COP17

 

GLOBAL GREENS STATEMENT ON THE FIRST GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY STOCKTAKE

19 October 2026

 

Over the next two weeks at the Convention on Biological Diversity, COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, will be the first stocktake on biodiversity ever undertaken on a global scale for the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

 

Each of the 195 member parties to the CBD has agreed in 2022, a plan of 23 key targets in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Implementing the GBF is essential  for the very fabric of life on the planet to survive at a minimum the following measures are agreed to be implemented by 2030 include:

 

30% of both land and waterways to be put into reserves

30% degraded land to be rehabilitated

50% reduction in hazardous chemical pollution, including pesticides

 

The Global Greens consider that fully implementing the content of the GBF is essential to the very fabric of life on our planet. We must now feed the spark that was ignited 4 years ago, in Montreal. In fact, we advocate for more ambitious measures, including a  50% target for area protection and  in areas of high ecological value such as the Amazon, up to 80% of area protection.

https://armenia.un.org/en/289877-conference-parties-convention-biological-diversity-cop17

 

The Global Greens urges all national governments party to the CBD  to submit strong National Targets and National Strategic Biodiversity Action Plans (NBSAPs) to meet in full the 2022 commitments . This includes the commitments aimed at international cooperation towards the effective and sustainable implementation of the conservation targets.

 

At the CBD COP17 in Armenia the Global Greens call for:

 

• Strong implementation measures,  through National Targets and Action Plans with genuine marine and terrestrial reserves that prohibit destructive practices such as mining, industrial agriculture and logging.

 

• An end to  destructive fishing practices in areas of national jurisdiction – and in international waters through the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ).

 

• Genuine rehabilitation of degraded lands to be restored to endemic ecosystems.

 

• Reversing  harmful government subsidies for industrial agriculture and fisheries, and diverting this funding to genuine biodiversity preservation and protection measures. This will address many of the funding shortfalls in implementing GBF targets and plans. Subsidies are estimated at US$5billion annually.

 

• Advocating for sustainable and resilient agrifood systems such as ecoagriculture practices and reducing pesticide use, monocultures, and land clearances.
• We advocate for Parties to live up to their financial commitments, to mobilise the finance sector at COP17, and to activate the Cali Fund, to drive stronger implementation of the GBF.

 

• CBD Parties  to adopt and implement  whole-of-society consultation processes that  include  civil society, women’s and youth groups, indigenous and tribal peoples, and local communities.

 

COP17 comes at a crucial moment – halfway between the agreement in Montreal in 2022 and the 2030 deadline for the implementation of the 23 GBF targets. The challenges of biodiversity protection and preservation does not stop at national borders, it makes COP17 an exemplary example for international cooperation. The challenge remains to do more than just meet but to accelerate action on these targets.

 

We, at the Global Greens, stand ready to use our extensive international network of nearly 90 national green political parties and environmental organizations, to contribute and support efforts towards this historical challenge.

 

GLOBAL GREENS STATEMENT ON THE FIRST GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY STOCKTAKE 19 Oct 2026 (1)

 

GLOBAL GREENS STATEMENT ON THE FIRST GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY STOCKTAKE 19 Oct 2026 (2)

 

GLOBAL GREENS STATEMENT ON THE FIRST GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY STOCKTAKE 19 Oct 2026