United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on governments, businesses and communities to intensify their efforts to protect biodiversity, warning that the world is not moving quickly enough to safeguard ecosystems and prevent further losses of plant and animal species.

Speaking at a leaders’ summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on the eve of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP17), Guterres stressed that protecting nature requires stronger political commitment, increased financial resources and coordinated international action.

The appeal comes as countries work towards the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, an international agreement adopted in 2022 to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

Global Biodiversity Targets Remain at Risk

Biodiversity supports essential systems that sustain human life, including food production, clean water, healthy soils and the regulation of climate. However, habitat destruction, pollution, unsustainable land use and climate change continue to place pressure on natural ecosystems.

The global biodiversity framework includes a target to conserve at least 30% of the world’s land, inland waters and coastal and marine areas by 2030.

Although countries have introduced conservation measures and expanded protected areas, progress remains insufficient to meet all the agreed objectives. Current national commitments would leave a significant gap between the protection expected by 2030 and the international target.

The upcoming COP17 meeting is expected to provide an important opportunity for countries to assess progress and identify practical steps to accelerate implementation.

Financing Nature Protection Becomes a Major Priority

Guterres highlighted the need to direct more financial resources towards protecting and restoring ecosystems. Conservation programmes often require long-term investment in habitat restoration, wildlife protection, sustainable agriculture and environmental monitoring.

Governments have a central role in mobilising public funding and creating policies that encourage environmentally responsible economic activity. Private companies and financial institutions can also contribute by assessing the environmental effects of their investments and supporting sustainable business practices.

Another priority is reducing financial incentives that encourage activities harmful to nature. Redirecting such resources towards conservation and sustainable development could help close the funding gap while supporting communities that depend on healthy ecosystems.

Businesses Urged to Support Sustainable Development

Companies operating in agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and other sectors can influence biodiversity through their use of land, water and natural resources.

Businesses can help reduce environmental damage by improving resource efficiency, limiting pollution, adopting sustainable supply-chain practices and investing in nature-positive projects.

International initiatives designed to encourage companies to contribute to biodiversity financing may also provide additional resources for conservation.

However, meaningful progress will require transparent reporting, effective implementation and clear accountability rather than commitments that exist only on paper.

Developing Countries Need Greater Support

Developing countries often contain highly diverse ecosystems but face financial and technical barriers to protecting them. Limited public budgets, debt pressures and competing development priorities can make it difficult to invest sufficiently in conservation.

International cooperation can help address these challenges through financial assistance, technology transfer, scientific research and capacity-building programmes.

Local communities and Indigenous Peoples also play an important role in protecting ecosystems. Their participation in conservation decisions can help ensure that environmental policies reflect local needs and recognise the knowledge of people who depend directly on natural resources.

COP17 Offers an Opportunity to Strengthen Global Action

The United Nations Biodiversity Conference COP17 is scheduled to take place in Yerevan from 19 to 30 October 2026. The meeting will bring countries together to review collective progress under the global biodiversity framework and discuss ways to speed up implementation.

Key priorities include improving biodiversity financing, strengthening national conservation plans, reducing harmful incentives and integrating nature protection into economic and development policies.

The outcome will be important for determining whether countries can turn existing commitments into measurable results before the 2030 deadline.

Protecting Nature Requires Collective Responsibility

Biodiversity loss is closely connected with food security, public health, climate resilience and economic stability. Damage to ecosystems can affect agricultural productivity, increase vulnerability to environmental shocks and undermine the livelihoods of communities around the world.

The challenge therefore extends beyond environmental ministries and conservation organisations. Governments, businesses, researchers, civil society and local communities all have a role in protecting natural systems.

Accelerating action now could help preserve ecosystems for future generations while supporting more sustainable economic development.