On October 17, 2024, a roundtable discussion titled "Ahead of COP 29" was held in Yerevan to address the positions of Armenian civil society, state institutions, and local government representatives regarding COP 29, which is set to take place in Baku, as well as the climate challenges facing Armenia and potential solutions.
Masis Sargsyan from "Natural Economy" Climate Civil Foundation highlighted the lack of information about Armenia's participation in COP 29. He noted, "There is almost no information in the media about this event."
According to Sargsyan, Armenia should participate with a large delegation: "During COP events, parallel meetings and discussions are always held. It would be beneficial for our delegation to actively participate in all of them. It's crucial to be involved to prevent the passage of decisions that may not be in our favor. If Armenia opposes certain decisions, they can be bracketed, which prevents them from being finalized. Additionally, we have important issues related to Artsakh that can be addressed within the platforms related to indigenous communities." He added that civil society should also have some role in this process to express its stance.
Ashot Giloyan, Head of Local Policy Department at RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, emphasized the role of communities in coping with the impacts of climate change, reducing risks, and implementing preventive measures.
Raisa Minasyan, Secretary of Pambak Municipality, remarked, "Communities develop five-year strategic and annual plans, which always include programs related to climate adaptation. However, our capabilities are not fully developed due to the lack of specialists and insufficient financial resources."
Tatev Dovmalyan, Leader of Youth Sector at "Khazer" Ecological and Cultural NGO, pointed out that young people are currently very interested in climate change issues, and substantial work is being done in this context. "As a biology teacher, I am constantly involved in environmental activities with children at school through various projects," she said.
This article was prepared within the framework of “Empowering Communities Through Participation and Awareness in Climate Policy Implementation in Armenia” project, carried out in cooperation with the Heinrich Boell Stiftung Yerevan Office – South Caucasus Region.
November 11, 2024 at 14:39