Mexico biodiversity conservation commitment at COP17, Digi Mart USA News (Yerevan, Armenia): The Government of Mexico reaffirmed its commitment to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and environmental justice during its participation in the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), held from October 19 to 30 in Yerevan, Armenia.
The Mexican delegation, led by Marina Robles García, undersecretary of Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration at the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), stressed the importance of strengthening conservation policies and guaranteeing the participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities in protecting their territories. The meeting also presented the first global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which found that about 90 percent of participating countries have already set national targets, but fewer than half of the objectives assessed are progressing as planned.
At the international meeting, Mexico outlined progress on its conservation strategy, including 232 federal Natural Protected Areas and work on developing the National Environmental Restoration Program, which focuses on recovering degraded ecosystems and strengthening protection of priority regions. Mexico also highlighted efforts to conserve seas, coasts and territories through sustainable development models that involve local communities.
Financing for biodiversity protection was a central theme of COP17. Contributions of approximately $60.22 million were announced for the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, resources that will support conservation projects in various countries.
Mexico also presented initiatives such as MEx30x30 and the ACCIÓN project, aimed at strengthening Natural Protected Areas and promoting climate adaptation for communities in the Yucatán Peninsula.
Finally, the Mexican representation highlighted regional cooperation through the Gran Selva Maya Biocultural Corridor, an initiative shared with Guatemala and Belize to protect strategic ecosystems and maintain ecological connectivity among the three countries. The Government of Mexico maintained that nature conservation must be accompanied by social justice, international cooperation and community participation, with the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss and safeguarding natural heritage for future generations.
