Acopian Center for the Environment

Armenia’s green transition requires cooperation, long-term planning, and open dialogue across sectors. The Green Agenda Armenia Conference 2026 created a platform for exactly that 🌿

Hosted by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment within the framework of the Sida-funded Green Agenda for Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine project, the conference brought together policymakers, experts, civil society representatives, academics, journalists, and international partners to discuss key environmental priorities shaping Armenia’s future.

Throughout the day, discussions focused on biodiversity, climate and energy, water governance, waste management, circular economy, air quality, food systems, environmental data, chemicals regulation, and just transition.

The conference also explored Armenia’s progress and challenges in advancing environmental governance and sustainable development in the context of EU alignment processes and broader green transition goals.

Learn more: https://newsroom.aua.am/2026/05/19/aua-hosts-green-agenda-armenia-conference-2026/

Green Agenda for Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine

Thank you for highlighting the Green Agenda Armenia Conference 2026 🌿

As the national implementing partner of the Green Agenda project in Armenia, the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment was glad to host this space for dialogue around Armenia’s green transition priorities.

We are grateful to Sweden for supporting the project, to SEI - Stockholm Environment Institute for leading its implementation, and to all speakers, participants, partners, and contributors who helped make the conference possible.

This past Monday, May 11, stakeholders from across Armenia’s environmental, policy, academic, civil society, and media sectors came together for the Green Agenda Armenia Conference 2026, an important space for dialogue on the country’s green transition 🌿

The conference was organised within the framework of the Sida-funded Green Agenda project for Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine, implemented by SEI - Stockholm Environment Institute and with AUA Acopian Center for the Environment as the national implementing partner in Armenia.

Throughout the day, discussions focused on some of the country’s most pressing and interconnected challenges, including climate and energy, water management, biodiversity, air quality, food systems, transport, waste management, chemicals, and the importance of ensuring a just transition.

What made the conference especially valuable was the diversity of actors involved. Bringing together public institutions, experts, journalists, international partners, and civil society organisations creates opportunities for stronger cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and more inclusive public discussion around Armenia’s green future.

The green transition is not only an environmental issue, it is closely linked to economic resilience, public health, energy security, democratic participation, and long-term sustainable development. Creating spaces for open discussion and collaboration is therefore an important step in supporting Armenia’s continued alignment with European environmental standards and sustainability goals, which is the core of what the Green Agenda project is aiming to do.

Thank you AUA Acopian Center for the Environment for making this event possible and for all your great work in its preparation and implementation!

🌿How can nature-based solutions help build a nature-positive economy? What can Switzerland’s experience teach us about climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable regional development?

Save the date for an online talk with Dr. Thomas Probst, co-owner of planval (Switzerland), as he explores frameworks, challenges, and real-world success stories of integrating biodiversity and climate action into economic development.

The discussion will cover:
▪️ Nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation
▪️ Biodiversity restoration and economic value creation
▪️ Sustainable transformation of regions and communities
▪️ Climate-resilient development approaches from Switzerland and beyond
▪️ Ongoing collaboration with Armenian pilot communities through the FORACCA project

🔗 To join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85228835455?pwd=yESaax1sNgJoPfq68ue3DIxmAHzgIe.1

The event is part of the Talks Series of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and the WSL FORRACA Collaboration, with the support of the Government of Switzerland.

The talk is also organized within the framework of the Road to COP17 Initiative, a year-long series of activities in Armenia ahead of the UN Biodiversity COP17 to be held in Yerevan in October 2026.

Join us for a full-day conference bringing the green transition into real public conversation in Armenia 🇦🇲🌿

The Green Agenda Armenia Conference 2026 will gather representatives from government, international organizations, donor-funded projects, the private sector, academia, and civil society, along with journalists and media professionals.

The program will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, and breakout sessions covering:
• Water
• Climate and energy
• Air quality
• Food systems
• Biodiversity
• Chemicals management
• Waste management
• Transportation
• Just transition

Alignment with the green transition aspects of CEPA

The conference is organized within the Sweden-funded Green Agenda Armenia project, implemented by the Stockholm Environment Institute and the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, in collaboration with EU4Green Recovery East.

🎧 Simultaneous Armenian–English translation available.

🔗 Register here: https://forms.gle/gY88fhCZSQoL936f7

Green Agenda for Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine, SEI - Stockholm Environment Institute

Save the date to join the second talk in the series “From Montreal to Yerevan: An Armenian–Quebec dialogue on the path to COP17.”

🌿 TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE FOR NATURE RECOVERY
🗓 April 30, 2025
7 PM (Yerevan time)
11 AM (Quebec time)

Speakers:
• Ana María Hernández Salgar – Former Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) & Transformative Changes Advisor, SNAP Québec
• Sergio Aranguren – Technical Coordinator of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability Colombia
• Garabet Kazanjian – Freshwater Ecologist, AUA Acopian Center for the Environment

Moderator: Alain Branchaud, Executive Director, SNAP Quebec

The session explores how transformative change across economic, social, and governance systems is essential to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and how these approaches can inform the agenda of COP17.

🚨 Last Call to Apply – Final Deadline Today!

Applications for the International Environmental Law: Professional Development Program are closing today, April 22, 2026.

If you’ve been considering applying, this is your chance.

This first-of-its-kind program in Armenia brings together legal professionals, policymakers, and researchers to explore how international environmental law shapes real-world decisions – from biodiversity and climate change to transboundary resources and environmental justice.

🔹 12 sessions (May–September 2026)
🔹 Free of charge
🔹 Led by international and local experts
🔹 Limited seats available

If your work touches law, policy, diplomacy, or environmental governance, this is not something you postpone.

👉 Apply now before the deadline:

https://ace.aua.am/projects/international-environmental-law-pdp/

An exclusive professional development program in international environmental law will be launched in Armenia, aimed at building capacity in this field. The program’s speaker, Davit Khachatryan, an expert at the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, spoke to Mediamax about how and why the program was initiated, and why it matters both for professionals and for the state.

"The idea for the program was born out of concerns shared by myself and Alen Amirkhanian, Director of the Acopian Center for the Environment: international environmental law - and environmental legal regulations in general - are not sufficiently prioritized in Armenia. Although there are institutions doing serious work in this direction, the program seeks to fill existing gaps while simultaneously preparing the sector for the assumption of the COP17 presidency.

The program is designed for lawyers, policymakers and policy implementers, researchers, and academics. It will run from May to September of this year, comprising 12 sessions. In each session, beyond a standard lecture format, we expect to have active discussions and sharing of experience. The meetings will alternate between the American University of Armenia and Yerevan State University.

We have invited leading specialists from both Armenia and abroad to lead the sessions. We will begin with an introduction covering the fundamentals of international environmental law, its mechanisms, fundamental principles, and its place within the context of public international law. Subsequently, we will hold more specialized lectures, where issues related to biodiversity, climate, and natural resources will be examined within the framework of international environmental law."

Discover the full story 👉https://mediamax.am/en/specialprojects/aua/60576

Applications are still open, but not for long.

Հայաստանում մասնագիտական զարգացման բացառիկ ծրագիր կանցկացվի՝ շրջակա միջավայրի միջազգային իրավունքի ոլորտում կարողությունների զարգացման նպատակով։ Ծրագրի բանախոս, ՀԱՀ Յակոբեան բնապահպանական կենտրոնի փորձագետ Դավիթ Խաչատրյանը Mediamax.am գործակալությանը պատմել է, թե ինչպես և ինչու է ծնվել ծրագիրը, ինչու է այն կարևոր թե՛ մասնագետների և թե՛ պետության համար։

«Ծրագրի գաղափարը ծնվել է մտահոգություններից, որոնք կիսում ենք ես եւ ՀԱՀ «Յակոբեան բնապահպանական կենտրոնի» տնօրեն Ալեն Ամիրխանյանը. շրջակա միջավայրի միջազգային իրավունքը եւ առհասարակ շրջակա միջավայրի հետ կապված իրավական կարգավորումները բավարար չափով կարեւորված չեն Հայաստանում, եւ չնայած կան կառույցներ, որոնք այս ուղղությամբ լուրջ աշխատանք են կատարում, ծրագիրը ձգտում է լրացնել առկա բացերը՝ միեւնույն ժամանակ նախապատրաստելով ոլորտը COP17-ի նախագահության ստանձմանը:

Ծրագիրը նախատեսված է իրավաբանների, քաղաքականություն մշակողների եւ իրականացնողների, հետազոտողների, ակադեմիական ոլորտի ներկայացուցիչների համար: Այն ընթանալու է այս տարվա մայիսից մինչեւ սեպտեմբերը՝ ներառելով 12 աշխատանքային հանդիպում, որոնց շրջանակում բացի զուտ դասախոսության ձեւաչափից ակնկալում ենք ունենալ ակտիվ քննարկումներ եւ փորձի փոխանակում: Հանդիպումները փոխառփոխ ընթանալու են Հայաստանի ամերիկյան համալսարանում եւ Երեւանի պետական համալսարանում:

Դասախոսությունների համար հրավիրել ենք առաջատար մասնագետների ինչպես Հայաստանից, այնպես էլ արտերկրից: Կսկսենք ներածությունից, որպեսզի հասկանանք՝ ինչ է առհասարակ շրջակա միջավայրի միջազգային իրավունքը, որոնք են դրա մեխանիզմները, հիմնական սկզբունքները, ինչ տեղ ունի այն միջազգային հանրային իրավունքի համատեքստում: Այնուհետեւ կունենանք ավելի նեղ մասնագիտական դասախոսություններ, որոնց շրջանակում կենսաբազմազանության, կլիմայի, բնական պաշարներին առնչվող հարցերը կդիտարկենք շրջակա միջավայրի միջազգային իրավունքի համատեքստում․․․»:

Շարունակությունը👉 https://mediamax.am/am/specialprojects/aua/60576

Շտապե՛ք դիմել ծրագրին․ դիմումների ընդունման վերջնաժամկետը մոտենում է։

Շրջակա միջավայրի միջազգային իրավունքի զարգացման առաջին ծրագիրը Շրջակա միջավայրի միջազգային իրավունքի զարգացման առաջին ծրագիրը

Dr. Garabet Kazanjian has co-authored a 2025 top cited article in Limnology and Oceanography Letters, a leading journal in freshwater science.

This recognition highlights the growing impact of research coming from Armenia and the AUA Acopian Center on global environmental challenges, particularly in understanding freshwater ecosystems.

As AUA Acopian Center expert Garabet Kazanjian noted, seeing research being used and built upon by others is one of the most meaningful aspects of scientific work.

🔗 Read more:

Garabet Kazanjian’s Research on Freshwater Ecosystems Earns Top Citation Honors - AUA Newsroom Assistant Professor Garabet Kazanjian's paper was recognized as a 2025 top cited article in Limnology and Oceanography Letters.

🚨 Applications are OPEN, and spots are limited.

Armenia is preparing for major environmental challenges and global commitments, yet there is still a serious gap in trained professionals in international environmental law.

This is changing now.

The first Professional Development Program in International Environmental Law in Armenia is launching, and this is a rare opportunity to be part of it from the start.

If you are working in law, policy, environment, or international affairs, this is not something to postpone.

What you’ll gain:
• Practical understanding of international environmental law frameworks
• Real-world insights into climate, biodiversity, and governance issues
• Direct engagement with experts and peers shaping this field

📍 Yerevan | Evening sessions
💸 Participation is free
🗓 Apply by 22 April

🔗 For details, program information, and more reasons to apply:
https://newsroom.aua.am/2026/04/01/applications-open-armenia-first-professional-development-program-international-environmental-law/

The Green Agenda Armenia project is launching a new podcast series on sustainability and green transition in Armenia, and the Acopian Center for the Environment at the American University of Armenia is inviting students to join a hands-on podcast hosting workshop with the chance to become an official podcast host.

✨ Get real podcast hosting experience, studio practice, and be featured in an international project. Build your CV while doing something meaningful.

👀 Who is it for?
Students in communication, journalism, politics, environmental or sustainability fields.
Anyone interested in storytelling, podcasting, media, and public dialogue.

📅 Saturday, January 31
📍 In person

📩 Apply by January 23, 2026
Send your CV and short motivation letter to [email protected]