Iran joins two-week biodiversity negotiations at COP17 in Armenia

TEHRAN – Iran is participating in the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Armenia with a delegation of experts and academics led by Hamid Zohrabi, deputy head of the Department of Environment.

The two-week negotiations, which began on Sunday, will be held in two stages: technical-level discussions followed by the ministerial segment.

The leaders’ summit took place last Friday, featuring an address by President Masoud Pezeshkian. It marked the first time a president of the Islamic Republic of Iran had attended a Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Addressing the summit, Pezeshkian called for “peace diplomacy” to protect biodiversity, condemning the devastating environmental impact of wars of aggression as ecocide and urging the international community to establish effective, transparent and enforceable mechanisms to safeguard natural heritage during wartime.

Pezeshkian described environmental cooperation as a bridge between nations, stressing that biodiversity conservation could serve as an important pillar of “peace diplomacy.”

“In a region facing security crises stemming from the illegal and expansionist presence of powers, as well as climate change, water scarcity and ecosystem degradation, environmental cooperation can build bridges between nations,” he said.

Such cooperation, he added, can pave the way for peace and security for all, peace with nature, and a future in which human life is aligned and in harmony with the natural world.

“Today, we stand at a pivotal moment in history when biodiversity is no longer merely a scientific or environmental concern. It is also an issue of peace and security, human health, food and water security, and intergenerational justice for all the inhabitants of our planet,” Pezeshkian stressed.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran was among the first countries to recognize the legal and international significance of this issue and become a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). However, Iran’s relationship with biodiversity goes far beyond its membership in an international convention.

With an ancient tradition of living in harmony with nature and an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems, species and genetic resources, Iran is the custodian of an invaluable and irreplaceable natural wealth. This heritage is the result of millions of years of evolution, natural dynamism and adaptation, and is reflected in the culture, customs, livelihoods, indigenous knowledge and historical identity of the people of this land.

Owing to its exceptional geographical location, Iran lies at the intersection of several biogeographical regions. From the Hyrcanian and Arasbaran forests to the Zagros Mountains, and from arid and desert landscapes to the coasts of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Caspian Sea, Iran is home to thousands of plant and animal species, as well as valuable genetic resources. These natural assets underpin the country’s ecological stability and sustainability, provide a vital foundation for water and food security and human health, strengthen resilience to natural hazards, and serve as a cornerstone of sustainable development.

Shina Ansari, the head of the Department of Environment, also addressed the meeting, saying that environmental diplomacy can become an instrument of peace diplomacy, while the relationship between biodiversity, peace, and security should be viewed as a two-way relationship.

Ansari added the link between biodiversity and peace was not merely an ethical or political issue, but a fundamental concern in environmental governance, international law, and human security.

Under the Convention on Biological Diversity, she said, the main drivers of biodiversity loss are generally understood to include land-use change, habitat destruction, pollution, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, and climate change.

COP17 is being held From 19 to 30 October under the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, alongside the Twelfth meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP-12) and the Sixth meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization (NP-MOP-6).

At the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development aimed at ensuring a healthy and productive planet for future generations. One of the Summit’s landmark achievements was the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Signed by the vast majority of the world’s countries, the Convention establishes commitments to conserve the foundations of the Earth’s ecosystems while pursuing economic development. Its objectives are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. These objectives are pursued through appropriate access to genetic resources, the transfer of relevant technologies—taking into account all rights over those resources and technologies—and the provision of adequate financial resources, in accordance with the Convention’s provisions.