COP17 in Armenia: Biodiversity as a Gateway to Influence for the Next Generation of Diplomats
Introduction Right now, delegations from almost every country in the world are in Yerevan. They have come for COP17, the UN biodiversity conference, to negotiate how the planet will protect its forests, water, land and species in the years ahead. Never before has a meeting this important for global environmental diplomacy taken place in Armenia. […]
“Protecting the Land and Those Who Cultivate It”: Our Conversation with Professor David Smadja
As Yerevan opens its doors to COP17, the United Nations conference on biodiversity¹, we sat down with Professor David Smadja, a French physician who has become one of the strongest voices linking environmental protection and human health. We wanted to hear what he thinks about the challenges facing greenhouse farmers in the Ararat region, and […]
Safer Greenhouses, Healthier Farmers: What Our Survey in Ararat Revealed
Maqoor NGO and HayMed NGO jointly surveyed 250 people working in greenhouses in Armenia’s Ararat region: 101 owners and 149 workers. Together, we asked how they use pesticides and how that affects their health. Then we brought farmers together for a training conference built around what we learned. Greenhouse farming feeds families and supports livelihoods […]
Global Maqoor Day: A Worldwide Celebration of Environmental Change
Picture a day when the world comes together, from Chile’s breathtaking landscapes to Mozambique’s sun-soaked shores and from the vast Australian Outback to the mighty wildlife of Canada. Imagine people from all corners of the globe uniting for one shared mission: to create a planet that’s cleaner, greener, and more sustainable for all. This remarkable […]
Maqoor at UN ECOSOC Youth Forum
In April 2025, Maqoor Environmental NGO was represented at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the ECOSOC Youth Forum, one of the UN’s most important global platforms for youth engagement in policymaking and sustainable development. Gevorg Ghazaryan, Co-Founder of Maqoor, participated in the Forum as a representative of Armenian youth, contributing to discussions […]
Maqoor at CO-OP4CBD Paris Training Session
From April 21-24, Maqoor’s National Coordinator, Mkrtich Grigoryan, was in Paris participating in an international gathering focused on strengthening the role of civil society in biodiversity policy ahead of CBD COP17. The event, organized within the CO-OP4CBD Horizon Europe project, brought together organizations from across regions working on environmental advocacy and capacity-building. For Mkrtich, the […]
Eco Labeling: Why to Make it Standardised
When you walk into any supermarket, you can see the shelves are stacked with promises. “Eco-safe.” “Sustainably sourced.” “Planet positive.” Behind every such label, there is a deep confusion. Most of the consumers have no idea which brands truly reduce their environmental footprint and which just market the illusion of doing so. This is where […]
Deforestation in the Tavush Region
Deforestation is the process of clearing forests for different uses including building infrastructure, making room for agriculture, and generating fuel1. It has many harmful impacts, including the destruction of habitats for certain animals and the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The Tavush region, which is located in the northeastern part of Armenia2, is […]
Air Pollution in Yerevan
Pollution is the introduction of harmful substances into a specific area, which in turn causes a multitude of different problems within that environment1. Some pollutants have been present within certain environments for a while, but in safe amounts, which is why they were never a cause for concern before. When pollutants are introduced in an […]
The Importance of Eco Activism In Armenia
Armenia has been facing devastating environmental issues for years. Climate change has caused extreme weather changes, increasing the vulnerability of Armenia’s environment, making it highly susceptible to environmental issues1. As the climate in the region continues to fluctuate, Armenian citizens are becoming increasingly exposed to certain diseases2, which may prove to be life-threatening. Despite the […]