Opportunities for financing biodiversity conservation and attracting private capital were discussed.
Hambardzum Matevosyan, Minister of Environment of the RA, participated in a discussion dedicated to the Cali Fund, the UNDP’s BIOFIN initiative, and opportunities for attracting private capital for nature conservation in Armenia.
Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan; Françoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia and Alexandra Cole, UK Ambassador to Armenia delivered opening remarks. Representatives of government agencies, international organisations, the banking sector, and the business community participated in the event. The Minister emphasised that one of the key issues for the upcoming COP17 in Yerevan is the mobilisation of financial resources for biodiversity conservation.
Referring to the work being carried out in Armenia, Hambardzum Matevosyan noted that, with the support of the UNDP BIOFIN initiative, the financial needs for implementing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan have been assessed, and 33 financing solutions have been identified. The first national Biodiversity Finance Plan is currently being prepared jointly with the Ministry of Finance of the RA.
The Minister invited banks, investors, and companies to collaborate on assessing nature-related financial risks, developing financial instruments for ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, and nature-based tourism, and making joint investments in the solutions identified within the framework of BIOFIN.
Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Meymaryan participated in a panel discussion titled “The Cali Fund and BIOFIN: From Global Commitments to Implementation.” The discussion addressed opportunities to implement these mechanisms in Armenia, mobilise financial resources, and strengthen international cooperation.
The event’s second panel discussion focused on green finance, private investment, public-private partnerships, and innovative financing instruments for nature conservation.