Bhupender Yadav Arrives in Armenia for CBD COP17, to Highlight India’s Biodiversity Conservation Efforts

India’s Ambassador to Armenia, T. Armstrong Changsan, welcomed the minister upon his arrival.

Yadav said he would present India’s perspectives, initiatives and achievements in conserving its biodiversity across bilateral and multilateral forums during the conference.

In a post on X, the minister said he would use the meetings to highlight India’s conservation efforts and share the country’s experience with international partners.

He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India had made progress towards achieving the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. He also highlighted the potential for India’s experience to inform efforts to strengthen access and benefit-sharing (ABS) implementation in different national contexts.

CBD COP17 focuses on global biodiversity commitments

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is being held in Yerevan from October 19 to 30.

According to an official statement, the conference provides an opportunity for countries to review collective progress towards implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for the first time.

The framework sets global targets for protecting biodiversity and promoting its sustainable use. Discussions at the conference are expected to focus on the progress made by countries and the measures required to advance international conservation commitments.

India’s participation will provide an opportunity to present its conservation policies and engage with other countries on biodiversity-related priorities.

Minister earlier stressed implementation of climate commitments

Earlier this month, on October 7, Yadav called for greater attention to gaps in understanding, the fulfilment of existing climate commitments and faster implementation of the Paris Agreement during the Pre-COP31 meeting in Fiji.

He led the Indian delegation at the preparatory meetings under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), co-hosted by Australia, Fiji and Tuvalu.

Pre-COP meetings are held ahead of the annual UN climate conference to facilitate discussions on priorities and potential areas of agreement. COP31 is scheduled to take place in Turkey in November 2026.

Addressing a plenary discussion on COP31 priorities in Fiji, Yadav said the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement had already established long-term objectives, including the ambition of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

He stressed that achieving these goals would require adequate means of implementation and a stronger focus on accelerating progress towards agreed climate targets.

India calls for consensus and practical action

Referring to the COP31 presidencies’ emphasis on consensus, decision-making and implementation, Yadav said there was broad agreement on the long-term direction of international climate cooperation.

He called for greater efforts to identify and address gaps in understanding, including those between scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge, between community practices and ethical considerations, and between available resources and the needs identified by communities.

The minister’s participation in CBD COP17 follows these discussions on climate action and implementation, placing biodiversity conservation alongside broader international efforts to advance environmental commitments.