The Environmental Protection First Coalition has made an appeal to the participants of the Leaders’ Summit under the motto “Leaders for Nature” and COP17, which will be held in Armenia.

The appeal was read by Amin Mammadov, Co-Founder of the Coalition.

The appeal reads: “We, the members of the “Environmental Protection First” (EPF) Coalition, consisting of Azerbaijani civil society activists conducting public monitoring of the environmental impacts of Armenia’s mining industry on the region’s environment and transboundary rivers, appeal to the Presidency of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) and the participants of the Leaders’ Summit under the theme “Leaders for Nature,” planned to be held prior to COP17 in Iravan in October 2026.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is an important international instrument that identifies progress toward biodiversity targets and the implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) as key priorities. COP17 will represent a critical milestone for the global assessment of the implementation of this Framework. Therefore, biodiversity conservation must be accompanied by concrete actions.

Mining activities carried out in Armenia without following international environmental standards pose serious ecological risks to biodiversity, the environment, water resources, and ecosystems across the South Caucasus region. Over the past three years, we have repeatedly issued public appeals to the Armenian government on this issue and expressed solidarity with environmental organizations in Armenia that are exploring solutions to these problems.

Several transboundary rivers originate in Armenia and flow into Azerbaijan. Observations and monitoring conducted downstream indicate that mining activities in the upper reaches and near-source areas of these rivers have led to harmful substance concentrations exceeding permissible standards.

As the EPF Coalition, we consider it essential to conduct joint monitoring missions within Armenia with the participation of international experts in order to ensure a transparent and comprehensive assessment of the current environmental situation. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documentation of Armenia’s mining enterprises should be made publicly available.

Azerbaijan is a Party to the UNECE Water Convention. In this regard, we consider joint monitoring of transboundary waters, information exchange, the establishment of early warning mechanisms, and public access to environmental information to be of utmost importance. Armenia, as the upstream country for transboundary rivers flowing into Azerbaijan, is currently not a Party to this Convention, despite the fact that these rivers have significant environmental implications for the biodiversity of the Kur-Araz rivers’ basins and ultimately for the Caspian Sea.

The Espoo Convention, to which Armenia is a Party, is one of the key United Nations international agreements concerning environmental impact assessment in a transboundary context. The States Parties are obliged to inform neighboring countries and the public about economic activities conducted near shared borders, including mining operations, and to prepare and submit EIA reports regarding such activities. This is an obligation that Armenia must fulfill.

In 2014, at a meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention, Armenia committed to provide transboundary EIA reports to neighboring countries if the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant were restored. Although Armenia has been negotiating with partners regarding the replacement of the outdated nuclear reactor and the continuation of the plant’s operations, it has not demonstrated public accountability regarding environmental impacts or measures to prevent radioactive contamination. Radioactive pollution constitutes one of the greatest threats to biodiversity conservation.

We believe that the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia following the historic Washington Summit has created opportunities for closer cooperation between civil society institutions in this field. As the Environmental Protection First Coalition, we welcome the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia and believe that environmental justice can make a significant contribution to sustainable peace in the South Caucasus.

We call upon the Presidency of COP17 and the participants of the Leaders’ Summit to encourage Armenia to adopt concrete and measurable decisions regarding the protection of transboundary rivers; the proper management of mining activities; the establishment of transparent monitoring mechanisms and implementation of monitoring activities, and ensuring public access to environmental information and data.”