Regional workshop of EU4Climate on “Climate Mainstreaming Activities in the EaP countries: Recommendations for Energy and Agriculture” was held on April 26 in Brussels.
From Armenia, the workshop participants were as follows: Artak Baghdasaryan, Task Leader/Mitigation Expert of UNDP in Armenia, Lara Sargsyan - Chief Specialist of Atmospheric Policy Department, Ministry of Environment, Ira Panosyan- Head of Agricultural Programs Elaboration Department, Ministry of Economy, Tigran Melkonyan - Head of the Energy Department, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and Victorya Burnazyan - Deputy President of EcoLur NGO.
During the workshop, the representatives of the Council of Europe's DG CLIMA, DG NEAR, DG ENER departments, as well as the Energy Community Secretariat, presented the EU Taxonomy regulations to the participants. It was noted that the Taxonomy allows to compare the sustainability levels of different investments. The policy of the energy community was presented. Policy areas for the climate and energy community were noted to include industry, transport, heating and cooling and buildings, agriculture, waste, land use, land use change and forestry.
It was noted that the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) developed by the Energy Community member countries shall be adopted in 2024.
The NECPs will have National Energy Strategy, Social Strategy (Energy Poverty), National Transport Strategy, National Climate Change Strategy, National Research and Development Strategy. Ten-year network development strategy. The renewable energy development policy of Estonia and Lithuania was presented. It was noted that Lithuania intends to increase the share of renewable energy in its electricity production to 50% and Estonia to 100% by 2030.
EcoLur Deputy President Victoria Burnazyan raised the issue of electronic waste management resulting from the development of solar energy, as well as the issue of damage and prevention of river ecosystems in case of construction of small hydropower plants. The representative of the DG ENER Department of the Council of Europe responded that the existing environmental norms are considered in the development of renewable energy. The question about e-waste did not receive a clear answer.
Lara Sargsyan, Chief Specialist of Atmospheric Policy Department at Ministry of Environment, presented the policy of Armenia on climate change. RA Government Programme for 2021-2026 adopted in 2021 states, “The sector-specific policy will fundamentally be aimed at raising the level of resistance of the country to climate change by contributing to the introduction of the best practices of adaptation, actively participating in the global efforts for low carbon development and properly fulfilling the international commitments assumed with respect to mitigation of climate change.”
Some strategic documents and actions envisaged by the adopted Government’s Action plan to achieve this goal:
· National Program for 2022-2030 on Energy Saving and Renewable Energy (approved in 2022)
· Program for the construction of a new nuclear power unit in the Republic of Armenia (under development)
· Green and Sustainable Economic Development Strategy (currently discussed)
· Building a National Transparency Framework under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement (under development)
· Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy for Armenia (currently discussed)
· Implementation of a Program on "Transition of Electric Motor Vehicles in Armenia“ (currently discussed)
Lara Sargsyan noted that Updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) was adopted by the Government in 2021: a new economy-wide mitigation target of 40% reduction below the 1990 emissions level to be achieved in 2030.
National Action Program of Adaptation to Climate Change and the List of Measures for 2021-2025 approved by the Government in 2021 guides efforts towards facilitating the integration of climate change adaptation into sectoral and provincial development plans. Water Sector Adaptation Plan was approved by the Government in 2022.
Agriculture Sector Adaptation Concept and Action Plan for its implementation was endorsed by the Ministerial Committee in December 2023, and was integrated into the Strategy of Main directions Ensuring Economic Development of Agriculture Sector for 2020-2030.
She mentioned that field studies are being carried out. Accordingly, studies of the agricultural sector have shown that there is a great potential for reducing the level of emissions from this sector in Armenia. "The "mitigation scenario" envisages the application of best practices in livestock management until 2030, as a result of which greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced from 108% in 2017 to 28% in 2030," Lara Sargsyan noted.
According to her, based on the best experience and assessing the potential and opportunities for reducing emissions from the transport, the main strategies and tools to promote the reduction of emissions in Yerevan, prospects for transport development, medium-term and long-term policies have been submitted. Midterm policy for 2020-2030 is envisaged to implement the process of introducing a new route network in the city. Long-term policy is envisaged to develop concepts for 2020-2050: continue to undertake the planned steps and, over time, apply newer technologies that will contribute to emissions reduction.
Speaking about expected products under EU4Climate project, Lara Sargsyan outlined that Armenia's long-term low-emissions development strategy will be developed to help set priorities for climate change mitigation while focusing on the benefits that accompany economic and social development. The law "On Climate" will be developed. Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy of Armenia will be finalized that will help to prioritize options for climate change mitigation, while focusing also on the economic and social development co-benefits.
Development of the Climate Law will define the legal and institutional framework of the climate policy development and implementation in the country. The concept of climate law is developed to lead content wise consultations.
NDC Implementation plan and its financing strategy will be finalized to transform the NDC 2021-2030 into tangible actions that lead to long term low emission and climate – resilient development. Draft is currently being circulated.
Tigran Melkonyan, Head of the Energy Department, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, noted that the responsible use of renewable energy potential is one of the key priorities for the development of the energy sector in Armenia. "Considering the internal resources available throughout the world and the development trends of renewable energy, the construction of solar and wind power plants will dominate the rest. Another important way is the possible realization of energy efficient potential. All sectors of Armenia's economy have great potential for energy efficiency, including transport, industry, apartment buildings, public sector, etc.” Tigran Melkonyan said.
Presenting the Energy Saving and Renewable Energy 2022-2030 plan, he noted that greenhouse gas emissions in electricity production will be reduced by more than 60% by 2030 compared to 1990 to meet domestic demand.
The share of low-carbon energy in the total structure of electricity production will decrease, considering the forecast of the growth of the volume of electricity exported based on natural gas, according to which it will amount to 51% in 2030, compared to 60% in 2019.
By 2030, the total volume of greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector will be reduced by 50% compared to 1990.
Tigran Melkonyan mentioned that by 2030 it is planned to increase the share of solar energy production in the energy system to 15% by building solar power plants with a total capacity of 1000 MW, including autonomous plants. The construction of small and utility-scale wind power plants with a capacity of up to 500 MW is also planned, as well as the creation of storage plants.
Presenting Armenia's renewable energy sector, Tigran Melkonyan noted that 11,514 autonomous solar systems with a total capacity of 213 MW, 60 commercial solar plants with a total capacity of 205 MW are operating in Armenia. There is 1 community solar plant with a capacity of 500 kW. Armenia operates 4 wind farms with a capacity of 4.2 MW, as well as 189 small hydroelectric plants with a total capacity of 390 MW.
Tigran Melkonyan presented the policy of energy saving and increasing energy efficiency and mentioned that it is planned to abandon gas consumption in residential buildings. This will contribute to the expansion of the use of low-carbon energy, thereby reducing the negative impact on the environment.
May 08, 2023 at 15:00