An Anglican delegation will attend the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia. They will call for justice for oceans, just finance for those most at risk and a cleaner agricultural system, acknowledging Indigenous wisdom.

Representing different Anglican Provinces, the delegation includes the Rt Revd Graham Usher (Church of England Lead Bishop for the Environment and Bishop of Norwich), the Rt Revd Cathleen Bascom (Eco-Region lead for the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and former Bishop of Kansas), Mary Okeno (from the Anglican Church of Kenya), Anusan Sivarasa (a young environmental advocate from the Anglican Church of Sri Lanka) and Nicholas Pande (Environmental Advocacy Lead for the Anglican Communion Office and Global Lead for Resilience and Disaster Response for the Anglican Alliance). They will attend between 22 and 29 October.

COP17 – taking stock of biodiversity targets

The UNCBD COP17 is an international forum devoted to the conservation and sustainable use of the world’s biodiversity. From 19 to 30 October, world leaders, representatives of non-governmental organisations, businesses, investors and many others are meeting to take stock of the biodiversity targets for 2030 set at COP15 in 2022.

COP17 marks the first global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which set 23 targets for 2030 – including protecting 30% of the world's land and sea (30x30). Ocean protection is lagging, with only 8.4 % of marine and coastal areas protected or conserved, compared with 17.6% of land and inland waters, according to the Protected Planet Report 2024.

What are the Anglican delegation’s advocacy priorities at COP17?

Attending various multilateral discussions, events and meetings, Anglican advocacy at COP17 will focus on four priorities:

1 – Share generational wisdom to secure nature and communities

National governments are only beginning to recognise nature loss as a matter of national security. Yet ancient Indigenous knowledge about how to care for the environment, passed down through generations, has long understood the connection between the security of humanity and the security of nature. Anglicans will advocate for the importance of faith groups in strengthening the security of communities, nations and nature.

2 - Ensure that governments’ finance is channelled towards those who need it most

Finance falls short of meeting biodiversity goals. Governments must lead the way alongside faith organisations in ‘just finance’ that recognises that the impact of environmental damage varies across the world and the significant imbalance of resources available to respond.

3 - Call on governments to restore and protect the oceans as one of the ‘Lungs of the Earth’   

Oceans are often underacknowledged in conversations about biodiversity and climate change, but they are a vital ecosystem, that produces around half the oxygen we breathe. Oceans also absorb most of the excess heat and much of the carbon we emit, while feeding billions of people globally. Yet progress towards global targets for marine and coastal systems lags well behind progress on land.

4 - Show that balancing food security and sustainability is possible

Agriculture provides the food and livelihoods upon which communities depend, yet it can also drive biodiversity loss when production is prioritised over ecosystems. Agriculture depends on healthy soil, reliable water supplies, pollinators, and stable climatic conditions. Damaging nature ultimately undermines the foundations of food production. Addressing these challenges requires action throughout the supply chain. Governments, industry and consumers all have a role in creating systems that work with nature rather than against it. Churches have a role in incentivising sustainable practices at each point in the chain.

The Anglican delegation share their hopes for COP17

Members of the delegation have spoken out about the importance of environmental action, advocacy and their hopes for the Anglican presence at COP.

The Rt Revd Graham Usher: ‘As Anglicans, our faith has much to contribute to these conversations. Around the world, churches are helping communities respond to environmental pressures, build resilience and manage resources sustainably. Scripture shows us why this matters. Humanity is placed within creation, not apart from it. We are a part of an interconnected creation sustained by God. The flourishing of communities depends on the flourishing of the natural world that sustains them.’

The Rt Revd Cathleen Bascom said: ‘Originally inspired by the Anglican Communion Forest initiative, and motivated by devastating climate events across the Americas, a new centrepiece of the Episcopal Church's creation care efforts is the building of Eco-Region Networks. I come to COP17 ready to share some innovative practices and positive impacts reported from our networks... Above all, I travel to Armenia to learn! From our own Anglican delegation members and the many scientists, faith groups and government actors, I hope to glean best practices and spiritual insights that will empower efforts in our Episcopal Eco-Region Networks.’

Nicholas Pande: ‘The global review undertaken at COP17 shows progress has been made towards protecting and restoring ecosystems around the world. We celebrate that because it impacts people’s lives. Children can eat when the land is fertile. Communities feel more secure when the nature around them is resilient. People can breathe when oceans are protected. This is why we must accelerate progress and why faith communities are vital to achieving the next steps.’

Mary Okeno: ‘As a church, we are called to be stewards of the environment. This is our prophetic role… We are not just taking up this role theoretically, but we are also doing it practically. In my diocese, we have put several acres of land into good use – intercropping maize and beans as well as bee farming – becoming a vital source of livelihood for our church members… so sustainable agriculture can be made a reality for a changeover – striking a balance between agriculture, business and environmental conservation.’ Mary said that the matter of biodiversity is ‘a matter of our own lives as humans and the lives of the generations to come.’

Anusan Sivarasa has been instrumental in restoring and replanting damaged mangroves in Sri Lanka. Mangroves are vital for resilience, serving as a natural barrier against extreme weather and supporting biodiversity in marine ecosystems. Anusan shared: ‘For me, COP17 is an important opportunity to strengthen global action on biodiversity conservation and ensure that commitments made internationally lead to meaningful action at the community level. In Sri Lanka, coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, lagoons and wetlands support biodiversity, local livelihoods and community resilience to climate change.

‘My hope for COP17 is that countries will move beyond commitments on paper and invest in long-term conservation, community-led initiatives and environmental education. I also hope that the voices of young people and local communities will be heard more clearly in biodiversity decision-making, and that faith communities will be recognised as important partners in protecting and restoring our natural world.’

Lungs of the Earth – why are Anglicans calling for ocean protection?

Coinciding with the Anglican delegation’s presence at COP17, the Anglican Communion is inviting Anglican churches to get involved in the ongoing ‘Lungs of the Earth’ campaign. The focus for 2026 is ‘oceans’, and the Anglican Communion Office has released a new resource pack, providing churches with guidance on action they can take locally, and ways to advocate for change.

The campaign was developed with environmental advocates across the Communion, particularly Indigenous Anglicans, and reflects their wisdom, traditions and sustainable practice.

It is built around three priorities: relationship, restoration and resilience. Through relationship, Anglican churches - present in more than 165 countries - can work together, share learning and strengthen one another's advocacy in the face of environmental crisis. Through restoration, churches and communities can help recover damaged places, from beach and river clean-ups to mangrove planting. Through building resilience, they can help communities prepare before disaster strikes.

In many parts of the Communion, Anglicans are already acting to protect and restore the ‘Lungs of the Earth’. In the Pacific, ancient wisdom fosters a deep connection between the Moana (ocean) and Indigenous peoples. The Most Revd Sione Ulu’ilakepa, Bishop of the Diocese of Polynesia and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, said, ‘The ocean is not a boundary. It is a bridge, connecting peoples, cultures and faith across vast distances. When one lung is damaged, we all struggle to breathe.’

For more information

Learn more about the advocacy priorities of the Anglican delegation attending COP17

Find out more about the Lungs of the Earth campaign

Download this year's Lungs of the Earth 2026 - Campaign Pack

Read case studies about Anglicans in South Sudan and Malawi who are acting to protect and restore the ‘Lungs of the Earth’.