that you are not alone, we are not alone, and we must cooperate to achieve results. And I believe leadership is about precisely this cooperation. As the European Union’s ambassador to Armenia, I am particularly pleased to see such engagement in biodiversity conservation from civil society, its leaders, young people and organisations defending women’s rights. In Armenia, we work closely with these groups, demonstrating our shared commitment to achieving results,” Maragos said.

He said the EU supported initiatives in Armenia implemented by both civil society and state institutions that brought together biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability and human rights.

“We will soon launch a new programme in Armenia focusing on bringing together youth- and women-led organisations and green initiatives. We recognise the important role these actors can play in promoting environmental sustainability and bringing positive change to their communities. COP17 is an important opportunity to showcase this work and continue highlighting and discussing local biodiversity initiatives,” Maragos said.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia presented first prize to Sarah Adongo from Uganda. As a legal adviser at Witness Radio Uganda, Sarah participates in legal proceedings concerning sexual violence and the protection of land rights. She supports women who have experienced sexual and gender-based violence, helping them understand and defend their rights, document their cases and acquire the knowledge and confidence to present cases, give testimony and negotiate on behalf of their communities.

Marieke Monroy-Winter, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands to Armenia, said in her remarks that pluralism requires listening to people who share their own perspectives with the public.

“This is how we enrich ourselves and understand one another. This is how we build peace, something we have also heard about during this wonderful COP17. We will all be interested to hear about your experiences and learn from you. Young ecofeminists can show us the way forward. Biodiversity is a very important subject. It is the foundation of life, and we believe genetic diversity is a very good safeguard for stability. It enables us to respond more effectively to a wide range of situations, whether human-made or natural challenges. We need that diversity,” Monroy-Winter said.

The Dutch ambassador presented second prize to Yemi Knight from Barbados. Yemi is the founder and director of the youth organisation AnchorBridge Environmental and has helped bring about significant changes. These include contributing to the first reform of the Barbados Water Authority, helping improve water access for low-income rural communities.

Anush Nersesyan, a staff member of Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences who holds a Candidate of Sciences degree, said they were working to compile Red Lists of Armenia’s flora.

“We are developing methods to conserve plants both in their natural habitats and at our institute. We collect seeds and preserve them for future generations. We involve many young scientists in all our fieldwork and laboratory work. We greatly welcome the participation of young people—students, doctoral students and young researchers—because issues relating to nature and biodiversity conservation require youthful energy, and people must be encouraged to carry out this work to the highest possible standard,” Nersesyan said.

The National Academy of Sciences researcher presented third prize to Monitte Lantas from the Philippines. At just 24, Monitte has mobilised local communities to defend land and environmental rights, developed a youth-led environmental project and participated in a women’s environmental protection initiative. Her community work focuses on protecting women’s and children’s rights, reproductive health and women’s participation in environmental governance.