Current Affairs - International - Discussion

Armenia hosted the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Yerevan. During the conference, held in November 2026, the Union Environment Minister released the I-OECM Guidelines 2026. These guidelines aim to recognise Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) and support India's commitment to the 30×30 biodiversity target under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The framework focuses on conserving biodiversity-rich areas beyond legally protected networks, including sacred groves, biodiversity parks and community-managed conservation sites. Armenia's capital is Yerevan, and its national currency is the Armenian Dram.