Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of the RA, participated in the high-level event “From Talk to Action: Making COP30 a Turning Point for Synergistic Climate-Nature Action” in Brazil, where he presented Armenia’s approaches and vision for coordinating global environmental policies.
In his remarks, he noted that climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation are interconnected crises that require joint, coordinated solutions. As a global biodiversity hotspot, Armenia clearly understands how these challenges affect natural resources, mountain ecosystems, and community resilience.
The Minister stressed that the international response should not be fragmented. Recent developments under the three major UN environmental conventions demonstrate that the world is ready for closer, more coherent cooperation.
Hambardzum Matevosyan underscored that ecosystem restoration, forest conservation, sustainable land use, and nature-based solutions can be effective only when climate and land policies are shaped by a unified logic.
A unified approach also creates new financing opportunities: public funds, international grants and investments, private sector engagement, and innovative financial mechanisms can work together to scale up the impact of environmental programmes. Armenia has already gained experience in this area—from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative to forest landscape restoration programmes.
As the next President of COP17 under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Minister Matevosyan presented Armenia’s key priorities. The country will work to ensure that the Global Review process fully reflects the interlinkages among the conventions, drawing on national reports, scientific evidence, international best practices, and the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Concluding his remarks, the Minister noted that although the world is moving in the right direction, the pace of progress remains insufficient. Armenia is committed to making COP17 in Yerevan a platform where talk is turned into action, delivering tangible results and strengthening practical cooperation.