Shibbir Ahmed, New York – Nearly 200 countries are gathering in Armenia on Monday for crucial discussions on how to accelerate progress toward global nature protection targets, as governments face mounting pressure to deliver on a historic commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The United Nations conference, known as COP17, comes amid growing concerns that countries are falling behind on the goals agreed upon four years ago to protect and restore nature by the end of the decade.

Often described as the “Paris Agreement for nature,” the global biodiversity deal includes a landmark commitment to conserve 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. However, progress toward many of its targets remains slow, with limited advances on some of the most challenging commitments, including reducing subsidies for fossil fuels and other environmentally harmful industries.

Speaking ahead of the formal negotiations, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday that countries needed to acknowledge the gap between their commitments and actual progress.

“We must honestly acknowledge that, collectively, we have not moved forward at the necessary pace,” he said.

The summit is taking place at a time when public funding is under pressure and political attention is increasingly focused on conflicts, geopolitical tensions and the global energy crisis. Only a small number of world leaders, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, attended a high-level session before the formal negotiations began. Most of the participating leaders were heads of state from neighboring Central Asian countries.

Despite the limited high-level attendance, Guterres stressed the importance of the conference, warning that humanity’s continuing “war” against nature threatens the planet’s habitability for future generations.

“We need more action, more speed and more goodwill,” he said. With the world halfway through the period leading to the 2030 targets, Guterres described the gathering in Yerevan as a critical moment for accountability.

“We must ask ourselves: Are we doing enough?” he said.

A United Nations assessment released ahead of COP17 found that progress was being made toward the 23 global biodiversity targets. However, the report warned that progress remained uneven and insufficient to achieve the goals by the 2030 deadline.

Financing is expected to emerge as one of the most contentious issues during the negotiations. The assessment highlighted a substantial funding gap for biodiversity conservation, with efforts to mobilize the necessary resources lagging far behind requirements.

Developed countries, including European nations and other wealthy economies, have financial responsibilities under international biodiversity commitments. However, they have also called on major emerging economies, including China, to contribute more toward conservation financing.

Discussions may increasingly focus on how private-sector investment can help bridge the funding gap as governments struggle to provide sufficient public resources. One of the summit’s priorities is expected to be encouraging corporations to contribute a portion of their profits to a United Nations fund intended to support nature conservation in developing countries, which currently has very limited resources.

Reforming government subsidies for extractive industries is another major issue expected to feature prominently at the summit. Guterres criticized governments for continuing to direct public money toward environmentally damaging activities despite their commitments to reform harmful subsidies. Referring to fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, he said: “Subsidizing fossil fuels is subsidizing suicide.”

He warned that fossil fuels are heating the planet and posing a serious threat to biodiversity. Environmental advocates argue that redirecting public funds away from harmful industries and toward conservation could help countries make faster progress toward their international commitments.

For Armenia, the mountainous country in the Caucasus region, COP17 represents one of the largest international events it has hosted. Thousands of delegates and visitors are expected to arrive over the next two weeks for discussions on biodiversity protection, conservation financing and implementation of global environmental commitments. Organizers have emphasized that the success of COP17 will depend not on announcing new promises, but on delivering concrete action to fulfill existing commitments.

Speaking on Friday, Adil Najam, Global President of WWF International, said the world already had the necessary vision for protecting nature.

“The world does not need a new vision. We have one. What we need now is to implement it,” he said. As negotiations begin, countries face growing pressure to translate their biodiversity commitments into measurable results before the 2030 deadline, with financing, accountability and the reform of harmful subsidies likely to remain central to the discussions.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — With climate-related disasters intensifying and international efforts struggling to deliver sufficiently ambitious action, the United Nations is urging countries to rebuild trust in global climate cooperation ahead of the next UN climate conference, COP31, scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20. At a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters on October 16, representatives associated with successive climate conference presidencies discussed how governments could restore confidence in international climate action while responding more effectively to the growing consequences of global warming.

The event, convened by UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman, brought the climate process into focus less than a month before COP31. Discussions addressed adaptation, resilience, climate finance, technology transfer, capacity-building and international cooperation, with particular attention to countries most vulnerable to climate change.

The devastation caused by extreme weather in Nepal served as a stark reminder of the human cost of climate change. Opening the meeting, Rahman highlighted the gap between scientific warnings and the ability of communities and governments to prepare for increasingly dangerous events. He also warned of the implications of a strengthening El Niño, which could intensify climate-related risks in an already warming world.

According to the UN account of the meeting, current climate policies put the world on a trajectory toward approximately 2.8°C of warming above pre-industrial levels. That outlook remains far above the temperature limits established under the 2015 Paris Agreement. The figures underline the scale of the challenge facing governments: existing commitments and policies are not yet sufficient to keep global warming within the agreement’s goals.

The upcoming climate conference in Türkiye will provide governments with another opportunity to advance implementation of the Paris Agreement and strengthen international cooperation.
A central challenge will be converting national climate pledges into measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while improving countries’ capacity to adapt to the effects of climate change.

The European Union is preparing to push for a package of measures aimed at accelerating emissions reductions at COP31. According to a Reuters report published on October 12, the proposed approach includes extending the UN mitigation work programme beyond its current 2026 expiry and encouraging governments to translate existing commitments into practical action.

However, climate negotiations remain complicated by differences over national development priorities, fossil-fuel use and the financial support available to developing countries. The EU’s current proposal does not include new climate-finance commitments, a position that could create friction with lower-income countries seeking greater assistance to address climate impacts and transition to cleaner energy.

For developing countries, rebuilding trust in climate diplomacy will require more than declarations of ambition. Access to predictable financing, affordable technology and support for adaptation remains essential, particularly for countries facing severe climate risks despite contributing relatively little to historical greenhouse gas emissions. The UN meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening early-warning systems, improving disaster preparedness and ensuring that climate assistance reaches communities most exposed to extreme weather.

Least-developed countries, small island developing States, landlocked developing countries and low-lying coastal nations are among those with particularly pressing adaptation needs. For countries such as Bangladesh, where coastal communities face risks from cyclones, flooding, salinity and rising sea levels, the outcome of international negotiations on climate finance and resilience could have significant implications.

The difficulties extend beyond negotiations over emissions and finance. On October 16, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suspended a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, without reaching agreement on the timetable for its next major assessment of climate science. The dispute raises concerns about whether the assessment will be available in time to inform the next UN climate talks and the global review of progress under the Paris Agreement in 2028.

Reuters reported that a group of 30 countries called for progress, while other governments sought more time to ensure meaningful participation by scientists from countries with fewer resources.
The IPCC said discussions on the timetable and budget remain open and will resume at the earliest opportunity. The episode illustrates the wider diplomatic challenge: governments must agree not only on what action to take but also on how scientific evidence will inform their decisions.

The success of COP31 will depend on whether governments can bridge differences and demonstrate that international climate cooperation delivers practical results. That means stronger implementation of existing commitments, greater resilience to climate disasters, effective support for vulnerable communities and credible progress on emissions reductions.

As climate impacts become more visible, the pressure on governments to move beyond promises is growing. The coming weeks will test whether international climate diplomacy can rebuild confidence and generate concrete progress before the next major round of negotiations in Türkiye.

NEW YORK — A powerful nor’easter continued to batter the U.S. Northeast on Sunday, bringing coastal flooding, strong winds, heavy rain and power outages from New Jersey through New England. The slow-moving storm pounded coastal communities for a second consecutive day, with tidal surges flooding low-lying neighborhoods in New Jersey while strong winds brought down trees and utility poles on New York’s Long Island.

Some areas of New Jersey received more than 4 inches of rain since Friday. The combination of heavy rainfall and rising ocean water produced significant flooding in several coastal communities, with some residents reporting water entering homes and businesses.

More than 100,000 customers across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic were without power at times Sunday, while numerous flights were canceled or delayed. Boston Logan International Airport reported more than 250 cancellations by late Sunday morning as strong winds affected the region.

The National Weather Service said the storm was gradually weakening but warned that tidal flooding could continue through additional high-tide cycles. Local officials in New Jersey and New York also warned that another high tide could bring further flooding Monday.

The storm also generated dangerous surf and coastal erosion concerns along the Atlantic shoreline. Forecasters expected the remaining heavy rain to affect parts of New England and the Mid-Atlantic as the system moved through the region. The nor’easter’s impact has brought renewed concerns for vulnerable coastal communities still dealing with the effects of repeated flooding and severe weather events.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday called for four urgent global actions to address the growing threat of sea-level rise, including faster and deeper cuts in global emissions, predictable adaptation finance, wider access to climate-smart technologies and stronger international cooperation to address climate-induced displacement and loss and damage.

He made the call while addressing a high-level meeting on the existential threat posed by sea-level rise at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Prime Minister said a 25-centimetre rise in sea level could submerge around four percent of Bangladesh’s land by 2050, threatening the homes, livelihoods and human dignity of around 10 million people, citing a World Bank estimate.

“The sea is rising fast. Our ambition must rise faster,” Tarique Rahman said, urging the international community to translate the commitments of the Declaration on Sea-Level Rise into concrete action and ensure that no country is left behind to face the consequences of rising seas. He thanked the UN President for convening the high-level meeting and the co-facilitators for their efforts in preparing the Declaration.

Four urgent actions

Elaborating on his four-point call, Tarique Rahman first urged countries to accelerate and deepen global emissions reductions while ensuring that climate action remains fair.

“First, we must cut global emissions faster, deeper, and more fairly. We must keep 1.5 degree Celsius within reach,” he said. Second, he called for predictable, accessible and adequate financing for climate adaptation in vulnerable countries.

“Vulnerable countries like Bangladesh cannot face the grave consequences of sea-level rise alone,” he said, stressing the need for greater international support to help climate-vulnerable nations strengthen their resilience. Third, the Prime Minister called for wider access to climate-smart technologies, reliable climate data and early-warning systems for vulnerable coastal countries. He said Bangladesh had already invested in early-warning systems, strengthened cyclone preparedness and developed coastal protection measures despite having limited resources.

As his fourth call, Tarique Rahman urged stronger international cooperation to address climate-induced displacement, loss and damage, and to establish dignified pathways for communities forced to relocate because of rising sea levels. The Prime Minister said these measures were particularly important for Bangladesh, a densely populated delta where hundreds of rivers flow into the sea and millions of people live close to the coast.

“Our prosperity and future are tied to the coast,” he said.

Bangladesh’s climate initiatives

Tarique Rahman said adaptation alone would not be sufficient to address the consequences of rising sea levels because “the ocean reacts to every tonne of carbon the world releases.”

“Therefore, we need to rethink the way we consume, so that we reduce carbon emissions into the environment,” he said. He said Bangladesh was taking a number of steps to strengthen its climate resilience.

“Over the next five years, Bangladesh aims to dig around 20,000 kilometres of rivers and canals, advance the Padma Barrage initiative to retain and reserve water, modernize the Teesta Barrage with a master plan and plant 250 million trees,” he said.

At the same time, Bangladesh is pursuing a green-growth strategy, with a target of generating at least 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with a particular emphasis on solar power.

The country is also promoting green industries and environmentally friendly transportation, while developing a national carbon market and strengthening the protection of forests, wetlands and vulnerable coastal ecosystems, he said.

The high-level meeting brought together heads of state and government and representatives of international organisations to discuss the growing threat posed by sea-level rise and ways to translate international commitments into concrete action. Concluding his remarks, Tarique Rahman reiterated the need to turn the Declaration on Sea-Level Rise into tangible measures.

“I believe we will all come together, turn the promises of the Declaration into action, and ensure that no nation is left behind to face the rising tide,” he said. “Let our resolve rise with the sea, and let our action rise even faster,” the Prime Minister added.