{"id":21874,"date":"2026-10-20T06:36:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T06:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=21874"},"modified":"2026-10-20T06:36:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T06:36:34","slug":"dispatch-1-alone-at-cop17-my-first-hours-in-yerevan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2026\/10\/20\/dispatch-1-alone-at-cop17-my-first-hours-in-yerevan\/","title":{"rendered":"Dispatch 1: Alone at COP17\u2014My First Hours in Yerevan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Alison Mize, ESA Director of Public Affairs<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrived in Yerevan, Armenia, a few days early for the High-Level Policy Segment of COP17, expecting crowds of delegates and a buzzing conference atmosphere. Instead, I found myself in a surprisingly quiet city, accompanied mostly by journalists, security personnel, and the anticipation of a global gathering that had not yet fully arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My first destination was Republic Square, the heart of Armenian government and civic life. There, I waited to board the official COP17 shuttle bus to the Blue Zone, the secured negotiation area where government delegations, observers, and accredited organizations gather to advance implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Buses
Shuttle buses carry COP attendees from the city center to the meeting venue.
Image credit: Alison Mize<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Five large shuttle buses lined the square. Police officers stood guard, and tourists milled about taking photos of the city\u2019s iconic architecture. Yet among all those people, I could not spot a single conference attendee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tightly held my official \u201cPriority Pass,\u201d issued by the Secretariat and granting access to the shuttle and Blue Zone. Unsure where to wait, I approached a police officer and showed him my badge. He examined it carefully, exchanged puzzled looks with several colleagues, and soon the group was engaged in rapid Armenian conversation while studying the unfamiliar credential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then my COP angel appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Helpful local COP staff assist conference attendees as they navigate the vast event spaces.
Image credit: Alison Mize<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Her name was Lusine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a smile and calm confidence, she stepped forward and explained that the Priority Pass authorized my entry. Crisis averted, she boarded the shuttle with me and introduced herself as a member of the COP17 organizing team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we rode toward the venue, Lusine spoke proudly about Armenia\u2019s role as host. She explained that for the previous eight months she and her colleagues had been planning, preparing, and now implementing one of the world\u2019s most important biodiversity conferences. Armenia, she said, was honored and excited to welcome delegates from around the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we arrived, Lusine escorted me through registration and into the vast Blue Zone. Before we parted ways, she shared her WhatsApp number, which serves as the unofficial lifeline of every COP. With participants representing more than 150 countries, WhatsApp becomes the fastest way to coordinate meetings, solve problems, and stay connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside, the atmosphere was surreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The CBD COP17 conference center is set up to welcome thousands of attendees.
Image credit: Alison Mize<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The President of Armenia, several heads of state, ministers, and United Nations Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres were engaged in closed-door meetings. Security was exceptionally tight. The enormous conference venue felt almost empty, populated mainly by COP17 staff, world leaders, security personnel, and a small army of journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COP17, the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, marks a critical midpoint in the global effort to achieve the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by 2030. The conference focuses on accelerating action to halt biodiversity loss, protect ecosystems, mobilize financing for conservation, and ensure that countries remain on track toward international biodiversity targets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After saying goodbye to Lusine, I wandered through the Blue Zone and quickly located the Academic and Research area. It, too, was nearly empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A reporter named Diana Skaya from Polskie Radio was setting up equipment. Spotting one of the few attendees present, she immediately requested an interview. I agreed without hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A reporter from Polskie Radio is one of many members of the press attending the conference.
Image credit: Alison Mize<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Her first question was straightforward: What role does science play at COP17?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My answer was equally direct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science tells us whether our goals are being achieved. And when they are not, science helps us understand what actions, investments, and policies are needed to preserve nature and reverse biodiversity loss. Evidence allows policymakers to measure progress, identify gaps, and make informed decisions about protecting ecosystems and species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That message seemed particularly relevant given the discussions taking place behind closed doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The High-Level Segment brought together heads of state, ministers, Indigenous leaders, youth representatives, international organizations, and conservation experts. Leaders describe COP17 as a moment of accountability, emphasizing the need to accelerate progress toward halting biodiversity loss by 2030, close biodiversity financing gaps, strengthen protections for vulnerable ecosystems, and turn previous commitments into measurable action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I finished the interview, I realized that although the halls felt empty, history was already underway. Before the thousands of delegates arrived, before the side events filled the meeting rooms, and before negotiations stretched late into the night, there was a brief moment when COP17 belonged to a handful of organizers, security officers, journalists, and one helpful Armenian named Lusine who made a stranger feel welcome in a conference of global significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes the quietest moments provide the clearest view of what is about to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
ESA Director of Public Affairs Alison Mize stands in the COP17 Armenia Pavilion, one of many exhibition spaces in the venue.
Image credit: Alison Mize<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Over the next two days, however, the empty halls will begin to fill. The Ecological Society of America delegation will arrive, joined by colleagues from the British Ecological Society, the American Geophysical Union, and researchers from universities around the world. Alongside scientists, representatives from organizations such as IUCN, WWF, and many other non-governmental organizations will gather as official observers in the Blue Zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will be a minority in terms of numbers. The conference is ultimately led by governments, ministers, and negotiators. Yet every scientist who attends will practice a form of science diplomacy, sharing expertise, evidence, and experience across borders. In many ways, scientists serve as the glue that holds the biodiversity framework together. We provide the data that measures progress, identifies gaps, and informs solutions. Without science, there is no reliable way to know whether the world\u2019s biodiversity commitments are succeeding or falling short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goals of COP17 are ambitious. Protecting biodiversity, restoring ecosystems, mobilizing conservation finance, and reversing decades of biodiversity loss will not be easy. At times, it may feel like an uphill battle. Yet what continues to inspire me is that scientists keep showing up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most ecologists are far more comfortable in forests, wetlands, grasslands, deserts, and laboratories than in negotiation halls. Nevertheless, ESA members and our colleagues from around the world have traveled thousands of miles to be here. They are volunteering their time, offering their expertise, and doing everything they can to help preserve the planet\u2019s biological diversity for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is an old proverb that captures the spirit of this work: \u201cIf you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.\u201d<\/em> COP17 is very much about going far. No single country, institution, or discipline can solve the biodiversity crisis alone. Progress depends on governments, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, NGOs, businesses, and scientists working together toward a common goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I reflect on my first day in Yerevan, I realize that the nearly empty Blue Zone was only the calm before the storm. Soon the conference center will be buzzing with delegates, negotiations, side events, and difficult conversations about the future of nature. The work ahead is immense, but so is the collective commitment of the people gathering here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those unable to attend in person, many COP17 events and plenary sessions can be viewed live through UN broadcasting channels<\/a> and official conference webcasts<\/a>. ESA will also provide regular updates, observations, and highlights from the conference through our website and communication channels so that our members can follow the negotiations and outcomes as they unfold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, biodiversity conservation is not just the responsibility of those inside the Blue Zone. It is a shared global effort, and COP17 is one chapter in that much larger story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alison Mize, ESA Director of Public Affairs I arrived in Yerevan, Armenia, a few days early for the High-Level Policy Segment of COP17, expecting crowds of delegates and a buzzing conference atmosphere. Instead, I found myself in a surprisingly quiet city, accompanied mostly by journalists, security personnel, and the anticipation of a global gathering that had not yet fully…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":21522,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1952,10,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cop17","category-ecology-in-policy","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21874","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21874"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21892,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21874\/revisions\/21892"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}