During CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia
Date: Saturday, 24 October 2026
Session proposal deadline: Monday, 31 August 2026
Call for Partners, Session Proposals and Sponsors/Supporters
As leading biodiversity law and governance counsel, experts and practitioners prepare to join Party delegates and observers for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, there is a timely opportunity to accelerate implementation, raise ambition and strengthen legal and institutional capacity for achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
In response, the Biodiversity Law and Governance Initiative (BLGI) launches a global call for partners, session hosts, sponsors and supporters for Biodiversity Law and Governance Day 2026 (BLGD 2026), to be convened in hybrid format during CBD COP17, subject to confirmation of local arrangements and partner agreements.
BLGD 2026 is being developed with Yerevan State University and relevant Armenian institutional partners, together with the University of Cambridge, Asia Pacific University, the University of Costa Rica, the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL), the International Law Association (ILA), the SDG Law Association and other BLGI partners.
The opportunity is open to CBD Parties, observers, international organisations, academic institutions, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, civil society organisations, legal practitioners, youth networks, foundations, businesses and other interested partners to participate as partners, sponsors or supporters, or to propose sessions for consideration by the BLGI COP17 Programme Committee.
Key Dates
Session proposal deadline: Monday, 31 August 2026
Review of proposals received: 20 August 2026
Successful session hosts and co-hosts informed: 15 September 2026
Programme decisions and confirmations: 10–15 September 2026
Biodiversity Law and Governance Day 2026: Saturday, 24 October 2026
📄 Download the full Call for Partners, Session Proposals and Sponsors/Supporters
Submit a Session Proposal
Governments, institutions, organisations or consortia may submit proposals for concurrent sessions at BLGD 2026. Session proposals will be reviewed by the BLGI COP17 Programme Committee and included subject to quality, programme balance, diversity, available space and logistical feasibility. Concurrent sessions are expected to be approximately 70 minutes, unless otherwise confirmed by the Programme Committee.
Complete the Session Proposal Form to register your organisation’s interest in hosting a session during Biodiversity Law and Governance Day 2026.
A modest cost-share is required from all successful proponents for the success of the entire event, which covers design and printing of materials, outreach, volunteer coordination, reporting and least developed country / student participation.
CBD Parties, observers, institutions or other stakeholders interested in co-hosting or sponsoring Biodiversity Law and Governance Day 2026 are also welcome to contact the BLGI Secretariat by email at daniel.ruiz@apu.edu.my, with any questions or to discuss collaboration.
Overview
BLGD 2026 is expected to convene as a hybrid full-day global symposium alongside CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia and will feature:
• Distinguished high-level plenaries, including dialogue on biodiversity treaties and implementation priorities;
• Launches of legal, policy and research initiatives;
• Specialist panels, legal roundtables and participatory workshops;
• Youth, practitioner and regional dialogues;
• Presentation of the Biodiversity Law and Governance Global Leadership Awards;
• Opportunities for collaboration with partner institutions before, during and after CBD COP17.
BLGD 2026 aims to support Parties and stakeholders in the implementation phase of the KMGBF, following the first full cycle of updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and early implementation experiences assessed through the CBD Subsidiary Bodies in 2025–2026.
By convening judges, negotiators, legal scholars, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, community representatives, practitioners, civil society organisations and emerging professionals, BLGD 2026 will foster knowledge exchange, peer learning and co-creation of solutions to advance biodiversity law and governance reforms at international, national and local levels.
Venue and Format
Together with Yerevan State University and relevant Armenian institutional partners, BLGD 2026 is expected to be held in hybrid format, with registration details, participation arrangements, venue information and online access details announced closer to the event.
In addition to BLGD 2026, BLGI partners are also planning an in-person Biodiversity Law and Governance Specialisation Course during CBD COP17 for selected participants. Those unable to join in person are encouraged to explore related online DemEd courses and capacity-building opportunities through the Democratic Education for Global Sustainability and Justice platform.
BLGD 2026 Themes
The BLGI COP17 Programme Committee is expected to identify core thematic pillars reflecting COP17 priorities, the KMGBF implementation agenda and emerging legal debates. Indicative themes include:
1. Implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through Law and Governance
Sessions under this theme may explore:
• Legal alignment of NBSAPs with KMGBF targets;
• Monitoring, reporting, review and accountability frameworks;
• Recognition of Indigenous laws, legal pluralism and diverse value systems of nature;
• Domestic legal reforms translating global commitments into enforceable action;
• Institutional coordination for implementation across ministries, sectors and levels of government.
2. Governing Area-Based Conservation, OECMs and Rights-Based Approaches
Sessions under this theme may explore:
• Legal recognition and governance of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs);
• Target 3 implementation, including 30×30, quality, equity and effectiveness;
• Marine governance, including challenges and opportunities for area-based conservation, OECMs, marine protected areas and implementation linkages with the BBNJ Agreement;
• Privately protected areas, ICCAs, community-based conservation and diversified governance models;
• Indigenous Peoples and local communities: tenure, stewardship, consent and benefit-sharing;
• Judicial, administrative and policy pathways to secure durable conservation outcomes.
3. Enabling Access and Benefit-Sharing, Digital Sequence Information and Emerging Technologies
Sessions under this theme may explore:
• Equity and fairness in ABS implementation;
• Governance options for DSI benefit-sharing mechanisms, including the CBD Multilateral Mechanism;
• Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, intellectual authority, intellectual property and data governance;
• Regulatory experiences and national approaches to DSI implementation;
• Interactions with UNCLOS, including the BBNJ Agreement, FAO, WHO and other relevant regimes;
• Technology, monitoring and legal accountability for biodiversity outcomes.
4. Facilitating Finance, Capacity-Building and Implementation Partnerships
Sessions under this theme may explore:
• Biodiversity finance, resource mobilisation and legal enabling conditions;
• Capacity-building for negotiators, practitioners, students and early-career professionals;
• Implementation partnerships among governments, universities, civil society and legal experts;
• Participation grants and support for least developed and highly vulnerable countries;
• Long-term collaboration beyond COP17.
Becoming a Partner, Sponsor or Supporter
Government departments from CBD Parties, UN bodies, intergovernmental organisations, academic institutions, law firms, associations, businesses, foundations, civil society organisations and expert networks are invited to express interest in joining BLGD 2026 as partners, sponsors or supporters.
Partners, sponsors and supporters are especially sought to help support participation grants, student and youth engagement, communications, reporting, outreach, expert contributions, speaker nominations and the organisation of high-level plenaries, specialist panels, legal roundtables and participatory workshops.
Review Process and Timeline
Session proposals will be reviewed by the BLGI COP17 Programme Committee. Proponents may be invited to revise, merge or co-host sessions in order to maximise diversity, avoid duplication and strengthen programme balance.
The Programme Committee may sponsor a limited number of sessions from least developed and highly vulnerable countries, for which no cost-share will be required, subject to available resources.
The BLGI COP17 Programme Committee will review the number and balance of proposals received by 20 August 2026 and may decide whether an extension of the session proposal deadline is required. Programme decisions are expected to be made between 10 and 15 September 2026, after which session hosts and speakers will be contacted to finalise the programme.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be assessed based on:
• Alignment with BLGD 2026 themes;
• Relevance to global biodiversity law and governance priorities;
• Contribution to KMGBF implementation and COP17 discussions;
• Geographic, gender, generational and institutional diversity;
• Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, youth and underrepresented regions where relevant;
• Conceptual clarity and legal or policy rigour;
• Feasibility within the BLGD 2026 hybrid format;
• Potential to generate concrete outputs, partnerships or implementation pathways.
Contact
For questions or expressions of interest, please contact:
Dr Daniel Ruiz de Garibay Ponce
BLGI Coordinator
Email: daniel.ruiz@apu.edu.my
cc: Dr Tejas Rao
CISDL Senior Manager
Email: tejas.rao@cisdl.org
About the Biodiversity Law and Governance Initiative
The Biodiversity Law and Governance Initiative is a global partnership of universities, international organisations, legal practitioners, civil society organisations, youth networks and other partners dedicated to advancing effective, equitable and rights-based biodiversity law and governance.
BLGI activities focus on knowledge exchange alongside UN biodiversity processes, capacity-building and policy support, youth and student engagement, and legal and governance research to support implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals.
BLGD 2026 builds on a continuing series of BLGI convenings alongside CBD Conferences of the Parties, mobilising the global biodiversity law and governance community to support implementation, accountability and cooperation.