Ecuador wins selection to host biodiversity conference in 2028
A secret ballot at COP17's closing plenary in Yerevan selected Ecuador to host the next conference under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
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Ecuador has been selected to host the 18th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, known as COP18, in 2028. The decision followed a secret ballot at COP17's closing plenary in Yerevan.
Armenia’s environment minister and COP17 president, Hambardzum Matevosyan, announced the selection, Armenpress said. The Yerevan conference ran from 19 October to 30, 2026.
The biodiversity goals behind the meetings
The meetings follow the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, approved in December 2022, which set targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. COP16, held in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 1 November 2024, aimed to review countries' progress toward those goals.
The announcement identified the host country without specifying a city or vote totals. Matevosyan welcomed the handover to Ecuador:
I congratulate our Ecuadorian counterparts and wish them success in preparing for and hosting the conference.
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