Nigeria joins global biodiversity talks in Yerevan as COP17 reviews 2030 targets
Representatives from governments, indigenous groups, local communities and other stakeholders will gather in Yerevan, Armenia, for the 17th UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) from October 19 to 30, 2026. The conference serves as a critical halfway point in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in 2022, aiming to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Nigeria is among the parties committed to the framework.
The meeting will review collective progress on the framework’s 23 targets, with a UN report noting that while nearly 90% of parties have set national targets, fewer than half are on track. Discussions will focus on mobilising finance, strengthening capacity-building, expanding indigenous participation, and aligning development with conservation goals. Parallel sessions include the 12th Cartagena Protocol meeting on biosafety and the 6th Nagoya Protocol meeting on benefit-sharing from genetic resources.
In Nigeria, biodiversity faces pressure from habitat loss due to agriculture, urbanisation, oil palm plantations, overexploitation of wildlife, logging, overfishing, pollution, climate change, invasive species and population growth. The Yerevan outcomes could shape future national policies and funding for conservation efforts.
With over 10,000 delegates expected, what role should Nigeria play in advancing its biodiversity commitments, and how might the conference’s outcomes affect local conservation initiatives and community livelihoods?