Armenia and Colombia announce CARES conservation coalition
An international conservation initiative involving Armenia has prompted criticism of the country’s environmental policy. In an interview with Sputnik Armenia published on November 3, 2026, former Deputy Minister of Nature Protection Ayser Kazaryan highlighted the gap between Armenia’s international commitments and its use of natural resources.
Armenia and Colombia announced the creation of the CARES intergovernmental coalition at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP17. The conference took place in Yerevan on October 19–30, 2026. According to Kazaryan, representatives from nearly 200 countries attended.
The initiative aims to save vulnerable species in more than 100 countries. The Species Recovery Alliance will allocate more than $500 million to species recovery by 2030. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Re:wild was named among the alliance’s participants. The announced sum is for the international program, not separate funding for Armenia or Lake Sevan.
Kazaryan said he had represented Armenia in similar international projects while serving as deputy minister. Drawing on that experience, he linked the outcomes of conservation programs to the country’s choice of economic priorities, rather than the amount of funding or the scale of an initiative.
Kazaryan contrasted statements that Lake Sevan was a priority with the authorities’ actions. In his assessment, the authorities lack the political will to move from promises to concrete conservation measures.
The former deputy minister advocated careful use of natural resources that takes environmental, economic and social objectives into account. In his view, a balance between these objectives is the foundation of Armenia’s sustainable development.