"EcoLur" Informational NGO has studied how resilient Armenian communities are to climate change, identified the existing problems in the communities, and developed recommendations for addressing climate challenges.
EcoLur's recommendations are summarized in "Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Policies at Local Level" guide, which has been discussed with specialists from relevant ministries and independent experts at "EcoLur" Press Club. Consultations have been held with representatives of the communities. The guide will be revised according to the feedback received.
The communities in Armenia face various challenges that are exacerbated by climate change. Water flows, crop yields, and livestock farming have decreased, pastures have degraded, the area of irrigable land has shrunk, and the composition of forest species has changed. In this context, the resilience of communities to the impacts of climate change is low. The guide aims to assist local self-governments in integrating into state policies on climate change adaptation and mitigation at the local level, and to promote the implementation of best practices for climate change adaptation in communities. It also aims to help local self-governments participate in global initiatives towards low-carbon development, as well as to ensure the proper implementation of international commitments undertaken by Armenia, which are currently part of the developing ASG 3.0 components. The draft of the guide is being refined. "The guide should be practical and provide realistic messages," Diana Harutyunyan, Senior Advisor on Climate Change Programs at UNDP, noted.
According to him, there are opportunities for communities to develop and implement programs aimed at climate mitigation and adaptation. In 2025, the climate tagging of Armenia's budget was carried out. It was suggested to include the following issues in the guidelines:
- Composting of organic waste
- Collaboration with the private sector for waste sorting and recycling
- Clarification of land ownership forms in the context of irrigation: assess how much land is not irrigated in the community and develop an irrigation plan that should include conservation technology
- Rational use of drinking water
- Treatment of wastewater
- Collaboration with the donor community, particularly with the Covenant of Mayors of the EU.
February 24, 2025 at 15:44