Statement by Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Robert Abisoghomonyan at the COP30 Leaders’ Summit

On November 7, in Belém, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Robert Abisoghomonyan participated and delivered remarks at the Leaders' Summit convened in the lead-up to the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30).

In his remarks, the Deputy Foreign Minister noted:

"Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like to extend my appreciation to His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, as well as to the Government and people of Brazil for their outstanding hospitality and wish every success for our deliberations.

We are meeting here in Belem, at the heart of Amazonia, on the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement with a renewed sense of hope and optimism that we can turn the dangerous tide of climate change and achieve the Agreement's objectives. As we enter the critical decade of implementation following the first Global Stocktake, the decisions we take here in Belem must chart a credible path toward climate resilience and climate justice.

The Biennial Transparency Report, the Synthesis Report on NDCs, and the Synthesis Report on NAPs, released by the UNFCCC Secretariat, provide encouraging evidence of positive changes. They validate the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement in decreasing global emissions and strengthening adaptation mechanisms.

However, the same reports point to the need for urgent and enhanced action, reminding us that we are still far from the levels we strive to achieve. If we are to keep the goals of the Paris Agreement within reach, we must redouble our collective efforts to accelerate progress.

COP30 in Belem must therefore become a milestone - transforming global ambition into concrete action on climate change mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage, guided by equity and the common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

Distinguished delegates,

Armenia is firmly committed to contributing to collective efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Despite Armenia's negligible share of global emissions, we strive for active participation in international undertakings to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C through comprehensive, economy-wide mitigation measures. As a landlocked developing country, Armenia seeks to demonstrate that even small states can lead by example through ambitious national action.

Armenia's updated NDCs for 2026-2035 under the Paris Agreement, informed by science and national circumstances, will represent an enhanced commitment to addressing climate change-related challenges. They aim to climate-proof our ecosystems, biodiversity, agriculture and livelihoods.

Our efforts are underpinned by the adoption of a comprehensive Climate Law, establishing a robust legal foundation for long-term, economy-wide action and the integration of climate priorities into all sectors. Our Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, in turn, provides clear pathways toward a resilient, low-carbon economy in line with the Paris Agreement.

Energy transformation lies at the core of our climate strategy. We are expanding renewable energy generation at an unprecedented pace to substantially increase the share of green energy in our national mix. At the same time, we continue to rely on nuclear energy as a safe and stable component of our clean energy mix, providing reliable carbon-neutral electricity and enhancing energy security.

Excellencies,

There is growing recognition that nature, climate, and land are interconnected parts of one indivisible system, while fragmented approaches are no longer sufficient. Responding to the scale of the crisis requires coherence, partnerships and trust.

For Armenia, this is not an abstract concept. Our country lies at the crossroads of the Caucasus, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, where fragile mountain ecosystems are facing the combined pressures of climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. We have learned that adaptation and restoration must go hand in hand - that no biodiversity policy can succeed without integrating climate and land considerations.

To move the needle further and achieve transformative changes, we must recognize that environmental challenges are interconnected and affect us all - whether high in the mountains, deep in the forests or on the high seas - and we must rethink our relationship with nature.

Recognizing the urgency of these interconnected challenges, Armenia, as the host of Biodiversity COP17, is taking active steps, together with other partners, to reinforce international collaboration and promote integrated approaches to climate change mitigation and biodiversity preservation with a view to achieving a result-oriented outcome at COP30 in Belem on synergies that could be leveraged towards successful global review of the collective progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at CBD COP17 in Yerevan in 2026.

Armenia looks forward to welcoming you all to Yerevan next October for Biodiversity COP17 - to review our progress, strengthen the bridges among the Rio Conventions, and reaffirm that multilateral cooperation is indispensable to restoring and protecting the living fabric of our planet for present and future generations.

Thank you."