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Armenia has unveiled the logo for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. At its centre is Polyommatus eriwanensis, a blue butterfly found only in and around Yerevan. The emblem appears alongside the slogan “Taking action for nature”, signalling the conference’s focus on moving from commitments to implementation.
COP17, scheduled for October 2026, will host the first global review of how countries are implementing the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The framework has 23 targets, from protecting habitats to reforming subsidies that harm biodiversity. The logo uses 23 blended colours, reflecting the idea that progress on one target depends on action across all.
The Erivan Anomalous Blue is more than a visual element. Endemic species like this are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Their populations respond quickly to habitat loss, climate shifts, and changes in plant availability. Scientists often use butterflies as indicators of ecosystem health. By featuring this species, Armenia links global biodiversity goals to a local, tangible example.
The species inhabits calcareous grasslands in Armenia but the host plant of the species is still not known. The species is not included in the Global and European Red Lists.
“Armenia’s vision for COP17 is a beautiful one. It aims to inspire us all to see that transformation is possible, that nature is worth protecting, that implementation is happening and that we all have an important and active role to play,” said Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, at the unveiling event held on the sidelines of the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly that concluded recently in Kenya.
The choice builds on a precedent from COP16 in Colombia. That conference featured the Inirida flower, endemic to the Guaviare region. It highlighted a unique ecological zone and showed that conference logos can reflect specific ecosystems while addressing international conservation priorities.
Earlier COP logos have included animals, plants, landscapes, and symbolic forms. Some reflected the host country’s environments; others represented broader environmental ideas. Over time, logos have shifted from generic nature to imagery and habitats with ecological or political relevance. Together, they show how biodiversity discussions have matured: from awareness raising to accountability.
The COP17 butterfly represents this evolution. It reminds participants that biodiversity targets are not abstract numbers. Implementation depends on governments, civil society, local authorities, and communities. The survival of small, local species reflects the success of global frameworks.
By choosing a species that exists close to people’s daily lives, the logo also illustrates the connection between human activity and ecosystem health. Conservation depends on action at all levels. The butterfly presence highlights that every effort, large or small, contributes to the wider goal of protecting biodiversity.