The 17th UN biodiversity conference opens in Armenia on October 19 and will carry out the first global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

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• The 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 19 to 30.
• Its slogan is "Taking action for nature," signalling an action-oriented conference.
• The central task is the first global review of collective progress on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15.
• The review will test whether countries are on track to meet the framework's 2030 biodiversity targets.
• Early findings from the review say the framework has sparked commitment, but the world is not on track to reverse biodiversity loss.
• The conference will also hold the 12th Cartagena Protocol meeting and the 6th Nagoya Protocol meeting.
• Resource mobilisation is a key theme, including operationalising the Cali Fund for benefit-sharing from digital sequence information on genetic resources.
• The agenda covers synthetic biology, gender equality, and links between biodiversity and climate, agriculture, health and marine ecosystems.
• Expected outcomes include the first global review report, a Gender Action Plan and updated guidance on synthetic biology and wildlife management.
• Target 3 of the framework, protecting 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030, is among the goals under review.
• WWF has urged governments to move from ambition to implementation under the framework.
• Armenia, a Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, is hosting the conference.