Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the South Caucasus Mountains

Sectoral policy papers

Environment Framework policy

Armenia The Armenian Second National Environmental Action Programme came to an end in 2012; and a replacement has not been developed yet (MoNP 2008). The document considered climate change and atmosphere protection. Under the chapter in the Action Plan on Atmosphere protection and climate change, among other mitigation measures, a recommendation was given to elaborate new inter- agency programmes stemming from international commitments. The newly adopted Obligations Emanating from a Number of International Environmental Conventions (Government of the Republic of Armenia 2011) encourages development of a climate change adaptation concept with an ecosystem approach and NAPAs. The chapter on climate change of the NEAP also calls for development of the joint Action Plan for identification of crosscutting issues between the Convention on Climate Change and other global and regional environmental treaties. Azerbaijan The government of Azerbaijan is in the process of final inter-agency consultations for approval of the Action Plan on Improvement of the Ecological Situation and Efficient Use of Natural Resources in the Republic of Azerbaijan (Alyev 2015). This document will have a specific chapter on climate change and will include a recommendation to elaborate a NAP. Georgia The Georgian Second National Environmental Action Programme 2012–2016 (MoEP 2012) also

The form of presentation and prominence of climate change in the sectoral policy documents of the countries: a) clearly display for which sector the issue is important, and b) show a level of understanding of sector specific climate change impacts by policy makers and, to a certain extent, the willingness of sectoral decision makers to recognise that climate change impacts have to be integrated into sectoral policies that include other priorities. Accordingly, integration of climate change adaptation into environmental sectoral strategies is more perceptible than in other sectoral policy documents.

The main framework documents for the environmental sector in the three countries of the South Caucasus are those related to the National Environmental Action Programmes or similar guiding policy documents. Most recent versions of these policy documents were developed between 2008–2011, and are referred to as “second generation” NEAPs.

Azerbaijan

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