Series: ADB at CBD COP17 Making Peace with Nature: Environmental Disputes – From Prevention to Resolution 22 October 2026 Armenia As biodiversity loss accelerates and pressures on land, water, forests, and other natural resources intensify, disputes among governments, communities, and investors are becoming more frequent and complex. Effective dispute prevention and resolution are essential to protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainable natural resource management, and supporting sustainable development. This event brings together leading experts and practitioners to share practical tools, lessons, and experiences in preventing, managing, and resolving disputes in environmental, natural resource, and biodiversity contexts. Participants will explore good practices, deepen their understanding of different perspectives, and learn how collaborative approaches can help transform conflict into cooperation and contribute to making peace with nature. Who should attend: Government policymakers; officials from environment and justice ministries; judges; legal practitioners; ADR specialists; environmental NGOs; community leaders; private sector stakeholders; and development partners committed to cooperative and sustainable solutions for biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. Program and Learning Materials 22 October 2026 Session / Activity Title Speaker(s) Opening and Group Photo Welcome Remarks Hayk Arakelyan, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment of Armenia Tigran Dadunts, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Justice, Armenia Lyaziza Sabyrova, Country Director, Armenia Resident Mission, ADB Keynote Speaker on Growing Environmental Risks and the Value of Early Dispute Prevention Moderator: Christina Pak, Assistant General Counsel (Law and Policy Reform), ADB Keynote Speaker: Michael Brown, Director, Consensus Building Institute and Professor of Practice in Natural Resource Conflict Mediation and Global Governance, McGill University Panel 1 Conflict Prevention and Early Conflict Management Moderator: Christina Pak, Assistant General Counsel (Law and Policy Reform), ADB ADB Presenter: Beatrice Gomez, Director, Office of Safeguards, ADB Panelists: Artur Grigoryan, CEE-Bankwatch Network Genevieve O’Farrel, Senior Safeguards Specialist (Environment), ADB Nina Pindham, Environmental Lawyer, Cornerstone Barristers Narine Avetisyan, Principal Private Sector Development Officer, ADB Interactive Case Study Mediating an Environmental Disputes Moderator: Christina Pak, Assistant General Counsel (Law and Policy Reform), ADB Keynote Speech:George Lim, Chairman, Singapore International Mediation Centre Panel 2 Mediated Solutions to Environmental Conflicts: Lessons on Mediation in Environmental Disputes Moderator: Lilit Petrosyan, Secretary General and Director, Arbitration and Mediation Center of Armenia Panelists: Wee Meng Chuan, CEO, Singapore International Mediation Centre Natalya Adamyan, Lawyer, AMCA Mediator, Certified Mediator Trainer Bryce Williams, Legal Counsel, Permanent Court of Arbitration Judge Tenzin Leewan, Secretary General, Bhutan ADR Centre (virtual) Panel 3 International Arbitration in Support of Biodiversity Targets Moderator: Annette Magnusson, Principal, Climate Change Counsel; Investment Law and Policy Expert, Asian Development Bank (consultant) Panelists: Professor Markus Gehring, Cambridge University Professor Crenguta Leaua, The Swiss Institute for Alternative Thinking Rafik Grigoryan, Founder and Managing Partner, Sigma Law Group Christoffer Coello Hedberg, Senior Associate, Kastell (virtual) Closing Closing Reflections Christina Pak, Assistant General Counsel (Law and Policy Reform), ADB Michael Brown, Director, Consensus Building Institute and Professor of Practice in Natural Resource Conflict Mediation and Global Governance, McGill University Disclaimer The views expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area, or by using the term “country” in this document, ADB does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Event Coordinator/s Duncan Lang Pailyn Tan Related Full Agenda ADB Organizer/s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Climate Change, Nature, and Environment Division Read Also ADB @ CBD COP17 Joint Multilateral Development Bank Pavilion Partner Organization/s Arbitration and Mediation Center of Armenia Center for Legislation Development Foundation Topics Environment Finance