#BLGD2026
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mwgehring.bsky.social
30x30 must strengthen the rights and stewardship of the communities who care for the ocean. 🌊🐢 At our #BLGD2026 roundtable hosted by Pew, Solomon Kahoʻohalahala reminded us that vast areas of the ocean were connected for many years by canoe peoples. #CBDCOP17 #BBNJ
Four panellists seated at a table at the marine 30x30 roundtable; a Hawaiian elder wearing a lei speaks into a microphone while the others listen.
October 24, 2026 at 3:18 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Put people at the centre. 🌾🌱 Kent Nnadozie (Plant Treaty / FAO) at #BLGD2026: the Plant Treaty is a basis for cooperation. We need stronger implementation, coherence across regimes including climate change, and farmers and communities in every effort. #CBDCOP17
Dr Kent Nnadozie, Secretary of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, speaking by video in front of FAO and Plant Treaty logos.
October 24, 2026 at 1:18 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Implementation remains the challenge. ⚖️🌱 Maria-Goreti Muavesi, Chair of the @iucnwcel.bsky.social Biodiversity Law Specialist Group, at #BLGD2026: we must build the legal and governance foundations that make biodiversity law effective in practice. #CBDCOP17
October 24, 2026 at 1:58 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Opening Plenary: from commitments to cooperation & compliance. Keynote by UNEP's Elizabeth Mrema, with the representatives of CITES, CMS & the Plant Treaty, and IUCN WCEL. Chaired by Prof @mccordonier.bsky.social #BLGD2026 @unep.org @fao.org @cisdl.bsky.social YSU
October 24, 2026 at 7:52 AM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Conservation doesn't stop at the boundary of a protected area. 🌳🦋 Harry Jonas (WWF-US) opened our #BLGD2026 OECM roundtable: OECMs entered international law before they were defined, and are now central to Target 3 of the #KMGBF. #CBDCOP17
Dr Harry D. Jonas of WWF-US presenting a slide titled "3 Phases of OECMs": definition (2010-2018), global enabling conditions and early adopters (2019-2026), and scaling implementation (2027-2030).
October 24, 2026 at 1:19 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
From commitments to delivery 🌿⚖️ #BLGD2026 closed with a plenary on what implementing biodiversity law takes in practice after COP17, with speakers from IUCN, UNDP, EBRD, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader and academia. Heartfelt thanks to all speakers, chairs, hosts and participants! #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of the Closing Plenary, including Prof Markus W. Gehring, Prof Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Prof Jorge Cabrera Medaglia, Prof Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Tim Scott, Bryony Widdup and Vesselina Haralampieva.
October 24, 2026 at 3:20 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Nature on trial ⚖️🌿 At #BLGD2026, judges from Armenia, Hungary, Pakistan and Germany discussed courts and biodiversity. Judge Szabó discussed Hungary's intergenerational equity rulings and rights of future generations and Judge Borowsky discussed rights of nature and fundamental right. #CBDCOP17
October 24, 2026 at 1:42 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
"The world can still find common ground for nature." 🌍

That was the message from Hon Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, @unep.org in her keynote to the Opening Plenary of #BLGD2026, held online during #CBDCOP17 in Yerevan. Even in a challenging geopolitical context, common ground exists. .
October 24, 2026 at 8:46 AM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Species don't recognise borders. 🦅🐢🐋 CMS Executive Secretary Andy Raine at #BLGD2026: we are still mobilising stakeholders to help species recover through international cooperation, and ecological connectivity is an important emerging principle. #CBDCOP17
Adv Andy Raine, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), speaking by video.
October 24, 2026 at 1:16 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
"The world can still find common ground for nature." 🌍 Elizabeth Maruma Mrema (UNEP) at our #BLGD2026 Opening Plenary: that common ground must now be turned into action, and law and governance are an essential part of it. #CBDCOP17 #KMGBF
Hon Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, giving her video keynote.
October 24, 2026 at 1:15 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Financing nature restoration: markets, mandates, or both? 💷🌳 Our #BLGD2026 roundtable hosted by Hogan Lovells Cadwalader asked whether 30x30 needs mandatory intervention, or a hybrid of market finance and legal mandates. #CBDCOP17 #NatureFinance
Bryony Widdup of Hogan Lovells Cadwalader speaking at the nature finance roundtable, with Eoin Murray, Emily Julier, Ian Herbert and others shown in the video-call sidebar.
October 24, 2026 at 1:23 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Turning international agreements into action takes everyday work. 🐘🌿 CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero at #BLGD2026: trade should never threaten the survival of a species, and that requires a whole-of-government approach. #CBDCOP17 #CITES
Hon Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of CITES, speaking by video in front of a CITES backdrop with images of a tiger and a Venus flytrap.
October 24, 2026 at 1:15 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Biodiversity is protected locally, and young people are leading the way. 🌱🌍 Our #BLGD2026 youth workshop opened with a land acknowledgement and highlighted local action with and by young people to protect ecosystems, wetlands and waterways. #CBDCOP17 #YouthVoice
Video-call grid of young participants, chairs and speakers at the Biodiversity Law & Governance Day 2026 workshop on youth and local biodiversity governance.
October 24, 2026 at 3:17 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Restoration commitments need laws that outlast political cycles. 🏞️🌊 Thanks to Commonland, partners and UNCCD Executive Secretary Yasmine Fouad for our #BLGD2026 roundtable on proactive law and policy coherence for Target 2 of the #KMGBF. #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of the landscape-seascape restoration roundtable, including Dr Victoria Gutierrez, Bethanie Walder, Anita Diederichsen, Prof An Cliquet, Juan Carlos Losada, Joann Lee and Dr John Colmey.
October 24, 2026 at 1:22 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Many legal systems, many values of nature. 🌿🌎 At #BLGD2026, María Paula González Espinel reminded us that the Escazú Agreement is a regional milestone and a yardstick for country action, enabling greater recognition of the rights of women and Indigenous Peoples. #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of the Latin America and Caribbean roundtable, including Prof María José Lubertino, Berta Medrano, María Paula González Espinel and Paula Alvarado Mamani.
October 24, 2026 at 3:19 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Communities and women are at the heart of conservation and restoration in Africa. 🌍🌱 Thanks to AfREDE and the Shibuyunji District Women's Cooperatives for our #BLGD2026 roundtable on community-led conservation in Zambia, Benin and Madagascar. #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of speakers at the roundtable on rights-based conservation, community stewardship and restoration in Africa, including Taza Mulenga Lungu, Anthony Simukonde, Brighton Mutali and Maurras Akakpo.
October 24, 2026 at 1:20 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Can shared biodiversity obligations become a channel for dialogue and peace? 🕊️ At #BLGD2026, H.E. Anna Karapetyan highlighted Armenia's legal work to ratify and implement biodiversity treaties, including the Nagoya Protocol and BBNJ. Thanks to YSU for hosting. #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of speakers at the roundtable on implementing biodiversity treaties in post-conflict settings, including Anna Karapetyan, Prof Yeghishe Kirakosyan and Prof Olympia Geghamyan.
October 24, 2026 at 1:19 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
Biodiversity Law & Governance Day 2026 is open! 🌿 A privilege to give welcome remarks alongside the Rector of Yerevan State University, Prof Hovhannes Hovhannisyan. Thanks to YSU, CISDL and all partners for bringing the biodiversity law community together. #BLGD2026 #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of speakers at the Grand Opening of Biodiversity Law & Governance Day 2026, including Prof Markus W. Gehring, Prof Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger and Prof Jorge Cabrera Medaglia.
October 24, 2026 at 1:14 PM
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Access and benefit-sharing is entering a new era. 🧬🌿 A pleasure to co-chair our #BLGD2026 ABS roundtable with Prof Jorge Cabrera on how the Nagoya Protocol, the WIPO GRATK Treaty, the Plant Treaty and other regimes intersect. #CBDCOP17
Video-call grid of the access and benefit-sharing roundtable, including Prof Markus W. Gehring, Prof Jorge Cabrera Medaglia, Dr Pedro Batista, Prof Chidi Oguamanam, Prof Sri Raghavan and Adv Manuel Ruiz.
October 24, 2026 at 1:21 PM
mwgehring.bsky.social
So excited about #BLGI Day TOMORROW 🌿

Join us online tomorrow, Saturday 24 October, for a full day of conversations on biodiversity law and governance, held during CBD @cop17arm.bsky.social in Yerevan.

📝 Register here (it only takes a minute): blgd2026.eventbrite.ca
& biodiversitylawgovernance.org
Biodiversity Law and Governance Day 2026
Global symposium advancing legal and governance solutions for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework during CBD COP17.
BLGD2026.eventbrite.ca
October 23, 2026 at 10:32 AM