As delegates prepare to gather in Armenia, find out how JNCC staff will be supporting this important meeting of parties.
From 19 to 30 October, delegates from across the world will be meeting in Armenia for the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17). With 'Taking Action for Nature' as its central theme, this meeting of signatories to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will conduct the first collective evaluation of progress made on the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), agreed in Montreal nearly four years ago.
We'll be providing more information about our work at COP17 in the coming days and weeks, so come back again soon to keep up-to-date.
15 October 2026: Meet JNCC's COP17 Team
As the world's attention turns to the next UN Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (CBD COP17), JNCC is proud to be sending seven experts to represent the UK's commitment to protecting and restoring nature on the global stage.
Biodiversity loss remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time, and this COP offers a vital opportunity for countries to come together, share knowledge and strengthen the collective action needed to meet the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Today’s blog showcases our delegates in their own words: what role they'll be playing at COP17, and what they're hoping the conference will achieve. Their reflections capture a shared sense of hope and excitement about what can be accomplished when the global community unites around a common goal, nature's recovery.
Alyssa Fischer
JNCC’s International Advice Team Co-Leader
Alyssa Fischer, JNCC’s International Advice Team Co-Leader oversees JNCC's work on multilateral environmental agreements, like CBD, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the United Nations Environment Assembly. Her key areas of interest include integration of nature and climate resilience across government and sectors, increasing the representation of subnational governments and community leadership in international processes, and intersectional equity in environmental policy. With that in mind, she will be leading the UK's negotiations Mainstreaming Biodiversity Within and Across Sectors and Engagement of Subnational Governments, Cities, and Local Authorities.
“My biggest hope for COP17 is to see meaningful, ambitious commitments from non-state actors to fund and implement conservation and resilience work that supports our most vulnerable communities.”
Beth Stoker
JNCC’s Director of International Evidence & Advice
Beth Stoker, JNCC’s Director of International Evidence & Advice will be engaging with governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses, sharing UK experience, building relationships, and looking for opportunities to strengthen international collaboration on implementing the KMGBF. She will also be supporting the UK Government delegation, JNCC Chief Executive and JNCC Chair by promoting the use of robust scientific evidence in decision-making.
“My biggest hope for COP17 is that it accelerates implementation. Success will be governments, businesses and other stakeholders leaving COP17 with greater clarity, stronger partnerships and a shared determination to turn global biodiversity goals into practical action on the ground.”
Gemma Harper
JNCC’s Chief Executive
Gemma Harper, JNCC’s Chief Executive will be part of the UK delegation, representing JNCC and talking to partners from across the world about how we move from ambition to action for nature. Much of her focus will be at side events talking about the role that good science, trusted evidence and collaboration can play in helping deliver real progress for biodiversity.
“What excites me most about COP17 is the opportunity to bring together science, relationships and practical action. I care deeply about international collaboration and I've always seen myself as an internationalist. The challenges we're facing are shared ones, and I genuinely believe the best solutions come when countries work together. One of the things I've loved most about leading JNCC is seeing how science can connect people and help build trust across borders. That's really what science diplomacy is all about. My hope for COP17 is that we leave with stronger partnerships, renewed momentum, and confidence that together we can deliver for nature.”
Leah Farquharson
JNCC’s Senior International Biodiversity Adviser
Leah Farquharson, JNCC’s Senior International Biodiversity Adviser will be leading on the UK's Biodiversity and Health agenda item at COP17. This will involve supporting negotiations on how countries can better integrate biodiversity and health considerations in policy and decision-making, following the adoption of the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health at COP16. This agenda item includes consideration and discussion of new indicators and reporting tools to help countries assess and monitor progress in implementing the Action Plan. These tools are intended to provide a consistent approach to tracking how biodiversity and health considerations are being incorporated into national policies and actions, and COP17 will provide an opportunity for Parties to discuss and agree the most appropriate approach for monitoring and reporting progress in a practical and meaningful way.
“My biggest hope for COP17 is that countries can make meaningful progress on implementing the KMGBF and build momentum towards achieving its goals and targets by 2030. The KMGBF targets are ambitious, and achieving them will require a clear understanding of where progress is being made and where challenges remain. I hope COP17 helps drive the action needed over the next few years so that we can deliver tangible outcomes for nature and stay on track to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.”
Lucy Ellam
JNCC’s Senior International Biodiversity Adviser
Lucy Ellam, JNCC’s Senior International Biodiversity Adviser will also be part of the UK delegation and will be leading negotiations on biodiversity and agriculture, and invasive alien species. She will also support colleagues across a range of other agenda items, including mainstreaming biodiversity and engagement with subnational governments. Her role will involve negotiating the text of the proposed decisions and engaging with Parties to help advance discussions.
“As this will be my first CBD COP, I am looking forward to seeing international biodiversity negotiations in action, learning from experts across a wide range of topics, and contributing to discussions that will help shape global biodiversity action over the coming years. My biggest hope for COP17 is that Parties continue building momentum behind the implementation of the KMGBF, particularly by making progress on practical actions that help address biodiversity loss, sustainable use and benefit sharing.”
Natalie Askew
JNCC’s Director of International Evidence & Advice
Natalie Askew, JNCC’s Director of International Evidence & Advice will be helping to build the relationships and partnerships needed to turn global biodiversity commitments into practical action. She will also be supporting the UK Government delegation, JNCC Chief Executive and JNCC Chair by promoting the use of robust scientific evidence in decision-making.
“My biggest hope for COP17 is for courageous leadership in confronting the scale of the environmental challenges we face. Success will mean moving beyond commitments to accountable action, with credible financing, and a genuine whole-of-society approach to implementing the KMGBF.”
12 October 2026: How will JNCC's COP17 Team be supporting global negotiations?
The KMGBF is a global plan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, and includes 23 ambitious global targets to improve and enhance biodiversity, including to:
- Effectively conserve at least 30% of land and 30% of ocean.
- Reduce pollution from all sources to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity.
- Enhance biodiversity and sustainability in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry.
- Ensure sustainable, safe and legal harvesting and trade of wild species.
COP17 is shaping up as an "implementation COP", with negotiations focused on how to accelerate delivery of the KMGBF rather than negotiating major new targets. The central political challenge remains how to close the acknowledged implementation gap, particularly through finance, capacity-building and support for developing countries.
The UK's submission to this global stocktake was its seventh national report, which shows that the UK is on track to achieve three of the 23 targets by 2030.
JNCC's scientists, including our CEO and Chair, will be attending the meeting in Armenia as part of the UK delegation along with colleagues from Defra and other government departments. For over 30 years, JNCC has played a key role in the UK's work under the Convention on Biological Diversity, including coordinating a joint response to the KMGBF from all four countries of the UK.
As well as supporting Defra, JNCC will be leading on certain topics in Armenia. On behalf of the UK, JNCC’s International Advice Team Co-Leader Alyssa Fischer is leading on Mainstreaming of biodiversity within and across sectors and Engagement with subnational governments, cities and other local authorities to enhance the implementation of the KMGB. Senior International Biodiversity Adviser, Lucy Ellam will be leading on Biodiversity and agriculture and Invasive alien species. Senior International Biodiversity Adviser, Leah Farquharson will be leading on Biodiversity & health.
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