Workshop on “Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Armenia”
On 21 November 2025, the European Union Delegation to Armenia, in partnership with UNEP, organized an event on “Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Armenia” in Yerevan. This initiative, part of the EU Green Weeks, showcased the impact of EU- and UN- supported projects in Armenia and shared actions to integrate biodiversity into policies across the following sectors: tourism, health, food systems, and youth and education.
Key takeaways:
- With only 11 months remaining until the UN Biodiversity Convention COP17, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach is critical, mobilizing diverse stakeholders and forging partnerships with a sense of urgency and shared responsibility.
- Mainstreaming biodiversity across policies, strategies, and practices at all levels of governance is essential, supported by thematic discussions with concrete entry points.
- Hosting COP17 represents both a significant opportunity and a major responsibility, requiring strong intergovernmental coordination to ensure success.
- Enhanced collaboration between the EU, the UN and UNEP is anticipated to support Armenia’s COP17 preparations and advance systemic transformations in the country’s biodiversity agenda, through a coordinated sequence of events and initiatives leading up to the conference.
Opening Remarks:
- Vassilis Maragos, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Armenia
- Françoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia
- Aram Meymaryan, Deputy Minister of Environment, Armenia
At the start of the event, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos (EU Delegation to Armenia) emphasized that welfare and wellbeing are the ultimate goals for state action for the citizens, framing the COP17 as both an opportunity and a responsibility for public administrations to integrate biodiversity into governance and development strategies. Françoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia, highlighted the UN’s commitment to Delivering as One, combining local and global expertise to mobilize investments, support policy coherence, align strategies, and foster partnerships, including with the private sector and regional actors. The Deputy Minister Aram Meymaryan underlined that protecting nature is not only an environmental imperative but also a driver of sustainable development and economic opportunity.
Panel 1: Food Systems and Water - Integrating biodiversity into food and agriculture
- Audrey Gourdien, Programme Manager, AFD
- Nora Alanakyan, Deputy Head Office, ADA
- Levon Movsisyan, Component Manager, GIZ
- Botagoz Nartayeva, Country Programme Coordinator, FAO Armenia
- Moderator: Lawrence Jones Walters, Director of the Knowledge Base (KB) Programme for Biodiversity in a Nature Inclusive Society at Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands
The panel underscored the critical need for reliable data to inform decision-making and institutionalize monitoring through tools such as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs). Discussions highlighted the urgency of addressing water scarcity and inefficient management through advanced technologies, alongside a shift from a purely conservation-based approach toward economic models that make farming profitable and prioritize quality over quantity. While progress has been made in climate adaptation planning in Armenia, participants stressed the importance of government incentives to link sustainability with income and rural development, alongside consumer-driven demand for sustainable food. Finally, the panel called for stronger coordination, with central administrations taking a leading role in biodiversity mainstreaming rather than being consulted as an afterthought.
Panel 2: Health and One Health – Linking biodiversity and human wellbeing
- Dr. Siddhartha Sankar Datta, Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office
- Raimund Jehle, Head of FAO
- Dr Nune Bakunts, Deputy Director General of the National Centre for Disease Control
- Moderator: Lawrence Jones Walters, Director of the Knowledge Base (KB) Programme for Biodiversity in a Nature Inclusive Society at Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands
The discussion emphasized that biodiversity is not only about environmental protection, but that it is fundamental to human health and wellbeing. The WHO representative highlighted the role of health as a vehicle to safeguard biodiversity and raised concerns over the soaring use of antibiotics in livestock, one of the key driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Government representatives, including those from Armenia, identified AMR mitigation as a top priority and stressed the need for integrated approaches. Participants noted that framing AMR as both a health risk and an economic challenge can strengthen the case for action. Working in an integrated manner across sectors offers significant economic benefits, reinforcing the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration under the One Health approach.
Panel 3: Youth and Education – Empowering future biodiversity leaders
- Lia Kalforian, EU Young Ambassadors programme, American University of Armenia
- Sona Kalantaryan, Project Director, Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC)
- Thierry Lucas, Youth Training on Environmental Leadership, UNEP
- Moderator: Garabet Kazanjian, Assistant Professor at the American University of Armenia and a lead aquatic researcher at the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment
The session emphasized that climate change and biodiversity loss will profoundly impact and shape future generations, making youth engagement critical. Speakers noted barriers such as tokenism (symbolic involvement without real influence – author’s note), limited resources, lack of awareness, eco-anxiety, and few avenues for policy influence. The panelists further shared their initiatives aimed at empowering youth through education and environmental activities.
Meaningful youth engagement for COP17 involves co-created events with youth networks and translating complex concepts into accessible formats and local languages. Addressing the urban-rural divide, and promoting environmental education from an early age, were also highlighted, along with the need to showcase career opportunities in environment and sustainability to tackle Armenia’s skills gap. Despite existing challenges, investing in youth leadership was considered essential for addressing environmental crises and building a resilient future.
Panel 4: Tourism and Nature-based Economies – Conservation and livelihoods
- Armen Shahbazyan, National Co-Ordinator, Program for promotion of Eco-Corridors in the Southern Caucasus, WWF Armenia
- Anahit Voskanyan, Tourism Development Manager, Ministry of Economy, Tourism Committee
The discussion focused on the dual challenge of tourism development: creating economic opportunities for local communities while minimizing harm to the environment. Speakers stressed the need for proper mapping of natural zones and habitats, limiting activities in core areas, and ensuring balanced planning to minimize human interference. Strategies should include the monitoring of environmental impacts, building conservation capacity, and empowering communities as stewards of tourism projects. Raising awareness and ensuring that tourism revenues remain within local communities were highlighted as priorities. With COP17 expected to attract around 17,000 participants, Armenia will need to prepare to manage the influx sustainably.
Disclaimer: This summary reflects key messages from the event discussions and is intended to provide an overview for the website. It is not an official UNEP document or report.
