COP17: Algeria Urges Global South Climate Financing, Details National Efforts
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune delivered an address at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) Leaders' Summit in Yerevan, Armenia. The speech, read on his behalf by Council of the Nation President Azouz Nasri, reiterated Algeria's commitment to biodiversity protection and climate justice. It underscored the international context of escalating environmental crises and the necessity for balancing economic development with biodiversity preservation through ecosystem restoration and sustainable resource exploitation. Under President Tebboune's guidance, Algeria is actively working to safeguard its rich fauna and flora against threats such as human activities, desertification, forest fires, and climate change.
Algeria has translated its international commitments into concrete actions by updating and submitting its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2025-2030. This participatory approach led to the definition of 24 national targets and 93 implementation measures, aligning with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The nation has significantly enhanced biodiversity protection through the expansion of its network of protected areas, now encompassing 24 classified zones across marine, forest, mountainous, steppe, and desert ecosystems. Furthermore, Algeria has cataloged over 27,000 living species and continues efforts to recognize and preserve Cultural Parks, which integrate unique ecological diversity with archaeological and historical heritage, extending national conservation scope by nearly one million square kilometers.
Among Algeria's key initiatives is the revival of the "Barrage Vert" (Green Dam) project, covering 4.7 million hectares, serving as a natural bulwark against desertification and sand encroachment. This project aims to enhance vegetation cover, restore ecosystems, and deliver economic benefits to local populations through an integrated environmental and social sustainability approach. To further preserve genetic resources and botanical heritage, Algeria operationalized the National Seed Bank and launched the National Environmental Museum of Biodiversity. The country's address at COP17 also stressed the need for international solidarity, advocating for tangible financing mechanisms, capacity building, and technology transfer for developing countries, in line with agreed-upon commitments and respecting national priorities. Algeria firmly believes that the credibility of global biodiversity frameworks hinges on practical implementation rather than mere declarations.
