Events

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

Armenia has been elected as the host of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference. “Taking action for nature”—the slogan of the conference— conveys Armenia’s aspirations for an action-oriented UN Biodiversity Conference. In Yerevan, the Parties to the CBD will undertake the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF. The global review is expected to guide accelerated implementation.

“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the CBD, at the unveiling event.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has found that over the last 60 years, at least 40 percent of all internal conflicts have been linked to the exploitation of natural resources, whether high-value resources such as timber, diamonds, gold and oil, or scarce resources such as fertile land and water. Conflicts involving natural resources have also been found to be twice as likely to relapse.

The United Nations attaches great importance to ensuring that action on the environment is part of conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding strategies, because there can be no durable peace if the natural resources that sustain livelihoods and ecosystems are destroyed.

On 5 November 2001, the UN General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (A/RES/56/4).

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

The Government of Türkiye will host the thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 20 November 2026.

World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

An international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002. Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness raising platform. The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly. In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights empowers us all. The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948. We need to stand up for our own rights and those of others. We can take action in our own daily lives, to uphold the rights that protect us all and thereby promote the kinship of all human beings.

The United Nations General Assembly designated 11 December “International Mountain Day”. As of 2003, it has been observed every year to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the coordinating agency for the preparation and animation of this celebration and is mandated to lead observance of it at the global level. The Mountain Partnership Secretariat in the FAO Forestry Division is responsible for coordinating this international process.