Biodiversity Cop17 seems to be stalling. Is it time to reform the process?

Biodiversity Cop17 in Armenia is struggling to turn discussions into results, with experts warning the process is “too cluttered” and running out of time to meet targets set four years ago. In Yerevan’s Meridian centre, negotiations appear subdued as ministers confront a likely failure to hit nearly all biodiversity goals. UN environment chief Inger Andersen says the system is delivering but “going too slowly,” echoing António Guterres’s call to do more and faster. A key problem is implementation: agreements lack clear ways to track slippage or penalize poor behavior. Calls for reform also point to overlap among conventions and the need to shift toward delivery rather than endless meetings.