At its session on August 21, 2025, the Government of Armenia approved the draft Law on Climate and the related package of draft laws.
According to the rationale of the document, climate change has a significant impact on the Republic of Armenia:
- the number of natural disasters is increasing and natural cycles are changing (growth in droughts, early frosts, forest fires, and floods),
- biodiversity is decreasing.
Therefore, despite Armenia’s insignificant share in global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (0.02%), the country actively participates in international processes of combating climate change.
The purpose of the Law on Climate is to provide a legal ground for:
- planning and implementing actions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in accordance with Armenia’s international obligations and commitments,
- planning and implementing adaptation to climate change, including protection of the population, economy, and infrastructure from the consequences of climate change and strengthening their resilience.
The draft Law on Climate proposes to define:
- the scope of climate policy,
- state, regional, and local self-government in the development and implementation of climate policy,
- the status of the Council on Climate Change,
- climate financing mechanisms,
- regulatory instruments of climate policy, measurement, reporting, and verification,
- international cooperation within the framework of climate policy implementation,
- publicity and accessibility of climate information,
- education and science in the field of climate sciences,
- as well as liability for violating climate legislation.
The law must provide a legal ground for:
- the development and implementation of effective climate policy in the country,
- mobilization of financial resources aimed at this,
- integration of climate considerations into sectoral policies,
- integration of climate finance into the public finance management system,
- the formation and development of institutional systems for coordination, monitoring, and accountability of these processes,
- guiding necessary legal developments for the sector.
With the adoption of the law, it is expected to ensure:
- clearly defined climate goals and climate considerations embedded in sectoral development policies,
- properly served international commitments,
- a strategic framework for climate policy,
- clearly defined scope of authorities and responsibilities,
- introduced innovative financing mechanisms,
- an institutional system for accounting of GHG emissions, received support, and policy implementation results.
The objectives of climate policy are as follows:
- continuous reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and development of sinks,
- consistent reduction of the vulnerability of the population, environment, economy, settlements, and infrastructure to climate change.
The legislative package was developed by the Ministry of Environment of Armenia, with the support of the EU4Climate regional programme of UNDP–EU, as well as the UNDP “Climate Promise Armenia – From Pledge to Impact” programme.
August 22, 2025 at 12:44