OMM Newsroom
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed the importance of protecting biodiversity to advance environmental cooperation with neighboring countries. He said the COP17 biodiversity summit to be held in Yerevan could create opportunities for regional cooperation after more than 30 years of conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Speaking during discussions at a leaders’ summit ahead of COP17, Pashinyan said the impact of the conflict on biodiversity was clear to Armenia.
He said the conflict and the ensuing energy crisis caused serious damage to Armenia’s natural environment: thousands of hectares of forest were cut down, while widespread illegal hunting brought fish stocks in Lake Sevan close to depletion.
Pashinyan also said largely unplanned construction of military fortifications along the borders had damaged natural habitats and created further threats to biodiversity. He said forests had been cleared for defense needs, military infrastructure had disrupted ecosystems, and landmines posed a serious threat to wildlife through explosions.
The prime minister stressed that environmental damage caused by armed conflicts crosses national borders and reduces neighboring countries’ opportunities to work together to protect nature.
On the future of relations with Azerbaijan, Pashinyan said environmental issues could be discussed more broadly after the peace agreement provisionally agreed by the parties is ratified.
“Environmental issues are part of the peace process. After the peace agreement provisionally agreed with Azerbaijan is ratified, environmental issues will be discussed more broadly,” Pashinyan said.
He said discussions were already under way on exploring joint efforts to manage shared water resources and protect biodiversity. Noting that some rivers originate in one country and flow through another, Pashinyan said biodiversity connects countries and offers significant opportunities for cooperation.
