2026 Biodiversity Capacity-Building and Development Forum
COP 17 Blue Zone (Meridian Expo and Event Centre) - Yerevan, Armenia
CG2 Room - 24 October 2026
The 2026 Biodiversity Capacity-Building and Development Forum will be the second one convened by the Secretariat, pursuant to paragraph 16 (g) of decision 15/8. Under the theme “From Ambition to Action: Scaling Capacity Development for Accelerated National Implementation”, the Forum will be organized in collaboration with the Government of Armenia, the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, the CBD Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centres (TSCCs) servicing countries in Europe and Central Asia, other UN agencies and partner organizations.
The Forum will bring together accredited representatives of Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, women, youth, and other relevant stakeholders involved in capacity-building and development and technical and scientific cooperation, to:
- Share experiences, lessons learned and possible practical solutions to addressing key technological, technical and institutional capacity gaps identified in the global report on collective progress in the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF);
- Discuss the current limitations and opportunities in strengthening the capacities of Parties to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAP) and the KMGBF;
- Forge and strengthen coordination, collaboration and partnerships among Parties, TSCCs and other relevant stakeholders to improve the effectiveness of capacity-building and development, and technical and scientific cooperation.
The Forum will be organized around the following sessions:
- High-level opening plenary
- Stories of change session
- Round table discussions
The outcomes of the Forum, including a summary of the key messages and recommendations, will be made available on a dedicated webpage on the CBD website.
Tentative Programme
| Armenia Time (AMT) | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 09.00 - 09.45 | High-level opening plenary | |
| Opening remarks | TBD | |
| Keynote address “From Ambition to Action: Scaling Capacity Development for Accelerated National Implementation” | TBD | |
| 09.45 - 10.00 | Coffee Break | |
| 10.00 - 12.00 | Stories of Change Session | Co-organizers |
| The stories will highlight the key success factors and replicable practical experiences, good practices and lessons learned in addressing specific capacity-building challenges or leveraging specific opportunities and enablers of change to accelerate implementation | Invited presenters from different regions | |
| 12.00 - 13.00 | Lunch Break | |
| 13.00 - 15.30 | Round Table Discussions | Co-organizers |
Table 1: Strengthening national implementation pathways This discussion will focus on finding potential solutions to the capacity development and TSCC-related implementation gaps and challenges identified in the global report and in recent needs assessments. | Table moderator | |
Table 2: Strengthening inclusive governance and shared implementation This discussion will focus on identifying solutions for strengthening inclusive governance and shared implementation across government and society. | Table moderator | |
Table 3: Enhancing Technical and Scientific Cooperation and Technology Transfer This discussion will offer an opportunity to exchange views on ways and means to enhance technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer to support implementation. | Table moderator | |
Table 4: Strengthening the Enabling Environment Capacity for Biodiversity Action This discussion will focus on ways and means to strengthen the enabling environment capacity to support and accelerate implementation and impact. | Table moderator | |
| 15.30 - 16.00 | Coffee Break | |
| 16.00 - 16.45 | Report back Round Table Discussions | Table moderators |
| 16.45 - 17.00 | Closing plenary | Co-organizers |
Contact information
Webpage: http://www.cbd.int/cb/forum
Email: capacity.building@cbd.int