Kobakhidze at COP17: Forest restoration covers over 7,000 hectares, target for 2030 is 20,000 hectares

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, speaking at the COP17 leaders' summit, said that over the past decade forest restoration and afforestation measures have been carried out on more than 7,000 hectares. According to him, the goal for 2030 is to carry out similar work on at least 20,000 hectares.

Kobakhidze noted that the country's activities are not limited to protected areas. According to him, significant progress is also being made in restoring wild species threatened with extinction.

According to the prime minister, biodiversity is inseparably linked to Georgia's history, cultural identity and agricultural traditions. He said that Georgia, as the homeland of wine, stands out with an 8,000-year history of winemaking, which is confirmed by archaeological evidence. According to him, the country is distinguished by more than 500 local grapevine varieties and by the ancient method of winemaking in qvevri, which UNESCO recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Kobakhidze also emphasized the ancient tradition of wheat cultivation: of the 27 wheat species described in the world, 14 are found in Georgia, including five that are endemic. Georgian wheat culture was recognized by UNESCO in 2025.

The prime minister said that Georgia's natural heritage continues to play an important role in the country's economic and social development. According to him, healthy ecosystems help the development of agriculture, ensure the protection of water resources, attract visitors and create opportunities for small business. "Accordingly, their protection is not only an environmental responsibility, but also an investment in economic competitiveness, job creation and long-term well-being," he said.

Kobakhidze said that effective and sustainable protection of biodiversity requires strengthening international cooperation, mobilizing resources and sharing experience. He added that, along with regional cooperation, international partnership plays an important role in turning commitments made in the field of nature protection into practical results.

"As 2030 approaches, our main priority must be to turn the globally undertaken commitments in the field of biodiversity protection into concrete and long-term achievements. This summit gives us an important opportunity to further strengthen our joint readiness to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to give new impetus to their implementation. Georgia remains committed to cooperating with international partners in order to protect biodiversity, strengthen nature conservation efforts and ensure that preserving the natural environment is linked to the well-being of future generations," said Irakli Kobakhidze.