COP17: When justice becomes the last weapon to save life on Earth

The COP17 biodiversity summit opens on October 19 in Yerevan, Armenia, to assess the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its 23 targets for 2030, which appear out of reach. WWF’s 2026 Living Planet Report says wild vertebrate populations fell by 73% between 1970 and 2022, while nearly one-third of species assessed by the IUCN are threatened with extinction. A new wave of structural litigation seeks to make states and companies honor their commitments, with researcher Rebecca Fenn identifying 214 such cases. France and Germany are described as pioneers, and a July 2025 International Court of Justice opinion recognizing a human right to a healthy environment may strengthen cases in national courts.