2026 in the environment

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2026 in the environment is a list of significant environmental events, initiatives, policy milestones, and related meetings that occurred (or are scheduled to occur) in 2026.

Events

January

• 5 January – 13 February – Nominations period for experts to participate in the Open-Ended Online Forum on Synthetic Biology (Convention on Biological Diversity process). ^[1]
• 6 January – Lisima Lya Mwono in Angola recognized as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance. ^{[2] [3]}
• 17 January – The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty ) enters into force. ^[4]
• 19 January – Nature reserve "Jistebnické mokřady" established in Poodří Protected Landscape Area, Czechia. ^[5]
• 25 January – One-day stakeholder meeting in Dakar, Senegal, held in connection with preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference. ^[6]
• 26–27 January – High-level preparatory meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference held in Dakar, Senegal (co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates). ^[6]

February

• 4 February
  • Black coal mining ends in Czechia after nearly 250 years. ^[7]
  • Barnebey Woods in Owen County, Indiana, US, designated as the state's newest nature preserve. The upland forest area is owned and managed by Sycamore Land Trust. ^{[8] [9]}
• 23 February – 6 March – Open-Ended Online Forum on Synthetic Biology (Convention on Biological Diversity process). ^[10]

March

• 24–27 March – The sixty-fourth session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-64) is held in Bangkok, Thailand. ^[11]
• 23 March – 2 April – Third meeting of the Preparatory Commission for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement (PrepCom 3) scheduled. ^[12]

May

• 19–22 May – Meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Synthetic Biology (tentative). ^[13]

June

• 8–18 June – Sixty-fourth sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) held in Bonn, Germany. ^[14]
• 16–18 June – Our Ocean Conference convened in Mombasa/Kilifi Counties, Kenya. ^[15]

July

• 27 July – 1 August – Twenty-eighth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-28) (Convention on Biological Diversity process). ^[16]

August

• 4–12 August – Seventh meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-7) (Convention on Biological Diversity process). ^[17]

October

• 19–30 October – UN Biodiversity Conference (Seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD COP-17) held in Yerevan, Armenia. ^[18]

November

• 9–20 November – UN Climate Change Conference (Thirty-first session of the Conference of the Parties, COP31) held in Antalya, Türkiye. ^[19]
• 17–20 November – 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB 2026) held in Bruges, Belgium. ^[20]

December

• 2–4 December – 2026 United Nations Water Conference convened in the United Arab Emirates, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal. ^[21]

See also

• 2026
• 2026 in science
• 2026 in Antarctica
• 2026 in climate change
• 2020s in environmental history

References

1. "Calendar of Activities 2025–2026 (Synthetic Biology)". Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
2. "Angola Designates First Ever Wetland of International Importance". news.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
3. "Critical wetland in Angola gets formal Ramsar recognition". Mongabay. 21 January 2026.
4. "Agreement under UNCLOS on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) – Entry into force". United Nations Treaty Collection. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
5. "Stojaté vody, potoky, suché i podmáčené lesy a louky. Jistebnické mokřady jsou novou přírodní rezervací". iROZHLAS (in Czech). 2026-01-24. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
6. "2026 UN Water Conference Stakeholders". UN DESA – Sustainable Development. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
7. "Last coal wagon leaves Stonava mine as black coal mining ends in Czechia". Radio Prague International. 2026-02-04. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
8. "Barnebey Woods granted state's highest protection as new Owen County Nature Preserve". WBIW. 2026-02-04. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
9. Szink, John. "New Nature Preserve Dedicated in Owen County". The Bullet. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
10. "Calendar of Activities 2025–2026 (Synthetic Biology)". Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
11. "IPCC Sessions – Sixty-fourth Session of the IPCC (IPCC-64)". Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
12. "Implementing BBNJ: Three PrepComs and a whole lot of coordination" (PDF). Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) meetings site. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
13. "Calendar of Activities 2025–2026 (Synthetic Biology)". Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
14. "First sessional period of 2026". UNFCCC. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
15. "Our Ocean Conference – Next Conference (Mombasa)". Our Ocean Conference. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
16. "Calendar of Activities 2025–2026 (Synthetic Biology)". Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
17. "Calendar of Activities 2025–2026 (Synthetic Biology)". Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
18. "Calendar of Activities 2025–2026 – UN Biodiversity Conference (COP-17), Yerevan". Convention on Biological Diversity. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
19. "UNFCCC COP decision noting COP31 dates and venue (Antalya, 9–20 November 2026)" (PDF). UNFCCC. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
20. "World Conference on Marine Biodiversity 2026". UN Ocean Decade. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
21. "2026 UN Water Conference". UN DESA – Sustainable Development. Retrieved 10 January 2026.

External links

• United Nations Treaty Collection – BBNJ Agreement
• UNFCCC
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• 2026 UN Water Conference
• Our Ocean Conference