United Nations COP17 · Yerevan, Armenia
Become a Biodiversity Leader with CalGBA
Join CalGBA in preparing for the United Nations Biodiversity COP17 taking place October 19–30, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia, and help shape how California implements the 23 Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
What's happening in Yerevan?
Join CalGBA at the United Nations Biodiversity COP17, taking place October 19–30, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia. COP17 will focus on implementing the 23 Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) — the landmark global agreement adopted in 2022 to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The decisions made there will shape funding, governance, conservation, climate, and social policy priorities for years to come. Now is the moment to engage.
What is a "COP"? COP stands for Conference of the Parties — the formal decision-making body of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, made up of nearly 200 countries that have ratified the treaty.
At COP17
Day-by-Day Schedule
A quick-glance guide to CalGBA-hosted and highlighted events and meetings at COP17.
Key : 🟠 Event 🟢 Meeting ⭐ CalGBA hosted or highlighted
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🟢 ⭐ Super Delegation Meet-up
Time (TBD) · Restaurant inside Blue Zone (TBD) -
🟢 ⭐ Super Delegation Meet-up
Proposed 1:30pm · Restaurant inside Blue Zone (TBD) -
🟠 ⭐ The Role of Subnational and Local Governments in Breaking Down Silos
9-10am · COP17 Subnational Governments and Cities Hub/Action Zone (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: CalGBA and others
Speakers: Kale Roberts (ICLEI USA) (Facilitator); Scott Webb (Resources Renewal Institute); Marcela Gutierrez-Graudins (Azul); and others🟠 ⭐ Women, Farms, and Restored Landscapes: Advancing Pollinator Conservation
1-2pm · COP17 Women's Hub Action Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: BeeSip, Center for Large Landscape Conservation, CalGBA
Speakers: Krystle Hickman (BeeSip); Liz Chamberlin (Point Blue); Rebecca Boslough King (Center for Large Landscape Conservation)🟢 ⭐ Super Delegation Evening Meet-up
Proposed 6:30pm · Restaurant outside Blue Zone (TBD) -
🟠 ⭐ Futuring and Urban Biodiversity Workshop
11:30am-1pm · COP17 Academia & Research Hub/Action Zone (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: University of Durham, California Academy of Sciences
Speakers: Simona Capisani (Durham University); Rebecca Johnson (California Academy of Sciences); and others🟢 ⭐ Super Delegation Orientation
Proposed 2pm · Restaurant inside Blue Zone (TBD) -
🟠 ⭐ Super Delegation Breakfast
8-10:30am · Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan — Ararat Ballroom, 1 King Pap St.
Hosted by: California Environmental Voters; Point Blue Conservation Science; CalGBA🟠 From the Multilateral Plea to the Reality on the Ground: Challenges and Solutions from Cities and Subnational Governments
12-1:30pm · IUCN Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: IUCN North America
Speakers: TBC
More info🟢 ⭐ Super Delegation Orientation in Blue Zone
Proposed 2pm · Space inside Blue Zone (TBD)🟠 It Takes a Village… or a State, Province or Territory to Achieve 30x30
4:30-5:45pm · GEO BON Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Speakers: TBC
More info -
🟠 9th Summit for Subnational Governments and Cities
9am-4pm · Venue TBA (Blue Zone)
CalGBA members encouraged to attend
More info🟠 Nexus in Practice: Mainstreaming and Landscape Governance
10:30am-12pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speaker: Simona Capisani and others🟠 Building Pipelines to Monitor Ecosystem Service Provision
10:30am-12pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speaker: Rebecca Johnson, California Academy of Sciences🟠 Mainstreaming Ocean Governance
12-1:30pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speakers: Marcela Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Azul🟠 How Do We Move from Ambitious Global Biodiversity Targets to Real-World, Ground-Level Action?
2:30-4pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speakers: TBC🟠 Ecosystem Restoration in Action
2:30-4pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speakers: Liz Chamberlin (Point Blue Conservation Science); Geneva Thompson (CNRA); Aaron Laur (Center for Large Landscape Conservation) -
🟠 ⭐ Delivering 30x30 Through Transformative Biodiversity Governance
9-10:30am · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: CalGBA
Speakers: Deanna Armbruster (Santa Monica Mountains Fund); Brandy McDaniels (Pit River Tribe)🟠 Nature-Positive Recovery: Building Resilience from Disasters and Conflict
10:45am-12:15pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speakers: Nurit Katz, and others🟠 ⭐ From Ideas to Action
12:30-1:30pm · COP17 Subnational Governments and Cities Hub/Action Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: CalGBA; California Environmental Voters Education Fund
Speakers: Mike Young (California Environmental Voters Education Fund) (Facilitator); Ash Kalra (California State Assemblymember)🟠 Knowledge Management and Exchange
1:15-2:45pm · Science Policy Forum (Blue Zone)
Speakers: Antonio Mendoza (Pit River Tribe); WarīNkwī Flores (Kinray Hub and Arizona State University)🟠 ⭐ Closing the Local Data Gap
2-3pm · IUCN Pavilion, Forum Room B (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: IUCN North America and Point Blue Conservation Science.
Speakers: Liz Chamberlin (Point Blue Conservation Science); Tracy Farrell (IUCN North America); Madeline Drake (CNRA); Erik Bottcher (New York State Senator); Gary Bucciarelli (UC Natural Reserve System/CA Biodiversity Network); and others. Moderator: Debra Stein (IUCN CEC Commission/Point Blue/CalGBA).🟠 Making History: Indigenous-Led Protection Campaigns in California
6:15-7:45pm · Main Stage (Green Zone)
Hosted by: Resources Legacy Fund
Speakers: Lycia Ortega (Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, Protect Kw’tsán Campaign); Ash Kalra (California State Assemblymember); Chuck Striplen (Resources Legacy Fund); Gregory Wolfin (Pit River Tribe) -
🟠 ⭐ Centering Gender Equality at the Subnational & Local Levels
11:30am-12:30pm · COP17 Women’s Hub/Action Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: County of Los Angeles, CalGBA, PAJE Consulting
Speakers: Rosalind Helfand (CalGBA/PAJE Consulting) (Facilitator); and others🟠 Your Nature Photos Can Help Make Nature Observations for the COP17 Yerevan Biodiversity Challenge
5:30-7pm · Room 5 (Green Zone)
Hosted by: California Academy of Sciences
Speaker: Rebecca Johnson (California Academy of Sciences) -
🟠 ⭐ Looking Beyond 2030: Data & science to support all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework
2-3pm · Academia & Research Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by Point Blue Conservation Science
Speakers: Liz Chamberlin (Point Blue/CalGBA/CA Biodiversity Network); Geoff Geupel (Avian Knowledge Network/Point Blue); Rebecca Johnson (California Academy of Sciences); Gary Bucciarelli (UC Natural Reserve System/CA Biodiversity Network). Moderator: Debra Stein (Point Blue/CalGBA).🟠 ⭐ Overcoming Challenges for Urban Wildlife Connectivity: A Global Exchange
3-4pm · COP17 Subnational Governments and Cities Hub / Action Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: CalGBA, Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, UCLA Sustainability
Speakers: Chance Cutrano (Resources Renewal Institute; former Mayor of Fairfax, CA) (Facilitator); Jake Owens (Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens); Nurit Katz (UCLA); Sirarpi Haykazyan (Yerevan Mayor’s Office); and others -
🟠 ⭐ Building Alliances That Work
10:30-11:30am · COP17 Subnational Governments and Cities Hub / Action Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: CalGBA
Speakers: Rosalind Helfand (CalGBA) (Facilitator); Aura Vasquez (Vasquez Impact Solutions/CalGBA); and others -
🟠 ⭐ What’s Working and What’s Missing
10:30-11:30am · COP17 Subnational Governments and Cities Hub / Action Hub (Blue Zone)
Hosted by: CalGBA
Speakers: Justin Gulino (GYBN USA/National Caucus of Environmental Legislators) (Facilitator); and others🟠 ⭐ Building Bridges for Nature: Youth Cooperation Across Armenia, the UK, & the United States
3:45-4:45pm · Workshop Room 1 (Green Zone)
Hosted by: GYBN USA; CalGBA
Speakers: Carlos Anguiano (GYBN USA/CalGBA); Justin Gulino (GYBN USA); and others -
Delegation Resources
Everything the Super Delegation needs to stay aligned before and during COP17.
Workshops, Trainings & Meetings In the Lead-Up to COP17
COP17 takes place October 19–30, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia
Preparing for COP requires partners to work together through shared learning and planning.
Below is our Pre-COP17 schedule of workshops, trainings, and special meetings. We’ll update it with new details and registration links as available.
For full descriptions and more opportunities to engage with CalGBA, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and COP17, view the CalGBA Calendar. Or subscribe to the Calendar to add events to your calendar and receive automatic updates.
All events have passed, please watch recordings below
CalGBA's Role at COP17
California's leading coalition on global biodiversity policy, CalGBA, is bringing a coordinated delegation to COP17 — grounded in months of preparation across our Planning Committee and Subcommittees. Our work spans participation in COP17 programming, negotiation strategy, government engagement, environmental justice, and cross-sector partnership building.
The CalGBA Super Delegation includes our members and partners, including subnational and local government, NGOs, University and research institutions, tribal governments, local environmental organizers, youth leaders, and others.
Ways to Get Involved
Become a CalGBA Member
Get connected to the coalition and receive updates.
Membership has no cost.
Attend Briefings, Workshops & Strategy Sessions
Develop a shared understanding of the GBF, COP17, and localizing
biodiversity goals. Visit the calendar→
Show off your work! Contribute to our Case Studies digital Story Map
Spotlight a California biodiversity project connecting local action to the global GBF targets. Submit a case study →
Become a CBD Observer
Observer status allows individuals and organizations to attend COP17 in person in Armenia.
Stay Connected on Social Media
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Questions about COP17 or getting involved with CalGBA?
Reach out, and we'll point you toward the right subcommittee, training, or opportunity.