COP17 Biodiversity Press Kit

Adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the main international framework for cooperation on biodiversity conservation. It has three objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Every two years, the 195 States and the European Union that are Parties to the Convention meet at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to set priorities and monitor the implementation of international commitments to protect biodiversity. COP17, taking place from 18 to 30 October 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia, is part of the implementation of this global framework and will mark a further step towards monitoring and accelerating the commitments made by States to protect biodiversity.