Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the South Caucasus Mountains

Biodiversity Regional context

The document states that: “Mountain forests, which make up the greater part of the forest biome in the South Caucasus Ecoregion, also play a critical role in preventing soil erosion and regulating water flow” and that “high mountain habitats cover about 17 per cent of the Ecoregion”. Almost half of the priority conservation areas identified in the Conservation Plan are mountainous. Climate change is named as a factor that aggravates different negative impacts that threaten the biodiversity of the ecoregion. The Action

has a special chapter on climate change and includes both adaptation and mitigation measures. The policy document identifies the following vulnerable regions: highlands/mountainous areas, the Black Sea coastal zone and semi-arid regions. The programme’s long-term objective is ensuring the security of the population of Georgia through climate change adaptation measures. Short term objectives include: • realization of adaptation measures in the regions vulnerable to climate change; and • determination of the impacts of climate change on other regions and sectors. The target measures within the policy document, which are developed on the basis of the Second National Communication include: the development of NAPAs, implementation of measures in the Black Sea coastal zone and Lentekhi municipality, undertaking a study on the Adjara and Upper Svaneti (Mestia) mountain municipalities and on the impact of climate change on glaciers (transformative impacts and impact on water resources) in Georgia. The document also outlines the development of operational plans to achieve a number of short-term objectives. In addition to the above, climate change is also integrated in other chapters of the document that cover its impact on sectors such as: forestry, land degradation, biodiversity and protected areas, mineral resources and natural disasters. Given the above, it is clear that the NEAP includes the most comprehensive set of climate change adaptation measures in Georgian national policy documents to date.

Biodiversity conservation is the only area in which the countries acknowledge the need for joint action. The second edition of the Ecoregional Conservation Plan (WWF/CBC 2012), acknowledged by various stakeholders of the three countries, serves as regional methodological guide and, inter alia , refers to both climate change adaptation and mountain regions.

West Caucasian tur, Georgia

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