Yerevan, Armenia - As the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) progresses towards its conclusion, growing calls for stronger implementation, increased investment in nature and deeper collaboration across governments, businesses and communities are emerging as defining messages of the global biodiversity conference.
The legacy of COP17, however, will need to be measured by more than the final outcome document. It will also depend on whether discussions and commitments translate into meaningful action to protect ecosystems, halt biodiversity loss and strengthen the resilience of communities that depend on nature.
Insights shared by experts from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), including Eeva Primmer, point to an evolving international conversation on biodiversity. Compared with COP16, held two years earlier, discussions at COP17 have placed greater emphasis on the practical benefits of investing in healthy ecosystems, particularly their role in reducing disaster risks, improving food security and strengthening resilience to environmental and climate-related challenges.
One of the central messages emerging from the conference is the urgent need to close the gap between global biodiversity commitments and their implementation. Experts have emphasised that scientific knowledge and policy frameworks must be matched by substantially greater financial investment in nature-positive solutions.
Businesses Increasingly Recognise Their Dependence on Nature
The relationship between biodiversity and the global economy has received growing attention during COP17. More companies are beginning to recognise that their operations, supply chains and long-term economic stability depend directly or indirectly on healthy ecosystems.
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Business and Biodiversity Assessment has further highlighted the connections between business activities and biodiversity. However, experts stress that recognising these dependencies is only the beginning.
Successful business practices must be scaled up, financial flows redirected towards nature-positive activities and stronger economic incentives developed to make biodiversity protection an integral part of business decision-making.
The emerging consensus is that the primary challenge is no longer simply a lack of scientific knowledge. Rather, it is the failure to translate existing knowledge into investment, institutional decisions and measurable action.
Nature-Based Solutions Must Become Part of Development Planning
Another important trend is the growing recognition that nature-based solutions and circular approaches need to be integrated into infrastructure development, urban planning, agriculture and business strategies from the earliest stages.
Rather than treating biodiversity conservation as a separate environmental responsibility, experts argue that nature must become a fundamental consideration in development planning and investment decisions.
Healthy forests, wetlands, rivers, grasslands and mountain ecosystems provide essential services, including water regulation, soil protection, carbon storage, flood mitigation and support for food production.
For climate-vulnerable countries such as Nepal, these approaches are particularly relevant. Investing in ecosystem restoration and nature-based disaster risk reduction can complement conventional infrastructure while strengthening the capacity of communities to withstand floods, landslides, droughts and other climate-related hazards.
Overconsumption Remains a Difficult but Essential Issue
Despite growing attention to sustainable production and consumption, overconsumption remains a relatively sensitive and less visible issue in international biodiversity discussions.
Excessive consumption contributes to the overexploitation of natural resources, habitat destruction and land-use change, placing increasing pressure on ecosystems worldwide.
Experts have highlighted the importance of emerging tools that can trace environmental impacts throughout global supply chains. These tools can help governments, businesses and consumers better understand the ecological costs associated with production and consumption and improve accountability for biodiversity loss.
Addressing overconsumption will require more responsible production systems, transparent supply chains, resource efficiency and changes in consumption patterns.
Science and Long-Term Transformation at the Centre of Biodiversity Action
COP17 has also highlighted the growing importance of research into long-term societal transformation.
The IPBES Nexus Assessment and Transformative Change Assessment provide important scientific insights into the interconnected relationships between biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change, as well as the structural changes needed to reverse biodiversity loss.
These assessments reinforce the importance of coordinated, inclusive and equitable approaches to environmental decision-making.
Experts argue that applying these findings can make biodiversity implementation more effective by addressing interconnected challenges rather than treating environmental, economic and social priorities independently.
Discussions at side events have also demonstrated increasing interest in sustainable trade in bio-based products and international cooperation through bio-based innovation platforms, opening opportunities for more sustainable economic models.
Armenia-Sweden-IUCN Partnership Advances Nature-Based Solutions
A notable development during COP17 was the launch of the initiative titled “Advancing Nature-Based Solutions in Armenia for Biodiversity and Resilient Communities.”
The initiative brings together Armenia, Sweden and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to accelerate the development and implementation of nature-based solutions in Armenia.
The partnership reflects the growing importance of international cooperation in translating scientific knowledge and biodiversity commitments into practical interventions that benefit ecosystems and local communities.
The Stockholm Environment Institute acknowledged the collaboration with the Government of Armenia, the Embassy of Sweden in Armenia, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and IUCN Eastern Europe and Central Asia, alongside other partners involved in discussions and initiatives during the conference.
What COP17 Means for the Future of Biodiversity
The discussions in Armenia carry important implications for countries facing biodiversity loss, climate vulnerability and increasing pressure on natural resources.
For Nepal and other Himalayan nations, the messages are particularly significant. Mountain ecosystems support freshwater supplies, agriculture, forests, biodiversity and livelihoods far beyond national boundaries. Their protection requires stronger scientific cooperation, sustainable financing, ecosystem restoration and meaningful participation of local and Indigenous communities.
The growing recognition of the relationship between biodiversity conservation, disaster risk reduction, food security and climate resilience offers an important opportunity to connect global commitments with national development priorities.
Ultimately, the success of COP17 will depend on whether governments, financial institutions, businesses and communities move beyond declarations and deliver measurable progress on the ground.
The conference has reinforced an important message: protecting biodiversity is not simply an environmental obligation; it is an investment in economic stability, human well-being, climate resilience and the future of the planet.
The challenge now is to turn the growing international recognition of nature's value into sustained political commitment, responsible investment and action at every level.
