Acting Artsakh Parliament Speaker Gagik Bakunts

As the COP-17 kicked off in Yerevan last week, the acting speaker of Artsakh’s Parliament Gagik Bagunts, issued an appeal that the conference examine the environmental impact and consequences of the displacement of the Armenian population of Artsakh.

“The forced displacement of the Armenian population of Artsakh presents the international environmental agenda with a fundamental challenge concerning the preservation of biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, as their bearers have been deprived of their natural connection with their historical places of residence,” Bagunts said in his appeal.

Below is the text of Bagunts’ appeal.

Emphasizing the importance of biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, and effective public participation in environmental decision-making processes, we express our deep concern regarding the environmental and biocultural consequences of the forced displacement of the Armenian population of Artsakh.

In September 2023, more than 120,000 Armenians were forcibly displaced from Artsakh and sought refuge in Armenia. This displacement resulted not only in the loss of homes, property, and livelihoods but also in the disruption of the intergenerational ties that had developed over centuries between communities and the natural, cultural, and social environments of their historical settlements. The forced removal of the bearers of this knowledge may jeopardize its continued practice and transmission to future generations, which, in turn, negatively affects opportunities for environmental protection.

Traditional agriculture, irrigation and water supply systems, forests and pastures, sacred sites, as well as cultural practices associated with rural settlements, together constitute a unique biocultural system. The destruction of this system represents an irreversible loss of biocultural diversity.

The Convention on Biological Diversity emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional knowledge and practices that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as the participation and approval of the holders of such knowledge. The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, highlights the need for the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in biodiversity-related decision-making processes, as well as respect for their rights. In this context, it is urgent to take into account the traditional knowledge and centuries-old experience of Armenians displaced from Artsakh as the indigenous population of the region.

Taking the above into consideration, we call upon the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the participants of COP-17 to:

• give due attention to the biocultural consequences of the forced displacement of the Armenians of Artsakh;
• ensure the meaningful participation of representatives of displaced communities in the development of environmental research, conservation initiatives, and ecosystem restoration programs;
• emphasize the inseparable interconnection between environmental objectives and the protection of human rights;
• continue discussions on the protection of the rights of displaced populations within relevant international mechanisms, taking into account the need to safeguard rights related to housing, property, cultural heritage, and the natural environment.

The forced displacement of the Armenian population of Artsakh presents the international environmental agenda with a fundamental challenge concerning the preservation of biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, as their bearers have been deprived of their natural connection with their historical places of residence.

We call upon the participants of COP-17 to consider this issue within the context of the interconnection between biodiversity conservation, cultural continuity, and human rights, as well as through the prism of ensuring the collective, unhindered, and safe right of the Armenians of Artsakh to return to their historical homeland.