The Leaders' Summit on Biodiversity (1st meeting), COP 17

Your Excellency, Mr. Prime Minister, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government.

Heads of International Organizations, Distinguished Representatives of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to Armenia, COP17 Leaders Summit. Today, leaders from Different countries of the world have come here to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of our shared future.

Heads of state and government, heads of international organizations, distinguished representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Armenia and to the COP17 Leaders' Summit. Today, leaders from around the world gather here to advance the protection of biodiversity and safeguard our shared future.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the state anthem of the Republic of Armenia will now be performed.

Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthem of the Republic of Armenia.

Jesus.

Armenia welcomes the world to the Leaders' Summit of COP17, to a land where biodiversity has shaped both the landscape and the human story. Mountains have defined horizons, rivers have traced paths, and the changing seasons have given rhythm to life. Across generations, biodiversity has left its imprint on the ways people live, the memories they carry, and the heritage they preserve. That imprint endures, connecting the past to the future and reminding us that the story of humanity is inseparable from the story of biodiversity.

Biodiversity is a chain that runs from life to life. Because in nature, everything leaves its mark. And each mark leads to the next, on and on without end. Nature leaves marks on itself, from a shard of stone to mountains, from a drop of water to seas, from deserts to vast forests. Everything is the work of constant change. Nature leaves its mark on the way we live, even on our character and our faith. Water decides where we settle. Soil and wind decide how we build. Heat and cold decide how we endure. In time, this becomes habit. Habit becomes a way of life, and a way of life becomes character. And a single shift can change the course of an entire community. Nature is part of who we are. People come to resemble the land around them. Mixed in with the marks of nature are other marks, ours. The mark we leave is the road, the garden, the bridge, the city. It is also the felled forest, the emptied land, the polluted air and water. Some marks bring good, others bring loss. And the losses are growing, putting biodiversity at risk. How do we create without destroying? The path COP17 sets out on begins at Armenia and will cross the whole world. Leaving its mark on the long road from conflict with nature to reconciliation. COP17 is where the world acts together to leave a positive mark on nature and on the future. COP17, Yerevan, Armenia. Taking action for nature.

A sound becomes a melody, a movement becomes a dance, a color, a pattern, a shape becomes a work of art. Inspired by nature, people give form to what they see and feel. The rhythms of the living world find their way into music. Craftsmanship and traditions pass from one generation to the next. Through culture, this connection takes on a human voice, carrying the memory of nature and giving it new expression.

Mother Nature. People have called her that for a long time, in language after language. Why? Because she feeds us, not the body alone, heart and the spirit with it. In trying to know her, we built a world of our own, but never apart from her. Nature is in our culture, stone and script, thread and song. All of it is the second life of Armenian nature. It's where we came to know ourselves and where we found the forms our thoughts and feelings could take. Our temples follow the quiet lines of the mountains, almost extending them. Some are carved into the rock itself and become part of it. Our letters come to life as if setting out on a long journey. In our manuscripts, we shape them into birds, marking the flight of the mind and the reach of knowledge. The beauty of nature, its colors, its perfect lines. we wove into our carpets. And so we brought nature into our homes and surrounded ourselves with its images. In our songs, the nightingale is the voice of love, the quail is the bride, and the crane is the one that carries our longing. Our dances have set the strength of the mountains in motion. Our way to great dreams, we built like a wall going up, stone upon stone. and the will it took, and the struggle, we struck out with our palms like rams in combat. Our whole way of seeing was born of Mother Nature. Our mind and our spirit still draw their strength from her. Nature is in our culture.

Play from the Fosters. Play all songs of the Kapil Sharma Show. Play from the Khan Ride Destination Weekend Dhamaka. Play from the Khan Ride Destination Weekend Dhamaka.

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, we kindly ask for your patience while the stage is being prepared for the next part of our program. Thank you. The floor is given to His Excellency Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

Excellencies, distinguished heads of states, UN Secretary-General, Honorable representatives of the government of the Republic of Armenia, dear delegates, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Republic of Armenia. Welcome to the Leaders for Nature Summit, which is taking place within the framework of the COP17 Conference on Biodiversity. It's a great honor for us to host this summit and the COP17 Conference on Biodiversity, and I hope it will be productive and will contribute to the protection of biodiversity on planet Earth. This is a special topic for the government of the Republic of Armenia, and we feel a special responsibility towards our nature. because we must admit it was our nature that saved us in our difficulties, in the difficulties of the Republic of Armenia, and we had the misfortune to abuse it. In the early 1990s, when the Republic of Armenia gained independence, an energy and socioeconomic crisis began in Armenia as a result of the collapse of the Soviet economic system and the conflict. The country found itself in a blockade. There was not sufficient electricity, gas, or oil, or coal. And people heated their homes mainly with wood. The capital city, Yerevan, transformed very quickly. And thousands of chimneys of stoves could be seen sticking out of the windows of apartment buildings. In these conditions, mass deforestation, mass logging of Armenia's forests began, which in the almost complete absence of economic activity became one of the country's profitable businesses. Trees were being cut down even in the streets and in the parks of the capital city Yerevan, and it was very difficult for the authorities to combat these phenomena. Thus, thousands of hectares of forests and green areas were cut down in Armenia. Poaching spread widely, dealing a heavy blow to our nature and our biodiversity. A similar situation also arose in Lake Sevan, which is the largest freshwater lake in the South Caucasus. It is located at an altitude of around 1,900 meters above sea level. It is the largest lake of the Republic of Armenia. In the early 1990s, when chains of imports and production were essentially broken, and there was a problem with daily food in the Republic of Armenia, the fish reserves of Lake Sevan came to our rescue. Without exaggeration, for several years the Sevan sig, the coregonus, was the main food product feeding the population of Armenia. This, in turn, brought the fish reserves of Sevan to the brink of depletion, where, in addition to the sig, an exclusive fish species endemic to Lake Sevan also lives. It's the Sevan trout, the prince, with its four subspecies. Ladies and gentlemen, in a recent speech, I said that we, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, the government, state authorities, and local government bodies have a duty to return to our nature. And this perhaps reflects the policy that we are trying to pursue. Of course, on the path to protecting Armenia's nature and biodiversity, we have both successes and failures. I would like to give a specific example. In 2018, when I became the Prime Minister of Armenia as a result of the people's nonviolent velvet revolution, one of my first decrees was to stop illegal logging, which was still of quite a large volume. This decree created a strong reaction, especially in the Davush region, which is my birthplace and which is also one of the most forested areas of our republic. Protests began in my hometown because many people in my home area, because many people due to the inertia of the 1990s were earning a living through illegal logging. On that occasion, I visited the village of Hagar Sin, which is my maternal village, my mother's village, and a large part of my relatives live there. People were very aggressive. I tried to explain to them that by preserving the forest, one can earn more than through illegal logging. People, even many of my relatives, did not want to listen to me. But we showed that we are principled and we fought against illegal logging as much as possible. And now, after one or two years, many people who were engaged in illegal logging changed their type of activity. The very same vehicles that just months ago were transporting wood cut in the forest to the markets began to be adapted and transported tourists to the wilderness, to the wild nature. And they noted with surprise that they really earn more and more easily that way. Now, when I pass through the village of Hagartsin, I am happy to see buses that bring tourists parked on the side of the road and tens of local cars that are designed to transport tourists to the forests and mountains. And this is undoubtedly a success story. The same people who years ago were cutting down the forest have now begun to cooperate with nature. Those who were engaged in poaching have understood that one wild animal caught on a tourist's camera brings not only tens of thousands of views to the tourist who caught the shot, but also new tourists, more tourists, and nature becomes a source of prosperity. Of course, The new flow of people comes with new challenges, but at the same time, awareness of managing the carbon footprint is growing among the public, and the government is taking steps to promote this. We have also introduced significant regulations to protect the fish stocks of Lake Sevan. In other words, to protect biodiversity, we adopted decrees regulating fishing in the lake, and the strictest possible controls are exercised during the egg-laying season, as a result of which the ceg stocks in Lake Sevan have significantly increased. For the first time in the history of our country, a water police operates on Lake Sevan. which, among others, has the task of providing support to the environmental protection authorities. These strict measures, of course, caused some dissatisfaction among citizens engaged in fishing. But I always ask a question that I think significantly disarms them. I ask them, dear citizens, For whom are we taking these strict measures aimed at preserving and developing the fish stock of Sevan? Who are we doing this for? Am I doing this for myself? Am I doing it for the people around me? And citizens know that the government is not doing this for itself or for our relatives. We are doing it for those same people engaged in fishing and for their future generations so that they have a sustainable and long-term source of income. And the results are obvious. Over the last 10 years, the total stock of cichorogonus as biomass in Lake Sevan increased more than tenfold. from a crisis of several hundred tons in the mid-2010s, basically being on the brink of extinction, to more than 4,500 tons as of July 2026. The government is also implementing a program to restore the Lake Sevan trout, ishan prince. stock and developed fish farming in Lake Sevan. Until 2025, the stock of Sevan trout was insignificant, under 20 tons in the lake. In 2025, the stock was estimated at about 138 tons, and as of July 2026, it was 374 tons. Today, trout is re-emerging in the nets. of Sevan fishermen. They say they only remember it with such frequency in the stories of their grandfathers. The program for restoration and development of Garabaghait river trout is also successfully implemented in the highland rivers of Armenia. There's a maternal stock already in place, and it is planned to continuously release into the highland rivers of Armenia. This year alone, it is planned to release about 50,000 fry. The next success story concerns the Caucasus leopard, which was considered an extinct species in Armenia. Today, six or seven individuals are estimated to remain in Armenia and two cubs were also seen in 2024. The presence of the leopard is an important indicator of a fully fledged ecosystem and the birth of a cub testifies to its stability. The reintroduction of the Caucasus red deer in Armenia program is another success story for us. This animal was also considered an extinct species in Armenia. A total of 22 individuals were released into the wild during 2022-2025. Eight fawns have already been born in the wild, which indicates that the reintroduced animals have begun to successfully reproduce in natural conditions. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, despite these successes, Unfortunately, illegal deforestation, poaching, and illegal exploitation of nature continue in Armenia. Also, for managing these problems, two years ago, we began to create an eco patrol service, basically an ecological police in the Republic of Armenia, which currently operates in four of our 10 Mars' regions and we will continuously introduce the service in the other regions as well. The service has the task of 24/7 protection of nature. We intend to develop this service technically as well as substantially, as well as in terms of the professionalism and the integrity of the staff. Our forests have a very strong capacity for regeneration. We are in parallel implementing and must continue to implement reforestation programs. We must also understand that without the protection of forests and without instilling an environmental mindset among people, it will be very difficult to achieve strong results. I also wish to express my words of encouragement and appreciation to those international and non-governmental organizations that have dedicated themselves to the work of reforestation or forest planting in Armenia. This is a very important task and we are ready to combine our efforts to achieve synergy. Bringing the mining industry into line with modern environmental standards is a particular challenge for our country. We are moving in this direction, albeit with difficult steps. The effective management of water resources, the introduction and development of water efficient, water saving systems and technologies are among the government's priorities. But here too, it's obvious that introducing a water saving mindset in our society is no less important. One should say the same about solid waste management, where unfortunately our successes are not of revolutionary significance yet. On the other hand, we must understand that change, especially in people's mindsets, takes place very slowly. And the solution here is consistency, continuity and we are determined to follow exactly this path. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the international community has already formulated the vision of living in harmony with nature and adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022, setting goals and clear targets for 2030. We are midway to achieving these targets, and we must honestly admit that collectively we are not yet on track as needed. Our challenge now is not to formulate new promises. It is to challenge -- the challenge is to translate the commitments we have already made into real action. The COP17 Conference on Biodiversity is a good opportunity for us to reach decisions that will change the situation. The Republic of Armenia is happy to support this opportunity. I wish success to the proceedings of the COP17 Conference on Biodiversity, and I'm grateful to you for your attention.

Please give a warm welcome to His Excellency Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Pashinyan, thank you very much for the warm welcome we are enjoying and for the excellent organization of the summit and of the COP. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the government of Armenia for hosting this vital summit and for sharing with us the wonders of the Caucasus. This landscape and everything in it is a reminder of why we are here. The food we eat, the water we drink, the very air we breathe, all are the gifts of biodiversity. Yet every day, Humankind saws another branch off through the tree of life. Climate chaos, invasive species, overgrazing and overfishing, excessive fertilizers, pesticides, plastics, and heavy metals, all these and more are driving the triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate chaos. Over 1 million species now face the risk of extinction, edging us ever closer towards an inhabitable world. It doesn't have to be this way. Four years ago, in Montreal, leaders agreed on a plan. The Kunming-Montreal Global Diversity Framework laid out a path to make peace with nature. But that was just the beginning. We need more action, more speed, and more will. Halfway to 2030, Yerevan is our moment of accountability. It is time to ask ourselves, are we doing enough? Dear friends, there is good news and bad news. The Global Diversity Framework has inspired action across the globe. Nearly 90% of parties to the convention have established national biodiversity targets, and over half have set out their own national roadmaps for delivery. Since 2022, an additional 1.3 million square kilometres of land and 6 million square kilometres of ocean have come under formal protection. But progress is uneven and far too slow. Even if current national commitments are met, only 26% of terrestrial and 12% of marine ecosystems will be protected by 2030. And this is well short of the promise made in Montreal to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030. Major gaps also remain in targets linked to economic systems, including those focused on reducing harmful incentives. And many of the critical elements of progress, including finance, capacity, cooperation, and data, are still largely missing in action. An OECD report released earlier this month found that biodiversity financing is less than half of the $200 billion we agreed and the framework. Excellencies, our world is being battered by conflict, climate chaos, food insecurity, disease threats, and more. And biodiversity is not a separate challenge. Addressing any of these crises requires addressing them all. There is no time to waste. The theme of this gathering is Leaders for Nature. Today, I'm calling for leaders across three key areas. First, government leadership. The flagship target of 30 by 30 is an acknowledgement of the science and the show of faith in multilateralism. Like healing the hole in the ozone layer, another landmark agreement signed in Montreal almost 40 years ago, It has the potential to become one of the greatest collective achievements in human history. I urge you, do all you can to meet this goal. Delivering on the framework will require a massive shift from policies that destroy nature to practices that sustain it. And these include zero waste and circle economies. sustainable farming and regenerative agriculture, monitoring, transparency and disclosure, and firmer enforcement of the laws already in place. I welcome the Yerevan Declaration, which vows to make this conference a turning point for our planet and to enshrine biodiversity in every government decision, from policies to budgets, to regulations. We can further support this action through deeper integration across all three Rio Conventions. Second, financial leadership. The stark truth is we are spending money on the wrong things. For every dollar invested in protecting nature, $30 are spent destroying it. In 2023, 7.3 trillion US dollars flows into nature-negative activities. Heavy industries that spill pollution, agribusiness that strips the land, and of course, fossil fuels. Subsidizing fossil fuels is subsidizing suicide. They are boiling our planet and are the scourge of biodiversity. I urge governments everywhere to end these handouts once and for all and to use the savings for people and planet instead. According to figures from UN Environment earlier this year, achieving the global biodiversity, climate and land restoration targets laid down in the three Rio Conventions requires scaling up investment in nature-based solutions to 571 billion US dollars annually by 2030. That is just half of 1% of global GDP, a small price to pay for a livable Earth. But governments cannot do this alone. The private sector must also step up. The Cali Fund is an innovative financing mechanism that allows the businesses that profit from nature to help protect it. I urge companies everywhere to contribute and governments to incentivize participation. In this realm of renewables, businesses are already leading the way. Renewables are now the cheapest, fastest, and most secure source of new electricity. Since 2010, The cost of solar has plummeted by almost 90% and battery storage by 95%. Global clean energy investment has surged to nearly twice the capital being invested in fossil fuels. And last year alone, renewables prevented carbon emissions equivalent to those of the US, the EU, and Japan combined. More and more countries are shaking themselves free from volatile and extortionate fossil fuel markets. But these benefits are not shared equally around the globe. Crashing debt, shrinking fiscal space, and an unjust international financial system force many developing countries to choose between nature and people. We know that sustainable development cannot happen without both. Through the Seville Commitment, world leaders pledged to right this wrong by increasing domestic and international financing for development, by having multilateral development banks aggressively scaling up investments, by bank shareholders providing fresh capital, allowing to expand concessional finance and unlock private investment, and by reforming the global financial architecture to give to the developing countries the participation and the influence that they deserve, bringing it in line with today's economic reality. We are far from what the world was in 1945. Third, we need the leadership of all. Environmental decline often falls hardest on the most vulnerable and those who did the least to cause the problem. But the solutions often arise from these same groups. From the global biodiversity framework to succeed, we need partnerships like never before. And this includes the innovation of young people, the energy of civil society, the participation of women, and of course, the leadership of indigenous peoples and local communities. By placing indigenous knowledge at the heart of biodiversity, we can harness one of the world's most powerful AIs, ancestral intelligence. These millennia-old practices that can bring humankind back into alignment with Earth, sea, and sky. Dear friends, I have 76 days left as Secretary-General. Over a decade in office, one of my greatest priorities has been fighting the triple crisis of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and pollution. And this is because, like many of you, I have children and grandchildren. They are counting on us to be leaders for nature. In nature, leaders are nurturers, the matriarchs of elephant herds who know the path to hidden water in times of drought, The first bird in a migrating flock who cuts the air from those flying behind. The plants known as pioneer species, which have evolved to grow back first after wildfires and then reach the soil for those that follow. We must be nurturers too. Let us act with the urgency this moment demands for our children, for our future, and for all life on Earth. Thank you.

Kindly welcome to the stage His Excellency, Mr. Kasym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Dear Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, dear Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, ladies and gentlemen, It's a great pleasure to join you in the beautiful and ancient city of Yerevan, which embodies remarkable beauty and enduring traditions of the Armenian people. I'm sincerely grateful to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for the warm hospitality and for convening this tremendously important conference. We all gathered here to foster broad international cooperation for safeguarding our shared natural heritage. And it is about our common responsibility towards future generations. that we'll have to face formidable challenges and dangers. It is also about survival of our civilization because biodiversity sustains human well-being, economic resilience, and long-term security. Healthy ecosystems underpin food production, protect water resources, and support the livelihoods of millions of people. However, desertification and water scarcity, to name a few, pose a serious threat to the delicate balance between nature and human beings. For millions of people, shortage of water or degraded land have already become a daily real life. The most difficult consequence is that this process extends beyond borders, undermines sustainable development, and threatens global stability. Environmental agenda, with the right decisions and practical measures, must prevail political differences. We all need international cooperation which should be really friendly, unbiased, and, of course, lead to tangible results. Excellencies, Kazakhstan's vast territory, which is the ninth largest one in the world, holds extraordinary diversity of life. Preserving this heritage is both the national duty and international responsibility. This commitment is clearly reflected in our new constitution. For the first time in our history, the constitution explicitly enshrines the promotion of environmental culture as a fundamental principle of our statehood. Now citizens are obliged to preserve nature and treat its resources with due care. And the constitution also envisages protection of healthy environment for all citizens as one of major functions of our state. We are convinced that the preservation of our natural heritage must go hand in hand with economic progress. Our nationwide Taza Kazakhstan or Clean Kazakhstan movement puts these values into practice. I am delighted to see that this movement goes beyond environmental cleaneries, gains upper hand in mindsets and in the very daily behavior of our citizens and is becoming national ideology of our people. This shared sense of purpose gives us confidence to move forward boldly. And we are already seeing certain results. The extraordinary resurgence of the saiga antelope stands among Kazakhstan's major conservation achievements. This ancient animal survived the last ice age and remains very essential to the natural balance of our people and of our steppes. Today, Kazakhstan is home to around 98% of the world's saiga population. In 2003, just 21,000 species remained in our country. But this spring of this year, the numbers had reached impressive 4.7 million. The snow leopard, a proud symbol of our mountain heritage, is also making encouraging recovery. Around 70% of its range in our country are within protected areas. Reliable and sustained protection and systemic scientific monitoring have helped its population grow from critically low levels of '90s last century to nearly 190 animals today. Behind all these recoveries are years of hard and dedicated, determined work by the authorities, scientists, and international partners. Kazakhstan is also bringing the majestic tiger back to their historic home of Turan Tiger. And we are grateful to the Russian Federation, to the United Nations Development Programme, World Wildlife Fund, and other international partners, including NGOs, for the support and cooperation and goodwill. This July, the first tiger was released into the wild in Kazakhstan for the first time in more than 70 years. Together with our Czech, German, and Hungarian partners, we are also bringing pre-Soviet skill horses back to Kazakh steppe. Protecting the Caspian Sea and its unique biodiversity needs even more determination. At the recent first Caspian Environmental Summit in Turkmenistan, I called for urgent coordinated action to prevent fatal damage to this fragile ecosystem. The future of Caspian seals causes a particular concern. Its population has fallen from 1 million to 270,000 over the past century. In Kazakhstan, the Caspian seal has been officially listed as a rare and endangered animal. We urge all five littoral states and the international community to increase efforts to protect these species. The tragedy of the Aral Sea is a stark reminder of the devastating cost of reckless exploitation of nature, and we must not allow the Caspian Sea to suffer the same fate. Each of these conservation efforts shows that patience, dedication, hard work, and target-oriented international cooperation can achieve a lot in terms of practical results. To reach these achievements, Kazakhstan is establishing International Fund for the Protection of Rare Species and Biodiversity. This major initiative will bring together scientific expertise, conservation partnerships, and financial support to reach enduring results. We invite our international partners to join this important and useful endeavor. This initiative is complemented by our national biodiversity 10 years program, which guides habitat restoration, species safeguarding, and the expansion of protected areas. We are also launching the National Bank of Genetic Biodiversity. Kazakhstan's engagement also extends across the region. This April, Astana hosted the UN Regional Ecological Summit, which adopted the Astana Declaration on Environmental Solidarity in Central Asia. With the support of all five littoral states, Kazakhstan is spearheading interstate program for the conservation of the Caspian Sea's water resources. This joint effort aims to address declining water levels, protect the sea's unique biodiversity, and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Our experience shows that meaningful progress is possible, and lasting success depends on whether we want and are ready to work together. Anyway, despite certain positive results, we should make international environmental governance more effective. Water governance is a very important area where closer multilateral coordination is essential. Last year, Kazakhstan proposed to establish international water organization within the United Nations system. And we believe that this initiative may become a joint one, representing Central Asian states with the door open for all countries to get in. Our aim is to strengthen water security and protect the ecosystems that depend on healthy rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Today, effective cooperation is possible if based on digital technologies and artificial or super intelligence that can transform the way we monitor ecosystems, manage natural resources, and predict environmental threats. Kazakhstan has made AI and digital transformation a national priority. We offer the International Artificial Intelligence Center in Astana as a platform for joint research, biodiversity data analysis, early warning systems, and specialist training. And last but not least, to strengthen regional engagement, Kazakhstan offers to harbor branch office of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Almaty. This office could support countries across Central Asia in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, facilitate scientific exchange, and help develop joint conservation projects. We invite the Secretariat and the Parties to the Convention to support this proposal. Dear participants, at a time of international divisions, and uncertainties. Protecting nature remains a responsibility we can successfully deliver only together. We all have no right to ignore the importance of this endeavor because it is the future of the planet which is on stake. Therefore, COP17 should make a decisive step from commitments to real results. with the United Nations at the center of our collective efforts. The Yerevan call to action is planned to give serious impetus to the whole movement ahead. There should be no chance for stepping back or even making a stopover. Kazakhstan stands ready to work with the Armenian presidency and all partners to carry this momentum forward and leave a safer, more resilient and sustainable world for generations to come. I wish Armenia every success in leading COP17. Thank you very much.

Please welcome His Excellency Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful. Excellencies, heads of state and government, and heads of delegations, Mr. Pashinyan. Mr. Executive Secretary of the Convention of the Biodiversity, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, at the outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency Nikol Pashinyan, the honorable Prime Minister, as well as to the government and the people of the and neighboring Republic of Armenia for hosting this momentous event and for the gracious invitation extended. It is a profound privilege for me to address the global family of the Convention on Biodiversity, a community that views the safeguarding of nature as a preservation of humanity's common future. Today, we stand at a critical juncture. in history, where biodiversity is no longer merely a scientific or environmental concern. Rather, it is inextricably linked to peace and security, health, water and food security, and intergenerational equity for the inhabitants of the planet of Earth. The Islamic Republic of Iran was among the first nations to officially recognize the international and legal significance of this matter and to accede to the Convention on Biological Diversity. And, nevertheless, Iran's bond with biodiversity extends beyond the duration of our formal membership in an international convention. And these are home to thousands of -- and this is the basis of for the supply of water, health and security, and also flexibility against and durability to a lot of risks. In Iran, we have this biodiversity and with Persian Gulf, and it is actually interwoven with the history of Iran, with the geopolitical variety, deeply and and entrench in human history and civilization, friendship, reverence, and stewardship toward the nature constitute an integral pillar of the culture, religious, and spiritual identity of Iranians, invariably viewed as a sacred trust for the future generations. Throughout history, numerous traditional practices of livelihood, agriculture, animal husbandry, utilization of medical plants, and indigenous wisdom have evolved through profound understanding and adaptation to nature regarding thousands of years of harmonious human nature Consequently, for Iran, protecting biodiversity transcends the mere preservation of species and habitats. It represents the safeguarding of a natural culture and civilizational heritage in my country. anchored in a long-standing ethos of reverence for nature and alignment for nations and global commitments. We have the the national biodiversity strategy and action plan and has been formulated and enacted department environment has been designated as a national focal point and a mechanism for non-governmental participation prioritizing local communities has been official ratified by the government. The preservation of the threatened species and restoration of vulnerable populations. Ladies and gentlemen, today feel compelled to address a critical reality that can no longer be overlooked in global discussions on biodiversity. War. War does not merely target human lives and economic infrastructure. War inflicts profound devastation. upon nature. It reduces forests to ashes, obliterates wetlands, poisons arable soils, jeopardizes vital water resources, shatters fragile habitats, displaces wildlife populations, and unleashes hazardous chemicals and heavy metals into delicate natural cycles. The environmental scars of the war can persist for decades, long after the cessation of hostilities. The international community is now. Acutely averted environmental destruction during armed conflict is neither a collateral nor a minor byproduct of war. Such devastation bears a direct, undeniable nexus to the security and prosperity of future generations. In our region, including within Iran, the environmental repercussions of military aggressions demand for greater and more urgent security by global community. The aggressive wars The aggressive wars instigated by the United States and the Zionist regime in our region, through the devastation of industrial and energy facilities, rampant fires, the emission of pollutants, and the contamination of soil and water, have seriously threatened natural ecosystems and decimated the conservation infrastructure painstakingly built over years of dedicated efforts to protect biodiversity. This is neither an exclusively domestic issue nor one confined within the political borders of single nation. Nature recognizes no political boundaries. The proliferation of water, soil, atmosphere, pollution, Atmospheric pollution does not halt at national frontiers. Therefore, the ecological change damages stemming from war inherently possess a global dimension and necessitate international solutions. The ecological toll of armed conflict may endure for years, even generations, and propagate across vast distances. A poignant testimony to this reality is the staggering magnitude of destruction inflicted upon the oppressed Gaza Strip, where, according to expert assessments, vast tracts of land will remain incapable of supporting life for natural, ecological, and botanical cycles for centuries to come. What has transpired in our region as a consequence of aggressive wars constitutes ecocide, an environmental genocide that must be unequivocally condemned. We expect the international community to establish effective, transparent, and enforceable mechanisms to safeguard our natural heritage and biodiversity. No nation should ever be permitted, in times of war, to relegate nature to silent and defenseless victim. Ladies and gentlemen, The Islamic Republic of Iran remains steadfastly committed to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the global objectives of nature conservation. In Iran, we pursue the protection of national landscapes, wetlands, forests, and rangelands, wildlife habitats, and genetic reserves in tandem with sustainable development. However, fairness and realism must prevail. A country that confronts the compounding pressures of climate change, persistent drought, water scarcity, desertification, and resource depletion on the one hand, alongside the profound burdens of illegal economic sanctions and restricted access to advanced technologies and financial resources on the other, and which has endured for two consecutive years, criminal wars involving the widespread deployment of destructible prohibited weaponry, frequently with the deliberate intent of environmental devastation, such as targeted attacks on fuel reserves and the capital, truly requires genuine international cooperation to fulfill its environmental mandates. sustained losses and to remedy sustainable losses. Biodiversity conservation, absent adequate financial provisioning, equitable access to knowledge and technology, and robust capacity building will remain confined to diplomatic rhetoric, non-binding resolutions, and unfulfilled targets. If we genuinely expect developing nations to protect their forests, wetlands, species, and genetic reservoirs, we must committently furnish them with unfettered access to the necessary instruments to discharge this profound responsibility. This is a true embodiment of environmental justice. We firmly believe that biodiversity finance must be rendered more accessible, equitable, and commensurate with the actual exigencies of developing countries. Furthermore, the transfer of cutting-edge technologies, capacity building, the advancement of indigenous knowledge and the active engagement of local communities must occupy the focal point of the Convention's implementation agenda. The international community must acknowledge that nations subjected to economic sanctions or military aggression should not be left to bear in isolation the heavy ecological tolls of sanctions or wars, which they were never the instigators. Accordingly, we call upon the United Nations agencies, international financial institutions, and relevant organizations dedicated to environment and sustainable development to strengthen mechanisms for mobilizing financial resources, assessing environmental damages, restoring degraded ecosystems, and supporting affected states in mitigating the ecological fallout of armed conflicts. Distinguished attendees, the preservation of biodiversity cannot be achieved through a monolithic approach, a solitary sector, or the isolated mandate of a single institution. Rescuing our planet and preserving the environment necessitates a shared understanding and natural comprehension among all the regarding unprecedented challenges confirming humanity coupled with the responsible deployment of diverse solutions. These solutions must account for differing national circumstances, the priorities, capacities and pathways refraining from imposing disproportionate burdens on developing nations. while affording them to requisite means and opportunities to reconcile nature with conservation with sustainable development. The Islamic Republic of Iran stands fully prepared to share its scientific, academic, and empirical capacities with other nations, engaging constructively with global community and this shared endeavor. We firmly believe that biodiversity conservation can serve as a vital cornerstone of peace diplomacy in a region grappling with security crises spawned by the illegal and expansionist presence of external powers, alongside climate disruptions, water deficits, and ecosystem degradation, environmental cooperation forge enduring bridges among nations, paving the path toward universal peace and security, harmony with nature, and a sustainable future of living in a balance with the natural world, a future emancipated from war, carnage and destruction, wherein biological diversity serves as a common bedrock for the prosperity and flourishing of the present and future generations. I thank you for your attention.

The floor is given to His Excellency, Mr. Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic.

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of the Republic of Armenia; Excellency, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres; Excellencies, heads of state and government, distinguished heads of international organizations, ladies and gentlemen. At the outset, I would like to extend my profound gratitude to the government of the Republic of Armenia and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity for organizing this summit. It provides a valuable opportunity to address one of the most pressing issues on the global agenda. Biodiversity conservation and the protection of nature are central priorities of Tajikistan's policy for sustainable development and the well-being of our people. We are taking continued measures to align our national priorities with the sustainable development goals while strengthening the domestic, legal, regulatory, and strategic framework of those necessary for the implementation. To date, Tajikistan has adopted 25 laws in the environmental sector and enacted a number of key strategic documents, including Tajikistan National Strategy for the Conservation and Rational Use of Biodiversity. Covering the period up to 2040, the strategy has been updated in line with objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It sets out clear objectives and priority areas for immediate action, taking into account our national needs and capacities. Tajikistan has also acceded to 11 international environmental conventions. Among these, the Convention on Biological Diversity holds a place of particular importance for us. Ladies and gentlemen, Tajikistan's specific geographical location and diverse natural and climatic conditions have shaped a rich variety of ecosystems. mountains account for 93% of our territory, contributing to the exceptional specificity of our natural environment. We attach particular importance to the protection of rare and threatened species of flora and fauna. A notable illustration of our progress is that over the past 10 years, The markhor population has quadrupled, while the populations of markhor, polar sheep, and snow leopards have each risen to one and a half times their previous amount. Alongside our national efforts, Tajikistan places particular emphasis on strengthening international cooperation and mobilizing global attention to the conservation of rare species. At our country's initiative, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24th of May as the International Day of the Markhor. This observance promotes awareness of the need to conserve the markhor and its natural habitat while encouraging international and regional cooperation in support of these efforts. More broadly, effective conservation requires the active participation of local communities and the creation of economic opportunities that directly support the protection of nature. We therefore regard ecotourism as an effective means of combining environmental protection with regional socioeconomic development. Mr. Chair. Biodiversity conservation is a continuing endeavor, and the challenges that remain call for our concerted action. Our immediate priorities include improving the monitoring of rare species and the accuracy of population assessments. We must also sustain our greening initiatives and modernize our waste management system. These tasks are particularly important in the context of population growth, the development of green industry, and rapid urbanization. The pressure on ecosystems are not confined to domestic factors. Global climate change, habitat degradation, and unsustainable land use are having an adverse impact on the ecosystem and the biosphere. Each year we face accelerated glacier melt, as well as hazards such as droughts, dust storms, floods, mudflows, and landslides. Tajikistan therefore recognizes adaptation to climate change and the reduction of associated risks as an integral component of its long-term sustainable development policy. For our country, biodiversity conservation is inseparable from the protection of water resources, particularly glaciers and mountain ecosystems. Coordinating international efforts on water, climate, and biodiversity is consequently of particular importance. Over the past 25 years, Tajikistan has contributed remarkably to the global water and climate agenda through initiatives supported by the international community, particularly by the United Nations and its agencies and institutions. These initiatives have helped to advance internationally agreed water-related goals, including those set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The high-level international conferences convened under the Dushanbe voter process have become productive platform for inclusive political dialect, stronger partnerships, and coordinated actions. They also support preparations for United Nations voter conferences. Dushanbe will host the United Nations Water Conference in 2028, which will undertake the final comprehensive review of progress towards the objectives of the International Decade for Russian, the voter for sustainable development, 2018 and 2028. The conference will provide an opportunity to chart a new course for multilateral cooperation on water. Environmental protection, including biodiversity conservation, will feature prominently in the conference's interactive dialogues. We are firmly convinced that the conference's final document, The Dushanbe Water Framework will make a significant contribution to addressing the urgent challenges facing our planet's biodiversity. Distinguished participants of the summit, glaciers, snow cover, and other components of the cryosphere are integral to the natural systems that sustain our water resources and ecological balance. Their rapid retreat is among the most visible manifestations of a global climate change. For Tajikistan, which has lost more than 1,300 glaciers over recent decades, glacier preservation and the study of the cryosphere are matters of both national and global significance. These laws underscore the urgency of strengthening scientific understanding and coordinated international action. At Tajikistan's initiative, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Glaciers Preservation. It also designated 21st of March as the World Day for Glaciers. Another important milestone was the proclamation of the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences 2025-2034, an initiative jointly championed by Tajikistan and France. The Decade was officially launched in 2025 with the participation of the leaders of both countries and UNESCO. Ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion, I wish to emphasize that we must move beyond identifying challenges to taking coordinated action and delivering tangible results. Experience demonstrates that biodiversity conservation can achieve lasting outcomes only when political will is supported by scientific knowledge, adequate financial resources, technological capacity, effective monitoring and robust multilateral cooperation. We hope that this summit will give renewed impetus to international cooperation on biodiversity conservation and effectively foster response to other pressing environmental challenges. I thank you very much for your attention.

Please give a warm welcome to...

Dear Mr. Chairman, distinguished heads of delegations, ladies and gentlemen, at the outset of my speech, I would like to congratulate His Excellency Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, on hosting the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Also, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for organizing this important event. The slogan of this conference, Acting for Nature, is particularly relevant at the time when climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss are intensifying. National borders do not limit climate change and biodiversity loss. Addressing these global challenges requires strengthened international cooperation and consolidated efforts by all countries. In this regard, the Kyrgyz Republic attaches particular importance to the coming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and continues to take concrete measures to implement it. I would like to reaffirm Kyrgyzstan's support for Armenia's initiative to establish the Yerevan Platform on Biodiversity and Mountain and Freshwater Ecosystems, as well as our readiness to actively participate in this work. Dear heads of delegation, the Kyrgyz Republic is a mountainous country renowned for its rich biodiversity. From the unique walnut fruit forest of Arslanbob to our high-altitude alpine meadows, our country is home to an invaluable natural heritage. We are proud with our role as a symbol of snow leopard conservation, as this iconic species serves as a key indicator of the health of Central Asia. With 94% of its territory covered by mountains, the Kyrgyz Republic views nature conservation not merely an environmental issue, but also as essential part of ensuring our national security and creating the conditions for wellbeing. At our initiative, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2023-2027 as the five-year of action for the development of mountain regions. As the culmination of this initiative, we are hosting the second Global Mountain Summit, Bishkek+25, in Bishkek on October 21st, 23rd in 2027, in cooperation with the United Nations. I am confident that the summit will serve as an important platform for defining future priorities for international cooperation on the sustainable development of mountain regions and for the improving of well-being of mountain communities. Taking this opportunity, I invite all countries, international organizations, and partners to participate in the Bishkek+25 Summit. Dear participants, as a result of global warming, glaciers in Central Asia are melting, posing serious threat to mountain ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. In the framework of addressing this pressing challenge, the Kyrgyz Republic proposes four key initiatives for the consideration by the international community. First, establishing dedicated mountain program within the global environmental facility in order to facilitate mountain countries' access to international grants and environmentally friendly technologies. Second, establishing global center for mountain resilience in Bishkek. The center would facilitate the preparation of climate finance projects for mountain regions, data collection, and scientific research. Particular attention would be given to studying glaciers, which supply water to half of the world's population. Third, introducing debt-for-nature swap mechanisms. The Kyrgyz Republic proposes converting the external debt of developing countries into commitments to implement green projects and protect forests and glaciers. We call on international partners and financial institutions to support this practical instrument. Fourth, strengthening interstate cooperation in protecting rare and endangered wildlife species and birds in Central Asia, including the snow leopard, Tian Shan brown bear, and argali. Dear colleagues, as we are all aware, The scale and pace of climate change have exceeded the capacity of any single mountainous country to address them alone, making consolidated action by the international community essential. Taking this opportunity, I would like to reiterate the address I made on the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. My address concerns the unique high-altitude lake, Lake Issyk-Kul, which is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and included into the list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Today, this invaluable freshwater reservoir is under severe climate stress. Over the past 170 years, the lake's water level has fallen by nearly 14 meters, while over the past five years, the rate of decline has reached 7 centimeters. Out of the 101 rivers that we have historically flowed into Lake, only around 30 now are year-round. The melting of glaciers in the Tian Shan Mountain, which are the main source of water for Lake Issyk Kul, poses a direct threat to the region's biodiversity and economic stability. In response to that, we are mobilizing all available domestic resources to preserve the Lake Issyk Kul. The state concept for the sustainable development of the Issyk-Kul ecological and economic system until 2030 is being implemented. Responsible government agencies are undertaking extensive efforts to preserve the flora and fauna of the lake and its waters. Specifically, over the past four years, nearly 70 tons of various types of waste and approximately 580,000 meters of illegally placed synthetic fishing nets was removed from the lake bed. The loss of the Lake Issyk-Kul would not be merely a local tragedy. It would become irreversible environmental disaster for the entire region. In this regard, I would like to inform that the Kyrgyz Republic has initiated the work towards establishing a dedicated joint trust under the auspices of the United Nations to preserve the Lake Issyk Kul. Taking this opportunity, I call upon international financial institutions and donor countries to support our initiative and participate in establishing the trust fund. In order to demonstrate our commitment through concrete action, we are ready to contribute 10 million U.S. dollars from the state budget. Dear summit participants. Today, the key task before us is to make biodiversity conservation as an integral part of economic policy, investment planning, and regional development. I firmly believe that investing in nature means investing into economic resilience, public health, and well-being of future generations. Let us never forget that protecting nature is our shared responsibility and our duty to future generations. Thank you for your attention.

Kindly welcome to the stage His Excellency, Mr. Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan.

Distinguished heads of state and government, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Nikol Pashinyan for the high standard of organization of the summit, the hospitality extended to us, and the arrangements made to ensure productive work. The present summit of leaders provides a valuable opportunity to reaffirm the common political will of states to preserve the planet's biodiversity and to move from commitments already undertaken to concrete practical action. Turkmenistan consistently supports the objectives and principles of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We proceed from the understanding that biodiversity loss, climate change, desertification, and land degradation are interconnected challenges that directly affect the environmental security and sustainable development of countries. Distinguished participants, Turkmenistan, with its unique natural ecosystems, ranging from the Karakum deserts to the mountain range of Kopet Dag and Qoyat Dag and the Caspian Sea coast, regards the preservation of its natural wealth as an important area of state policy. In this work, we are guided by the following priorities. First, the improvement of the national system of specially protected natural areas, the development of environmental monitoring, and the protection of rare animal and plant species. An important instrument in this work is the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Turkmenistan for 2026-2035, developed in cooperation with international partners and taking into account the objectives of the global biodiversity framework. Second, the expansion of regional cooperation aimed at conserving transboundary ecosystem, animal migration routes, and natural resources. Particular importance is attached to the environmental well-being of the Caspian Sea, the conservation of ecosystem in the Aral Sea Basin, and combating desertification. We proceed from the understanding that effectively addressing these challenges requires coordinated action by states, scientifically grounded solutions, and long-term mechanism for cooperations. Third, making the fullest possible use of the potential of the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and international environmental protection mechanisms. We attach particular importance to cooperation with UNESCO in the fields of nation, natural heritage, conservation, and the advancement of scientific research. The inscription of natural areas in Turkmenistan within the transnational World Heritage property, Cold Winter Deserts of Turan, is a clear example of how international cooperation contributes to the preservation of unique ecosystems. And we consider it important to further develop cooperation with the relevant United Nations bodies, including in the scientific study of natural processes, the conservation of fresh water and marine ecosystem, and the improvement of environmental monitoring methods. And I'm convinced that the scientific expert and institutional capacities of the United Nations system must be fully harnessed to achieve global biodiversity conservation goals. Fourth, ensuring the necessary conditions for fulfilling international environmental commitments. of paramount importance are developing countries' access to financial resources and modern technologies, the strengthening of national capacities, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, including digital sequence information of genetic resources. Distinguished participants of the summit, during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Turkmenistan will continue to advance initiatives aimed at strengthening international cooperation in environmental security and climate resilience. In particular, we advocate the establishment of the Ashgabat Climate Dialogue as an open, multilateral platform for regular political and expert engagement, the promotion of practical initiatives, and the strengthening of international partnership. We attach particular importance to combating desertification and enhancing the resilience of arid regions to the impacts of climate change. In this regard, Turkmenistan is advancing the initiative to establish a regional center for combating desertification for the countries of Central Asia. We regard these areas of work as an important component of comprehensive international efforts to conserve ecosystems, ensure the rational use of natural resources, and achieve the sustainable development goals. Turkmenistan firmly believes that Global environmental goals cannot be achieved without taking into account the interests and specific needs of developing countries, including landlocked developing countries. In this regard, particular importance is attached to the outcomes of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries is reflected in the Awasar program of action for 2024-2034 and the Awasar political declaration. We consider it necessary to strengthen international support to expand access to climate and environmental finance facilitate the transfer of modern environmental and digital technologies and develop sustainable infrastructure capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change. At the same time, the principles of equity, solidarity, and equal partnership must underpin international efforts to conserve biodiversity. Multilateral cooperation mechanisms, including South-South cooperation, are called upon to play an important role in this regard, enabling states to pool their experience, knowledge, and capacities in pursuit of common environmental goals. I'm confident that the forthcoming 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity should provide further impetus to the implementation of commitments undertaken and the strengthening of international cooperation. Turkmenistan reaffirms its readiness to engage constructively with all interested states and international organizations. And we believe that bringing together political will, scientific knowledge, and practical capacities will make it possible to preserve the natural heritage of our planet for the benefit of present and future generations. Thank you for your attention.

Please welcome His Excellency Mr. Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia.

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Your Excellency, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to join you at the Leaders Summit on Biodiversity in Yerevan. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the United Nations and to the government of Armenia for bringing us together under the theme of Leaders for Nature. This summit provides an important opportunity to reaffirm our shared responsibility and strengthen our collective commitment to protecting nature. As we look towards 2030, the question before us is no longer what we have agreed, but what we are delivering. The urgency of this task is particularly evident in Georgia, which lies within the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot and is home to an exceptional diversity of ecosystems and species. Our varied landscapes, from high mountain ranges to extensive forests and more than 26,000 rivers, make the conservation of natural habitats a key priority. Protecting this natural heritage, maintaining ecological connections, and restoring damaged ecosystems are central to Georgia's approach. Today, Georgia's protected areas cover more than 1 million hectares, representing over 15% of the country's territory. Areas protected under international biodiversity conventions collectively encompass 23% of the country's land area. Our national heritage has also received international recognition, including the UNESCO-listed Colchic Rainforest and Wetlands and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. These achievements provide a strong foundation for further progress. Georgia supports the global ambition to conserve at least 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, with particular emphasis on effective management and long-term protection. Our work extends beyond conservation areas. Over the past decade, forest restoration and planting measures have covered more than 7,000 hectares, and we aim to carry out such work on at least 20,000 hectares by 2030. We are also making progress in restoring threatened wildlife. Recovery measures for six priority species demonstrate the value of sustained conservation efforts. For Georgia, biodiversity is deeply intertwined with the country's history, cultural identity, and agricultural traditions. As the cradle of wine, Georgia has an 8,000-year-old winemaking history confirmed by archaeological evidence, a remarkable diversity of more than 500 indigenous grape varieties, and the ancient Qvevri winemaking method, recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Equally significant is Georgia's ancient wheat-growing heritage, with 14 of the world's 27 documented wheat species found in the country, including five endemic species. Georgian wheat culture, recognized by UNESCO in 2025, further reflects the enduring connection between biological diversity, traditional knowledge, and the livelihoods of generations. Victoria's natural heritage continues to play an important role in the country's economic and social development. Healthy ecosystems sustain agriculture, secure our water resources, attract visitors, and create opportunities for small businesses to grow and thrive. Protecting them is therefore not merely an environmental responsibility, but an investment in economic competitiveness, job creation, and long-term prosperity. Georgia continues to demonstrate strong economic performance, with average growth reaching 7.6% in the first eight months of 2026. The World Bank has recently revised its projection for Georgia's economic growth upwards to 7% for 2026. According to its projections, Georgia is also expected to record the highest economic growth among European countries over the 2026-2028 period. Our priority is to ensure that this growth reaches our rural and mountain communities where livelihoods depend directly on nature. That is why we are making protected areas, forest restoration and sustainable tourism engines of local development so that conserving nature creates jobs and opportunities beyond our major cities. Achieving lasting progress also requires cooperation beyond national borders. In the South Caucasus, shared ecosystems provide a foundation for closer regional partnerships and sustainable development. Georgia is committed to working with its neighbors to protect this common natural heritage. Alongside regional cooperation, international partnerships play an important role in translating conservation commitments into practical results. Strengthening international cooperation, mobilizing resources, and sharing expertise are essential to ensuring effective and sustainable biodiversity preservation. As we approach 2030, our priority must be to translate global biodiversity commitments into concrete and lasting achievements. summit offers an important opportunity to reinforce our collective determination to fulfill the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and give further momentum to their implementation. We remain committed to working with international partners to safeguard biodiversity, strengthen conservation efforts, and ensure that the protection of nature goes hand in hand with the well-being of future generations. Thank you very much.

Please welcome His Excellency, Mr. Azouz Nasri, President of the Council of the Nation of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria.

In the name of God, the May peace be with you, ladies and gentlemen, heads of government, heads of state, and Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Ladies and gentlemen, may the peace of Allah be with you. I have the privilege on this occasion to participate in the work of this summit. And I am addressing you on behalf of the President of the Republic of Algeria, Mr. El Majid Tabboun. And it's an honor for me to transmit his salutations to you and his wishes for success. Allow me to express my warm and heartfelt thanks to the Republic of Armenia, the people of Armenia, for having welcomed us with a high degree of professionalism and warmth on the holding of this summit of leaders, which is being held during the COP17. We express our thanks to Armenia for having organized this multilateral event, and which we are -- where we are meeting in a very difficult situation, where there's an exacerbation of environmental crises and we have to be aware of the need to reconcile between the economic development imperatives and at the same time the preservation of biodiversity. We therefore have to rehabilitate the ecosystems. We have to have a rational and lasting or durable use of resources. Thus, COP 17 of the Convention on Biodiversity is particularly crucial. In fact, it is the first stage that we have in order to draw up a balance sheet of what we have implemented within the Kunming-Montreal, the KMGBF. We're here to see where we stand and try to understand exactly what we have implemented, because the objective is to implement our objectives by 2030. Ladies and gentlemen, Chair, under the wise guidance of Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of Algeria, Algeria is working unswervingly to preserve its flora and fauna, a flora and fauna which we have a wealth of, but which is threatened by human activities, by the national natural catastrophes and disasters, deforestation, fires, forest fires, and so on. Algeria has turned its commitments into tangible results. In fact, we have actually implemented and updated a national strategy a national plan of action which supports biodiversity 2025 through to 2030. We have adopted an approach that has brought in all stakeholders. We've identified 24 national objectives or targets and 93 executive measures. within the KMGBF. We also have seen advances in terms of the preservation of biological diversity. We have, in fact, expanded the protected areas, which include 24 classified zones, which are protected areas that include forests, mountain ecosystems, deserts, my country, wetlands, it's also is working very hard to better understand the biological heritage, and we have made a list of 27,000 living species, of which 8,500 are flora and the others are -- the balance is fauna. Moreover, Algeria sees to the adoption of measures in order to preserve the natural parks, which include archaeological and historical zones. We have thus expanded the scope of the national conservation to more than by one more than one to to 1 million over 1 million square kilometers. The great green dam 4.7 million hectares. This dam is a natural system for preventing desertification. We want to -- we wish to restore the ecosystems on the basis of an integrated approach that brings the social and other factors and the benefits, economic benefits for local populations. We are working to preserve our natural resource and the plant cover. Thus, we have a national seed bank that we have set up. This is a national seed bank that assists us in guaranteeing food security and to register agricultural development which is durable, sustainable. Moreover, we have Yet another project, here the objective is to open a national museum on the environment. We are well aware, ladies and gentlemen, of the importance of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. However, our success should be measured by what is achieved on the ground. Moreover, biodiversity is crucial for the coming future generations, and this requires international cooperation that is commensurate with the challenges, and we therefore have to be given the measures which are commensurate with our ambitions. One must provide means for developing countries. These developing countries must be able to reach the commitments that have to be honored through technological transfer, through the strengthening of their capacity. we also have to take into account the national context and national context of these countries. Finally, Algeria would reiterate its support for this global framework. We hope indeed that the work of this conference will be crowned with tangible success through international cooperation and coordination, the target being to have durable, lasting development for everyone, and also to protect and preserve biodiversity. I thank you for your attention.

Please welcome His Excellency Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, United Republic of Tanzania.

Your Excellency, Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. Excellency Antonio gutis Secretary General of the United Nations your excellencies heads of state and government here present distinguished heads of international organizations ladies and gentlemen at the outset allow me to convey warm greetings from high Excellency Dr. Samia Sulu Hassan president of the United Republic of Tanzania to this important leader Summit I'm honored to participate in this summit on her behalf and to reaffirm Tanzania's strong commitment to the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity. Tanzania is endowed with exceptional biological diversity, encompassing forests, wetlands, savannas, mountains, freshwater systems, and extensive marine and coastal ecosystems. This natural wealth is not only an environmental asset, it is fundamental to our food and water security, livelihoods, tourism, fisheries, climate resilience, and sustainable economic development. Tanzania, therefore, welcomes the opportunity provided by the Leaders' Summit to strengthen political commitment and accelerate implementation of the Kunming Montreal global biodiversity framework towards 2030. Excellencies, the global ambition for biodiversity conservation must be matched by concrete actions. Tanzania has developed and submitted its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2025-2030, which provides a framework for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, sustainable use of biological resources, and cross-sectoral participation. Across the United Republic of Tanzania, we are strengthening the management and restoration of protected areas, forests, wetlands, wildlife habitats, as well as marine and coastal ecosystems. In Zanzibar, for example, marine conservation area have expanded from five to seven, increasing conservation coverage from approximately 2,400 square kilometers to more than 3,600 square kilometers. In addition, Two new marine conservation areas in Pemba, pledged at the third United Nations Ocean Conference, was gazetted in June this year, bringing an additional 1,300 square kilometers under formal conservation management. These experiences demonstrate our conviction that biodiversity conservation must deliver benefits to communities. Local communities are essential partners in conservation, restoration, monitoring, and sustainable use of natural resources. Conservation efforts must therefore promote inclusive governance, equitable benefit sharing, and sustainable livelihoods. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, as we pursue the 30x30 ambition, conservation must go beyond designation. It requires effective management, sustainable financing, ecological connectivity, and meaningful community participation. Yet, developing countries continue to face significant challenges in mobilizing resources, technology, and technical capacity to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework. Tanzania, therefore, calls for adequate, predictable, sustainable, and accessible biodiversity financing, including through the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund. We also call for strengthened technology transfer, scientific and research cooperation, and capacity building to enable developing countries to effectively monitor, manage, and restore their biodiversity. Excellencies, as we look towards COP17, and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Let us ensure that our commitments are translated into measurable action on the ground. Tanzania supports a strong political outcome from the summit and looks forward to the adoption of the Yerevan Call to Action as a basis for accelerated implementation towards 2030. I thank you.

Please welcome Ms. Teresa Rivera, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Dear Prime Minister Pashinyan, dear Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, dear heads of state and government, dear colleagues and dear friends of the biodiversity, good morning, good afternoon already. Thank you for bringing us together in Yerevan and for your very warm welcome at such an important moment for the global biodiversity agenda gathering. We all proud of our nature. and committed to preserve and restore it. This is the moment to take stock, being aware that our societies depend on healthy ecosystems and losing them poses systemic risk for our societies. 55% of the global GDP is highly dependent on nature, with estimated annual losses of $10 trillion. More than 75% of global food crops rely on pollinators, and their decline directly threatens global food security. Over half of modern medicines are derived from natural sources. Water is the most precious good for people, food, and well-being. And around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to land use, land use change, and forestry. Healthy ecosystems are our strongest and most cost-efficient defense, but it is also the foundation of human prosperity. So protecting and restoring biodiversity is an investment in our well-being, in peace, in our future, in our economics, and in the next generations. It is about preventing the next pandemics and developing new medicines. It is about mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts. It is about securing our water and food security, and it is about protecting the natural resources on which every single sector of our economy and our communities rely upon. The coming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was created to deliver. real momentum. Our priority is to turn the ambition that we achieved and backed in 2022 into delivery. Since 2024, we have seen significant efforts and major developments, such as the High Seas Treaty, which is key to protecting our ocean and biodiversity. But we still lack progress on a plastics treaty. The first global review of implementation is clear. We need to accelerate action if we want to reach the goals we back in Montreal. Bending the curve of biodiversity loss requires a real shift at global level, but also at the local scale. For the European Union, credibility abroad starts with delivery at home. Action and focus on identifying where we lag behind and where we need to close the gaps. We are stepping up our own efforts through the European Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Our natural restoration regulation turns our ambition into concrete legal obligations and national restoration plans. Plans that need to strengthen resilience, support sustainable farming, water management, and reduce future losses from floods and droughts. Globally, the European Union is scaling up financial support and co-leading the Ocean Eye initiative to advance scientific knowledge, boost the blue economy, and protect the ocean's health. We call on others also to join. Action and finance is key because without adequate resources, implementation will stall. This is why we must deliver the roadmap agreed at COP16 in Cali, work towards a permanent financial mechanism and mobilize funding from all sources with a broader donor base. And there are good news. International public finance for biodiversity increased by 94% in 2024 compared to the period 2018 to 2020, according to the OECD data. We at the European Union are on track to double our international biodiversity finance to 7 billion euro during the period 2021 to 2027. 35% of our next budget will contribute to climate and environment objectives. And I am very pleased to announce today that the European contribution to the flagship Nature Africa Initiative has reached a total of 1.6 billion euros, which is 200 million euros more than the initial commitment. New funding this year is going to the Greater Sankouma Landscaping, the Fouta Djallon in Guinea, as well as to other major transboundary landscapes in the Congo Basin in Southern Africa. I take this opportunity to welcome the needs replenishment of the Global Environmental Facility and to remind us of the relevant role that the development banks take by doing more for natural positive investments across sectors. We count on the Global Environment Facility and the multilateral development banks in closing the international finance gap. But this is not only about mobilizing more money. It is also about changing where money goes. UNEP estimates that natural negative finance reached $7.3 trillion in 2023. That is almost 30 times what we invest in nature-based solutions. We cannot keep financing the destruction of nature with one hand and paying for its repair with the other. We have to use public finance better, reform harmful subsidies, give investors clarity that could be important to allow them to invest. We need to explore high integrity natural credits with strong safeguards and fair benefit sharing with local communities. to return benefits to local communities. But to achieve that, we need to work much more. We are promoting a sustainable finance taxonomy and strengthening international cooperation in this field by launching at this COP a group of friends on natural credits. This is why we want to make the Cali Fund work and to make it attractive for companies to contribute. A pilot phase could build trust and show that it delivers. In the current challenging geopolitical times, we need transparent and accountable multilateral governance for sharing the benefits of digital sequence information. It may be time to look ahead what AI, artificial intelligence, means for this field and to what extent we can ensure a healthy, sound, and safe development of artificial intelligence consistent with natural boundaries. Biodiversity cannot be protected only by governments. We are local communities and indigenous people. We need civil society and other stakeholders as essential partners in our endeavor. Women are particularly relevant in this endeavor. They are also particularly committed and concerned. Youth equals the future, the ones being to face the legacy that we may leave. Therefore, their voices need to be heard. Their full and effective participation is a condition for success, especially as the new subsidiary body on Article 8a takes shape. Let me conclude by welcoming Armenia's strong emphasis on action, inclusion and political momentum with this call for action that we have invited to back. This Yerevan call for action should send a clear message of leadership. We expect outcomes that match the scale and urgency of this crisis. Ongoing geopolitical tensions and rapidly accelerating impacts, heat waves, droughts, fires, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, pollution are not separate challenges, but interconnected. So what should we leave Yerevan with? Faster implementation, more finance and adequate incentives, a Cali Fund that delivers, real inclusion of all those who make delivery possible. The European Union is ready to play its part to back and support the efforts of Armenia. We want to work with seriousness, openness, and determination, recognizing that healthy ecosystems are indispensable for climate resilience, for human prosperity, for water security, for food security. Let us make Gerevan the moment we move from promises to proof. Thanks a lot.

Please welcome Mr. Khaled el Enany, Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Your Excellency, Prime Minister of Armenia, Your Excellency, Secretary General of the UN, Your Excellencies, Head of State and Government, Dear heads of international organizations, distinguished guests, I wish to thank His Excellency Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Government of Armenia for convening this summit at a decisive moment. We meet at the midpoint of the coming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, with progress already achieved, but much more still to be done to meet its 2030 agenda. The good news is that we know what works. This year, UNESCO published the first assessment of its global network of over 2,300 cultural and natural heritage sites, biosphere reserves and geoparks, covering 13 million square kilometers. Despite the global decline in biodiversity, wildlife populations across these sites have remained broadly stable. This resilience reflects the long term commitment of the 900 million people living in these sites, local communities, indigenous people, children, youth, women, researchers, experts and policymakers. It echoes our vision for UNESCO for the people, because protecting biodiversity means supporting those whose lives and livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems. Our challenge now is to scale up these successful approaches using UNESCO-designated sites to implement national biodiversity strategies, monitor progress and test solutions. This requires education and capacity building. UNESCO is pleased to contribute to the draft Global Plan of Action for Education on Biodiversity, which will be considered by the CBD parties at COP17 in the coming days. Beyond raising awareness, we must empower young people and local communities with the knowledge and skills to become agents of change, develop solutions, and participate fully in decisions shaping the future of biodiversity. Science and knowledge are equally essential. UNESCO will continue to accompany Member States by fostering international cooperation through its Man and the Biosphere Programme, established in 1971, and providing critical data for evidence-based policymaking through the Ocean Biodiversity Information System and the Global Ocean Observing System. We'll also reinforce our support to the intergovernmental science policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services, IPBES, promote open science, and integrate local and indigenous knowledge system through our links program. We are equally determined to strengthen the connection between biodiversity and heritage, including through the upcoming Nature and Culture Summit, alongside the Armenian presidency and the CBD secretariat. The summit also provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation with governments, development banks, the private sector, and local communities, including in areas such as sustainable tourism. Ladies and gentlemen, the next four years will determine whether the framework delivers on its promise. I remain confident because we already have many of the tools, knowledge, and partnerships we need. Now we must turn them into action and lasting results. UNESCO stands ready to mobilize the full breadth of its mandate from education, science, culture, and communication, and work with all partners to accelerate action for people and for the planet. Thank you.

Please welcome Mr. Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China.

Your Excellency Prime Minister Pashinyan, Your Excellency Secretary-General Guterres, heads of state and government, and heads of international organizations, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It's my great pleasure to be here in this beautiful city of Yerevan for the COP17 Leaders' Summit. First of all, on behalf of China, I would like to express sincere gratitude to Armenia for its kind invitation and thoughtful arrangement for this conference. Biodiversity constitutes a vital foundation for human survival and development. As the presidency of COP15, China has advanced the COP15 process with the highest political will and most robust actions, spearheading the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which charts A blueprint for global biodiversity conservation up to 2030 and beyond. Over the past four years, guided by the KMGBF, global political will for biodiversity conservation has kept growing. All contracting parties have strived to update their biodiversity strategies, action plans, and national targets. And they've been working hard on this goal. We're happy to see that the positive progress in global ecological restoration and conservation. More than 100 million hectares of land are under restoration or improved management. Protected natural areas is expected to exceed 20% of total land areas. Half of the monitored wild animals populations are witnessing steady growth. The remote sensing data shows that over the past decade, the loss rate of global high ecological intact areas has dropped by one third, deforestation rate has fallen by one fifth, and mangrove areas have achieved a net increase. Among the world 33 megacities, around two thirds have registered rising proportion of blue and green spaces. In recent years, Under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping thought on ecological civilization, China has enacted and enforced the ecological and environmental code, pioneered the red line system in ecological protection, accelerated building a nature reserve system with national parks as the mainstay, and carried out major biodiversity conservation projects. China's forest areas and stock in volume have both increased for 40 consecutive years, while the desertified sandy areas have kept shrinking for years in a row. A 3,050-kilometer ecological shelter belt has been built around the Taklamakan Desert. Mangrove area have reached 31,700 hectares, up 44% from the beginning of the century. Over 80% of China's key protected terrestrial wild fauna and flora are under effective protection. the threat level of nearly 500 wild species have been lowered, and population of more than 300 rare and endangered wild species are growing steadily. Meanwhile, through initiatives for implementing the KMGBF and the jointly built Green Belt Green Road, China has worked with all contracting parties to spare no effort in delivering the KMGBF. China took lead in contributing 1.5 billion Chinese RMB to set up the Kunming Biodiversity Fund. It has financed 31 projects in two batches, benefiting 45 countries, effectively helping developing countries strengthen conservation capacity. Ladies and gentlemen, while acknowledging these achievements, we must be sober-minded. Half of the implementation time the KMGF has elapsed, and yet gaps remain between actual progress and set goals and visions. Progress towards the 30 by 30 target is lagging. Only 60% of terrestrial and 30% of marine protection targets have been fulfilled. There remains a huge global funding gap for biodiversity. Ecological degradation has not been reversed on a fundamental level. Tens of thousands of species face extinction. Unregulated resources use and invasive alien species remain acute challenges. The international community should further build consensus, enhance cooperation, and adopt systematic and transformative measures to deliver the targets on schedule. Here, China wishes to put forward three proposals. to share with all contracting parties. First, stay resolved and focus on concrete actions. We should speed up the delivery of commitments on resource mobilization and capacity building, advance national strategic action plans, and translate targets under the KMGBF into national policies and practical measures. Second, work together for win-win cooperation. We should uphold true multilateralism, follow the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, scale up financial, technological, and capacity-building effort for developing countries, and advance full, balanced, and effective implementation of the KMGBF. Third, pursue multi-stakeholder governance and advanced transformation. We should improve a multi-stakeholder governance mechanism featuring government leadership, corporate participation, social collaboration, and public engagement, strengthen interdepartmental corporate coordination and policy coherence, and boost resilience for sustainable development. through enhanced biodiversity conservation. Ladies and gentlemen, biodiversity conservation is a shared responsibility and mission for all mankind. China stands ready to work with all parties to deliver global targets through practical actions and contribute wisdom and strength to build a shared future for all life on Earth. In closing, I wish COP17 a complete success. Thank you for listening.

Please welcome Her Excellency, Miss Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Excellencies, colleagues and friends, four years, four years remain to deliver the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. And the first global review of collective progress gives us both a clear warning, but also three clear messages on the wall. Number one, progress is real, but it is uneven and far too slow. Unless implementation is rapidly accelerated, the 2030 targets and the mission of the framework will not be achieved. Today, we must therefore go beyond reaffirming ambition We must send a political signal that implementation will now move at the speed and at the scale that science, communities, and future generations require. To do so, we must focus on three priorities. First, turn the global review into real action agenda. At this COP, Parties should agree to a credible and action-oriented Yerevan Pathway that responds directly to the gaps and barriers identified across all 23 targets, with particular attention to areas where progress is weakest. This also means moving from negotiations to practical application. The Convention already has programs of work, guidance, standards, and scientific assessments at hand. Our priority should be to put these to good use, strengthen national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and to translate global commitments into measurable national delivery. Second, Match ambition with the means of implementation. The resources available for biodiversity remain significantly below what is required. We must follow up on commitments made at the last COP and implement the resource mobilization strategy. This includes further capitalizing the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, advancing national biodiversity finance plans, aligning public and private financial flows with the framework, and importantly, repurposing harmful subsidies and incentives. Finance, ladies and gentlemen, must also be accessible. It must also be predictable and timely. This includes access for developing countries and, crucially, direct access to indigenous peoples and local communities. Capacity and knowledge are equally fundamental. Countries must have access to expertise, technology, data, and practical support. Third, deliver quality, equity, resilience, not numbers alone. Target 3 illustrates this imperative. Achieving 30% coverage will not by itself secure lasting conservation outcomes. Protected and conserved areas must also be effectively managed, equitably governed, ecologically representative, and well connected. The rights, knowledge, and stewardship of indigenous peoples and local communities must be respected supported. And as the Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, we must celebrate, invest in ancestral intelligence. The same focus on quality applies across ecosystems. For forests, we need stronger protection of primary old growth forests and restoration using the right species in the right places. For marine and coastal biodiversity, we must renew our commitment to the existing program of work and build coherent synergies with the agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. And because biodiversity loss and climate change are indeed interconnected crises, implementation must strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacity of ecosystems. Excellencies, Leadership means making biodiversity a whole-of-government, a whole-of-society priority. It means coherence across ministries, economic sectors, and international agreements. It means enabling indigenous peoples and local communities, women, young people, cities, subnational authorities, businesses, and civil societies to contribute. while recognizing that their action complements but cannot substitute for the responsibility of states. The message from Yerevan should be unequivocal. The time for incrementalism is over. Let us make COP17 the moment when the world shifts from commitments to coordinated delivery, to systemic change, to measurable results. Our UCM stands ready to work along all of you, alongside our 1,400 members and 18,000 experts to deliver lasting impact for nature and for people. His Excellency, Prime Minister of Armenia, His Excellency Nikol Pashinyan said, "Nature is our duty. It's responsibility, therefore, cannot be postponed or delegated. Thank you very much for your attention.

Please welcome Ms. Lucy Mulenke, co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity Indigenous Information Network.

Hello, everyone. Excellencies, invited guests. Yes, my name is Lucio Mlenke, reading the statement on behalf of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity and the Indigenous Women Biodiversity Network. First, let me thank the American government for the welcome and wonderful reception we have had since we arrived. We thank you for the opportunity to also attend this summit. As we stand and we start COP17, we reaffirm our commitment to help achieve the coming global biodiversity framework. our land, territories, cultures and stewardship practices are living systems that sustain and protect biodiversity every day. To us, biodiversity is the foundation of our lives, peace, prosperity and well-being. We are here to work with you in the next days with a hope and commitment. It is our hope that Today, the Leadership Summit provides strategic direction, strengthen political commitment towards the implementation of the coming global biodiversity framework, and provide platform that will raise ambition and global action for safeguarding biodiversity. Excellencies, invited guests, we are-- yeah, technology, yeah? We are at the halfway point of the implementation of the coming global biodiversity framework. The global review must provide a clear evidence-based assessment on progress, identify gaps and set out concrete and actionable pathways to 2030. This requires accurately reflecting the distinct roles, rights, and contribution of indigenous people and local communities, women, youth, and other relevant groups that we work with out there. We want you to celebrate with us as we attend 30 years of our work, working and participating in the Convention on Biological Diversity. Years we have worked so hard to be where we are today. We then today strongly call for the historic COP17 adoption of the modus operandi of the subsidiary body on Article 8j and related provisions of the convention to ensure continuity, coherence and meaningful participation. Further, we call for the adoption of the voluntary guidelines developed under the task 1.1 and 1.2 of the programme of work on Article 8j. We urge parties to maintain integrity of the next already agreed in AJ, the first meeting of the subsidiary body on AJ in Panama. These guidelines must be implemented in a manner consistent with human rights, customary governance, tenure systems, and free, prior, and informed consent. We support keeping the guidelines, the principle guidelines, including principle and cultural relationship, customary governance, diverse values, system under equity and intergenerational equity. Ladies and gentlemen, direct access to funding is very, very important. And I think many of the speakers today, their excellencies and different, the prime ministers have mentioned this today, for indigenous people and local community is very important. Resource mobilization must be strengthened, not weakened. The ability of indigenous people and local community to implement the global framework in line with the targets 19 and other targets within the global framework are very, very crucial. Any attempt to introduce the requirement that will create barriers and contradict the principles of accessibility will take us 30 years, which we have already achieved, and will take us those years back again. Indigenous people and local community reaffirm the Cali Fund must deliver real, timely and direct funding to communities, upholding the COP16 commitment that 50% of all DSI-related funding flows to indigenous peoples and local community, ensuring direct access without intermediaries or burdensome requirements. We urge parties and all of you to advance and allocate methodologies that recognize indigenous people and local communities as rights holders and beneficiaries, ensuring that companies and parties contribute fairly to a mechanism that supports stewardship, equity, and the implementation of the global framework. And that fund go to direct in the ground to support indigenous people and local communities. Ladies and gentlemen, excellencies, taking action to conserve biodiversity is taking action for nature. We must act now. Thank you.

Please welcome Dr. Adil Najem, President of the World Wildlife Fund.

Excellencies, leaders, friends, it's an honor to be here on behalf of WWF. I take this opportunity to thank our hosts, Armenia, not only for convening this important conversation, but also the government of Armenia, the Ministry of Environment, and others who work so closely with WWF here in Armenia in helping the good work that's happening there. Thank you very much. I would say again that we meet at a pivotal moment for people and nature. And I kind of smiled there because that pivotal moment has been with us for a long time. We know that this is a pivotal moment for people and nature. Around the world, communities are experiencing the consequences of environmental degradation through growing pressures on food systems, on water resources, livelihoods, and economic resilience. The latest findings of WWF's Living Planet Report remind us of the scale of the challenge before us. More than a 70% decline over the last 50 years, and the decline continues. But that's not the headline of the Living Planet Report, which I urge you to look at if you have it. The headline is that there is a science of hope that is beginning to emerge. In fact, nearly every speaker before me has given examples of the good things that are happening. And what the Living Planet Report is now trying to say is that maybe there is a pattern there. Maybe we are beginning to learn where the science of hope comes from. Solutions do exist, and many are already delivering. question before us, ladies and gentlemen, is no longer whether we know what needs to be done. We do. The question is whether we can deliver together at the speed and scale required. The question, if I might say, is also, why hasn't that happened before? This is why the Leaders' Summit and COP17 matters. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides the world a clear and ambitious roadmap. COP17 offers an opportunity to demonstrate that this roadmap is becoming reality through implementation, investment, and accountability. Allow me to share three very quick reflections on the questions that I had raised. First, and this too has been said before me, first, Nature is not a sectoral issue. Nature is not a place where you go to visit. Nature is not what you sit in your car, go somewhere, take a few photographs of pretty creatures or wonderful scenery. Nature is where you are. Nature is food. Nature is the water you drink. Nature is the air you breathe. Nature is what we are ourselves part of. Healthy ecosystems underpin economic prosperity, food security, climate resilience, and human well-being. The choices made in finance, in agriculture, in infrastructure, in trade and development all shape the future of nature. But let me also remind you that nature shapes all of that. That is the important point. Second, implementation is beneficial. and implementation is possible. Across the world, governments, indigenous peoples, local communities, businesses and civil society are already demonstrating practical solutions that benefit both people and nature. These experiences show that transformative change is not an abstract concept. It can happen. The question again is, why isn't it happening more? Why isn't it happening faster? The task before us to accelerate those trends. The transition towards nature-positive economies is not merely an environmental imperative; it is an investment in resilience, stability, and long-term prosperity. Third, implementation must be inclusive, accountable, and rooted in rights. The achievements we seek will only be durable if they are built on trust, participation and partnership. Indigenous people and local communities are amongst the world's most effective stewards of nature. Their knowledge, their leadership and their rights must remain central to biodiversity action. Excellencies, let me end not by saying something, not as president of WWF, but as a parent. I assume there are other parents in this room. I assume that those of you who may not yet be parents might have been children at some point. If so, you might resonate with what I want to share. And it is this. If you have ever remembered being on a long journey with young people sitting at the back of the vehicle At some point in that long journey, they keep asking this question, which is very annoying. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet. It's a very annoying question that many parents know, but it is a good question. I think young people all over the world are asking the same question of you and me. Are we there yet? And I think it's a good question. It's a fair question. They are not pointing fingers. They are smart. They will have the patience. They understand this is not easy. They understand it will take a lot. But I think we owe them an answer. Another thing to learn from young people, I think, is that they are very good at remembering promises. If you have children, you will know that you can pacify children by making promises about the future that are big and bright. But those promises will only be credible if they know that your past promises have been kept. That, I think, is also part of the challenge before us, because that challenge is of action. The world does not need a new vision. We have one. What it needs is delivery. What it needs is action. Let us make COP17 the moment when implementation becomes the defining story of global biodiversity action. Thank you very much and good luck.

Please welcome Dr. Christian Samper, Managing Director and Leader for Nature Solutions Mezas Earth Fund, former president and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Excellencies, delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very pleased to speak today on behalf of two coalitions of private donors that are supporting the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, specifically focusing on targets three and four. In 2021, we announced the Protector Planet Challenge, also known as POP, which brings together a coalition of 12 private donors that pledged to invest $5 billion by 2030 to help protect and conserve at least 30% of the world's land and ocean, working with governments and local communities. The partners include Arcadia, the Bezos Earth Fund, Bione Conservation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Boboli Foundation, Juniper Foundation, the Gordon Betty Moore Foundation, Neatero, Rainforest Trust, Rewild, the Rob Walton Foundation, and the Wist Foundation. Today, I'm pleased to share a short update on the coalition's progress. By the end of this year, the PAW partners will have already awarded $3.7 billion of the $5 billion pledge, putting us well on track to meet our original pledge ahead of 2030. Funding is important and it can be catalytic, but what is more important is the impact that funding makes possible. So let me share a few examples of how the POP funding has helped advance 30x30 in different parts of the world. We partnered with the governments of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador to triple the marine protected areas across the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean to protect 610,000 square kilometers, covering more than 30% of their EEZs. The POP and a group of public and private donors have provided $170 million to support this work. We have invested more than $110 million, partnering with Germany and other public donors, to support the Legacy Landscapes Fund that is protecting 16 landscapes, protecting an area totaling 500,000 square kilometers across four continents. And we plan to expand this across Africa next year as part of the Africa Keystones Initiative. We have supported Enduring Earth and the partnership to establish 10 projects for permanence globally, assuring durable finance for protected areas. This includes a $120 million investment for Arpa Comunidades in Brazil, working with WWF, that will protect 24 million hectares of forest in the Amazon, as well as the $180 million Gabon Infini project, that was announced during Climate Week to help Gabon, working with the Nature Conservancy, to meet its 30 by 30 goal. We have partnered with 16 Pacific Island nations, and we're investing $100 million to support the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity Initiative, including the protection of 30% of the EEZs, which will cover more than 10 million square kilometers. And we have announced an investment of more than $60 million to support the ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty, a crucial step to meet the 30 by 30 goal. Now, all these reasons give us reason for hope. But, you know, for some species, protecting habitat is simply not enough. According to the IUCN Red List, More than 31,000 species are classified as extinct in the wild, critically endangered, or endangered. This includes more than 10,000 critically endangered species, and 10% of those have populations with fewer than 50 individuals remaining. These species need targeted conservation actions, and they need it now, or we risk losing them forever. That is why target 4 is so important. It calls for urgent action to prevent human-caused extinctions and to help threatened species recover, as we heard from several speakers this morning. The Bezos Earth Fund partnered with Leonardo DiCaprio's Rewild to launch the Phoenix Species Project, which is an initiative designed to help recover 100 critically endangered species of animals and plants across 30 countries. And Phoenix is just one example of the greater ambition that we need from philanthropy. but we also need greater ambition and urgency from governments. So we welcome and celebrate the leadership of the governments of Armenia and Colombia, together with another 14 founding countries that are launching today the Coalition of Action to Recover Endangered Species, CARES. They'll be supported by the reverse They will be supported by the Reverse Action Network and the IUCN Species Survival Commission, which includes more than 10,000 experts and hundreds of conservation organizations. Governments are raising their ambition, and funders must do the same. So I'm very pleased to announce today that we're launching a new Species Recovery Donor Alliance, jointly with eight other private donors. They include the Ayers Wild Conservation Trust, the Bezos Earth Fund, the Colossal Foundation, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Fundacion Segr e, Fundacion Franklinia, Rainforest Trust, Rewild, and Wildlife's Earth. And today we pledge to all of you that we will invest an additional $500 million by 2030 to support the species recovery across more than 100 countries, helping implement Target 4. Here at COP17, we have an opportunity, and indeed an obligation, to turn the ambitious targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework into action. We now need to work together to implement them, and we stand ready to help you. Thank you very much.

Please welcome Ms. Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment, World Bank Group.

Good afternoon, Excellencies, friends. First, may I start on behalf of the World Bank Group by thanking the generosity and the kindness and warm welcome of the people and the government of Armenia for bringing us here today and over the next two weeks to talk, as His Excellency the Prime Minister said, about our duty towards nature. At the World Bank Group, our duty, our mission, is to end poverty. But we recognize that there will never be a world without poverty in a world without nature. That's why we invested just under 9 billion US dollars last year in nature finance. We were able to make these investments because together with partners, we have marshaled the evidence that proves without a shadow of a doubt nature is an engine of jobs and GDP. It underpins our shared prosperity. That 40% of the global workforce depends directly on nature. In many countries, that number goes up to 80%. We know that nature-based businesses create many more jobs than other types of businesses. So we have the information for action. We can count the ways that nature is a proven opportunity agenda. Now we are making that information visible to decision makers. Our work on natural capital accounting is making sure that information is visible to ministers of finance. Our work with the International Capital Markets Association is making sure that capital markets can see nature and can invest in nature. We're also working to make sure, as we've heard from so many people, that Indigenous peoples, local communities get their fair share of those investments. Our work on marine spatial planning, for example, is creating seats at the decision-making table for Indigenous peoples and local rights holders who know the ocean best, and building their capacity to take advantage of those seats. But we all know that information and inclusion aren't enough. We need robust incentives, we need strong institutions, and we need new financial instruments. Incentives are key to building the regulatory and policy environment that rewards the stewardship of nature, creates new markets, and attracts new private capital. That includes, for example, working to reimagine and repurpose agricultural subsidies to reduce their cost on the public purse, while ensuring that farmers have more money in their pockets. Predictable regulations are nothing. without the strong institutions to enforce them. That is why we are proud to support ministries of environment to have the organisational and everyday capacity to enforce laws and support their workforce, who are on the front lines. That is why we are also supporting micro and small businesses to organise to be able to access capital from their local money markets, so that they can also be part of this opportunity agenda. Finally, we are innovating new financial instruments to turn this opportunity agenda into real investments across landscapes. This means engineering new types of bonds, including blue bonds, for example, that allow countries and companies to raise money on capital markets to build a blue economy that also builds a healthy ocean. We've also innovated around outcome-based bonds that shift the risk of conservation failure away from the public purse and onto the markets. It also means using our capital to de-risk commercial ventures so that family farmers, tourism operators, and large companies that are willing to invest in nature can build profits from its conservation, restoration, and sustainable use. So our ask of all of you today is simple. Please count nature in your budgets and on your balance sheets, not as a risk, but as an opportunity. Invest in nature as productive capital that creates jobs and grows GDP. And put the people who steward nature, who call wild landscapes and seascapes their home, at the heart of decision making. the end of the day, when it comes to ending poverty and growing prosperity, nature is not a nice to have. It's a must have to deliver real quantifiable gains for people and for the planet. Thank you.

Please welcome Dr. Ieng So Phalet, Minister of Environment of Cambodia.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Government of Cambodia, I highly appreciate the Government of Armenia for hosting the Leaders Summit on Biodiversity under the motto Leaders for Nature. Here in this beautiful city of Yerevan, Armenia. Under the leadership of Prime Minister and built on the foundation of political stability established by Senate President, Cambodia reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability. The country recognized that nature and the environment are essential to green growth. food systems, economic prosperity, and overall livelihoods. Cambodia's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, NBSAP 2026-2030, is a national roadmap aimed at halting biodiversity loss, restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services, building ecosystem resilience, and promoting sustainable resource use. It aligns Cambodia's national priority with global environmental targets while supporting sustainable and inclusive participation and development. As an active CBD party, Cambodia leads biodiversity and climate efforts by designating 39% of its territory as protected areas. exceeding target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and expanding marine protected areas, among other key achievements, as stated in our submitted seventh national report. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the country launched the Green Sprouts campaign to plant at least 5 million trees annually. through free sampling distribution and public engagement. Fully realizing these goals require adequate financings, technology, and capacity development. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Cambodia fully support the biodiversity plan and the KMGBF, emphasizing that closing global funding gaps through clear financial mechanisms resource mobilizations, and strong political commitment is vital for success. Cambodia is eager to collaborate with the international community and local partners to implement its updated NBZAP, combat biodiversity loss, and achieve the vision of living in harmony with nature, provided adequate financings and capacity are secured. I thank you.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the Leaders' Summit will resume at 3:00 p.m. We will now take a break until then. Thank you.