COP17 biodiversity summit opens in Yerevan amid deforestation overshoot

COP17, the UN biodiversity conference, opens in Yerevan, Armenia, to address global biodiversity loss. The text notes that global deforestation exceeded 7 million hectares in 2025, well above the 4 million hectare target, indicating a failure to meet prior commitments. The summit's outcomes are uncertain, but the gap between pledges and action underscores the urgency of biodiversity protection.