Armenia’s Minister of the Environment visits the Fridtjof Nansen Institute
How do you prepare to lead one of the world’s most important nature summits? That was the starting point when Armenia’s Minister of the Environment, Hambarzum Matevosyan, visited Norway, including a meeting with Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
In mid-April, the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) welcomed an Armenian delegation led by Minister of the Environment Hambarzum Matevosyan. The visit formed part of Armenia’s preparations to host the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) in Yerevan in 2026.
Over three days, the delegation met with Norwegian authorities and research communities to learn more about Norway’s approach to biodiversity governance, including the involvement of Indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as international cooperation on biodiversity. The programme included field visits in Oslo and to the Nordre Øyeren Nature Reserve, and concluded with academic discussions at Polhøgda.
What does it take to succeed internationally?
'The incoming COP presidency wanted to better understand how Norway works on biodiversity governance, and how they can best prepare to lead the negotiations in Yerevan', says Pål Wilter Skedsmo at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
At Polhøgda, researchers from the institute contributed analyses of international negotiations, biodiversity finance, and the links between climate and nature. Among others, Vegard H. Tørstad presented lessons from the Paris Agreement and what it takes to succeed in complex multilateral processes.
The visit was organised in cooperation with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Norwegian Environment Agency and Norad, and concluded with a meeting between the Norwegian and Armenian ministers.
'My impression is that Armenia is preparing thoroughly for its role as host, including by learning from the experiences of other countries', says Skedsmo.
An important milestone for global biodiversity policy
COP17 in Yerevan will be the first Conference of the Parties to carry out a global review of countries’ progress towards the targets of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This makes the meeting a key milestone in global efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
A new policy brief from FNI highlights lessons from the Paris climate negotiations (PDF, 1MB) and outlines concrete steps that can strengthen Armenia’s COP leadership, including broad participation and transparent processes.
