Category: News

The relationship between urban development and biodiversity in Armenia was discussed during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

According to a statement from the Urban Development Committee, the committee’s Deputy Chairman Vahan Misakyan and Head of the Architecture Department Levon Arakelyan delivered presentations at a session entitled “Urban Development Procedures”, held at Armenia’s pavilion. They addressed integrated spatial planning as a means of conserving biodiversity and managing land-use changes, outlining the purpose of incorporating mandatory ecological layers into zoning plans and master plans. They stressed the importance of considering biodiversity at the urban planning stage.

A panel discussion followed, with Katja Schaefer, Interregional Adviser at the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), among the participants. Discussions covered prospects for digitalisation in urban development, the use of artificial intelligence tools and projects being implemented jointly with UN-Habitat.

Another panel discussion, organised in cooperation with the Urban Development Committee and UN-Habitat, focused on the pivotal role of cities and local authorities in jointly addressing biodiversity loss and climate change. Erfan Ali, Director of UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, delivered a presentation.

During the panel discussion, Misakyan outlined the committee’s programmes and stressed the importance of developing an urban zoning plan for the coastal sections of Lake Sevan’s catchment basin, as well as Armenia’s general plan for settlement distribution and territorial organisation.

Participants highlighted the importance of jointly pursuing environmental, climate and land restoration objectives through spatial planning, housing provision, multilevel governance, financing and the use of data.

From climate change mitigation to environmental education and innovative solutions, the “Climate Change and Women” award ceremony united leading women in the field, highlighting their initiatives and contributions to biodiversity conservation. Winners in each of the seven main categories received idcoinsworth AMD 300,000 from Idram and IDBank.

According to Tatevik Vardevanyan, Head of the Communication and Sustainable Development Department at IDBank and Idram, the award ceremony provides the winners with an opportunity to bring their ideas to life.

“Supporting environmental initiatives is one of the priority directions of Idram and IDBank’s social responsibility. We are confident that the women recognized as winners today will become driving forces for positive change in their respective fields. The laureates will be able to use their awarded idcoins at around 30,000 sales points across Armenia where Idrampayment is available,” said Tatevik Vardevanyan.

Nune Sakanyan, Founder and Director of the “Women in Climate and Energy” NGO, emphasized the importance of such projects in recognizing and valuing the role and work of women.

“We were confident that women in Armenia are leading important initiatives to combat climate change, which often go unnoticed. Today, we are once again convinced of how significant women’s contributions are to overcoming climate challenges. Only through joint efforts can we achieve tangible results and secure a sustainable future. We are grateful to our partners who share these same values,” noted Nune Sakanyan.

idcoins are provided by IDBank. 1 idcoin = AMD 1

IDRAM AND IDBANK COMPANIES ARE SUPERVISED BY THE CBA

Armenian Environment Minister and COP17 President Hambardzum Matevosyan has expressed hope that, following border delimitation work, it will be possible to implement cross-border environmental projects with Azerbaijan and other neighbouring countries.

Matevosyan made the remarks at a press conference held during COP17, responding to a question about environmental problems in Shikahogh and the Jermuk area.

“I very much hope that we will have the opportunity to carry out cross-border environmental projects together, not only with the Republic of Azerbaijan but also with all our neighbouring countries. As noted, various funds offer such opportunities for countries to submit a single joint package,” Matevosyan said.

The minister added that, following border delimitation work, such cooperation could also provide an opportunity to address environmental losses sustained in previous decades and work towards their restoration.

Matevosyan described environmental damage as condemnable, stressing that nature knows no borders and environmental problems are not confined to individual countries’ territories.

He also said that, as an Armenian citizen and a political officeholder, he was guided by the overriding interests of the Republic of Armenia. In the context of relations with neighbouring countries, the minister stressed the importance of strengthening the peace agenda and advancing the border delimitation process.

Immediate, collective action is needed to limit global warming, as further temperature rises will also have severe consequences for biodiversity, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen said at a press conference held during COP17.

She presented assessments from the UN Environment Programme’s new report on emissions, drawing attention to the risks of exceeding the 1.5-degree global warming threshold.

“The impacts on biodiversity will be extreme. To avoid the worst consequences of this crisis, we need unprecedented multilateral action, starting with financial support,” Andersen stressed.

She highlighted the importance of coordinating efforts and financing under different environmental agreements, as well as involving finance ministries in the biodiversity agenda.

Armenia has set itself highly ambitious goals as COP17 president, UK Ambassador to Armenia Alexandra Cole said in a briefing with correspondents from Armenpress and Armenian Public Television’s Lurer news programme.

She expressed hope that the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, being held in Armenia, would turn global dialogue into practical action.

“The work we are doing over these two weeks can be summed up by the slogan ‘From Agreement to Action’. We need to develop clear pathways to set aside 30 per cent of the planet’s area for nature conservation by 2030.

“I think there are two possible approaches to industrial activity in Armenia. One is to follow the best standards and protect the environment, whether in water resources, energy, mining or other sectors. The other is to take the quick and easy route, potentially without adequate safeguards. We hope that these two weeks will produce policies and agreements that steer industry towards the first option rather than the second.

“At the same time, we hope that participants in this successful COP will have a wonderful time, want to return to Armenia and enjoy this country’s incredible biodiversity,” Cole said.

Asked about the current state of bilateral relations between Armenia and the United Kingdom, the ambassador stressed that the two countries had created an excellent environment for cooperation.

“During the year I have been here, I have found myself busier than ever, and I really enjoy that. But I think it is striking that when you ask people about Armenia’s partners, they often mention France, the European Union and, of course, the United States. Now they also mention the United Kingdom, and I am truly proud that we are among them,” the UK ambassador to Armenia said.

Achieving global biodiversity conservation targets requires both government decisions and the participation of all of society, from the financial sector to local communities, Convention on Biological Diversity Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker said at a press conference held during COP17.

She was responding to a question about what gave her grounds for optimism despite the gap between commitments and tangible results.

Schomaker said a positive sign was that countries were taking responsibility for their earlier commitments and discussing the problems identified by the global assessment.

“Countries are taking responsibility for what they committed to four years ago and are now discussing and addressing the gaps identified by the global review. They are trying to bridge this gap, which is a shared aspiration of all parties,” Schomaker said.

She highlighted the importance of incorporating biodiversity considerations into government decisions, securing the necessary funding and bringing different partners together.

Schomaker singled out the participation of women and young people, as well as the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, stressing the value of their knowledge and experience of living in harmony with nature.

“Ultimately, we must recognise that mobilising all of society will ensure success,” the convention’s Executive Secretary said.

In her assessment, practical solutions already available in different countries and multilateral cooperation offer opportunities to scale up effective practices and accelerate action to conserve biodiversity.

Following the adoption of 14 items at COP17’s first plenary session, the parties have reached agreement on further agenda items. More complex issues are also set to be discussed with ministers’ participation, COP17 President and Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan said at a press conference in response to a question about the progress of negotiations.

Matevosyan noted that negotiations inherently involve differing positions and require additional efforts to reach agreement. He said the presidency was working with all parties to move discussions forward.

“We will hold another such session on 28 October, and another on the 30th. Since that plenary session, we have already succeeded in reaching agreement on many other items. And, of course, those items that presented greater difficulties will also need to be considered by ministers,” Matevosyan said.

He stressed that ministers’ participation would provide an opportunity, where necessary, to seek political solutions to obstacles arising in the negotiations.

According to the minister, at the first plenary session, the parties not only presented their observations but also agreed on proposed amendments. Matevosyan highlighted the importance of this cooperation and expressed hope that it would continue during the conference’s final week.

Additional contributions pledged for the Global Environment Facility’s (GEF) new funding cycle total US$500 million, bringing overall funding to US$4.4 billion. Armenia has also begun preliminary discussions on the possibility of contributing to the facility.

GEF Chief Executive Officer Diego Mesa Puyo announced this during COP17, explaining that the facility operates through four-year funding cycles, with donors providing resources for the following four years.

He said preparations for the new funding round were already under way. Initial pledges totalling US$3.9 billion had been announced in June at the GEF conference in Uzbekistan.

“Since then, additional pledges have totalled US$500 million, bringing overall funding from US$3.9 billion to US$4.4 billion,” Mesa Puyo said.

He said additional resources had also been pledged for the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), established to support biodiversity conservation projects. A further US$60 million in contributions had been announced for the fund.

Mesa Puyo noted that Berlin was contributing to the GBFF for the first time. This followed a contribution from the Canadian province of Quebec, the first subnational entity to support the fund.

“New contributors also include Iceland and Monaco, while Quebec has announced its intention to make another contribution. Spain has pledged €50 million to the GEF’s main trust fund. Uzbekistan is also contributing to the facility for the first time, with around US$4.6 million.

“The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its financial support, committing an additional £330 million, equivalent to around US$400 million. This amount was not included in the initial pledges announced in June. Together, these contributions make up the additional US$500 million announced today,” the GEF Chief Executive Officer said.

He said the facility’s funding was important both for its direct investments and for attracting additional public and private resources.

Mesa Puyo said that during the 2022–2026 funding cycle, every dollar invested by the facility had helped mobilise around US$8 in additional financing. Blended finance, which combines concessional and commercial financing, had also proved effective, attracting around US$18.50 for every dollar invested.

The Chief Executive Officer said efforts to mobilise additional resources would continue during the new funding cycle. A pledging event is also planned in Türkiye during the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

He described the US$4.4 billion already pledged as the facility’s second-largest funding cycle in the past 30 years, calling it a positive result.

Turning to Armenia’s possible participation, Mesa Puyo said the country had also begun preliminary discussions on contributing to the facility.

“Armenia has announced that it has already begun preliminary discussions with a view to making a contribution. We do not yet have a specific figure for the contribution, but Armenia has publicly stated that the matter is being discussed domestically,” he said.

Armenia’s Greco-Roman wrestling team members continue their campaign at the World Wrestling Championships.

On the latest day of competition at the World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, wrestlers in the 63 kg, 67 kg and 87 kg weight categories took to the mat.

Slavik Galstyan, competing in the 67 kg category, defeated Gagik Snjoyan of France 5–1 in his opening bout.

In the 63 kg category, Karen Aslanyan faced Corneliu Rusu of Moldova in his first bout of the tournament. Aslanyan secured a quick 10–0 victory in about two minutes.

Armenian wrestlers Karen Aslanyan and Slavik Galstyan have advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Championships.

At the Greco-Roman wrestling World Championships in Astana, Karen Aslanyan secured his second victory in the 63 kg weight class, defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Aftandil Taalaibek Uulu 10–0.

Slavik Galstyan, competing in the 67 kg weight class, also won his second bout, defeating Moldova’s Valentin Petic 10–0.