EU, UNDP and Government of Armenia Launch New Initiative to Restore and Protec

EU, UNDP and Government of Armenia Launch New Initiative to Restore and Protect Lake Sevan

Yerevan, 22 October 2026 – A new initiative to support the long-term restoration of Lake Sevan and strengthen the resilience of one of Armenia’s most important ecosystems was officially launched today at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) in Yerevan.

The EU4biodiversityinSevan: Enhancing Lake Sevan Ecosystem Restoration project brings together the European Union (EU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Armenia around a shared goal – to strengthen the foundations for the long-term restoration and sustainable management of Lake Sevan.

Funded by the EU and implemented by the UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, the EUR 1.53 million project will strengthen the institutions responsible for managing and protecting Lake Sevan through better biodiversity monitoring and reporting, modern technologies and improved approaches to fisheries management. At the same time, it will bring restoration efforts closer to the ground through pilot riverbed and riverbank restoration in rivers important for Sevan trout reproduction, forest assessment and rehabilitation planning, and support to the Sevan National Park forest nursery.

Highlighting the EU’s continued support to Armenia’s environmental agenda, H.E. Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, said, “The European Union is proud to support Armenia in advancing biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration. Through this new initiative, we aim to contribute to stronger environmental governance, science-based restoration efforts, and closer cooperation among institutions, local communities, and development partners”.

Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, emphasized the importance of bringing together institutional capacity, science, local action and sustainable financing to create lasting change for Lake Sevan. “Our ambition is not simply to complete a set of activities over the next three years. It is to help establish stronger institutions, more reliable monitoring systems, healthier habitats and practical approaches to financing conservation that can continue to deliver benefits well beyond the project’s lifetime,” she said.

Recognizing that ecosystem restoration also requires sustainable resources, the project will explore new approaches to financing ecosystem restoration and engaging the private sector. It will support sustainable income-generating opportunities for Sevan National Park, including through recreation and ecotourism, while encouraging local businesses to adopt greener practices.

The project presentation was followed by a panel discussion focusing on freshwater biodiversity restoration, communities and sustainable local development, and financing restoration – the three themes at the heart of the project’s approach. More specifically, the panel explored the importance of restoring Lake Sevan’s rivers and surrounding ecosystems to protect biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of the lake basin. Discussions also highlighted the role of local communities in conservation efforts and the opportunities that ecosystem restoration can create for sustainable livelihoods and local economic development. The panel further examined opportunities for financing ecosystem restoration through private-sector engagement, as well as the potential of recreation and ecotourism in Sevan National Park and incentives for greener business practices.

Lake Sevan is Armenia’s largest freshwater body and a vital ecosystem for biodiversity, water resources, local livelihoods and communities. Protecting it requires more than individual conservation measures. It calls for stronger institutions, practical restoration efforts and sustainable financing that can support conservation over the long term.

The launch of EU4biodiversityinSevan at CBD COP17 places Lake Sevan within a broader conversation about how biodiversity commitments can be translated into practical restoration at national and local levels. Through stronger ecosystem governance, targeted restoration measures and sustainable financing solutions, the project aims to help create approaches that can continue and be scaled up beyond the project period.

About EU4biodiversity in Sevan Project

The EU4biodiversity in Sevan: Enhancing Lake Sevan Ecosystem Restoration project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia. The project supports the long-term restoration and sustainable management of Lake Sevan through stronger institutional capacities, practical ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation measures, and sustainable financing approaches.

For more inquiries about the project:

Ms. Magda Avetisyan, EU4biodiversityinSevan Project Coordinator: [email protected]