Nearly 200 nations strike COP17 nature deal after overtime talks
Why it matters: Countries acknowledged they are off track for 2030 biodiversity goals, with funding and harmful subsidies still major sticking points.
Nearly 200 countries approved a hard-fought agreement at the UN biodiversity summit in Yerevan after talks ran into overtime, keeping alive a 2022 global pact to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Delegates backed texts calling for faster action as the UN has warned most targets are off course, including goals to protect 30% of land and oceans, curb pollution and boost conservation finance for poorer countries. Negotiators also wrestled with cutting subsidies that drive environmental damage, from fossil fuels to intensive agriculture and overfishing. Money remained a central dispute, as governments face pressure to close an estimated $700 billion annual funding gap for biodiversity protection.