Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the South Caucasus Mountains

Desertification and land degradation All three countries of the South Caucasus are parties to the UNCCD (UNCCD 2014). Armenia ratified the Convention in 1997 and recently received approval of its second National Strategy and Action Programme, which states that climate change leads to intensification of aridisation and consequently to land degradation and desertification (MoNP 2002). The national Regulation on Land Monitoring Procedure (Government of the Republic of Armenia 2009) regulates protection of the soil and soil layer from erosion and desertification. This regulation requires organic carbon content, among 15 important indicators of soil and soil layer protection to be defined. Also a requirement is that organic carbon conservation, accumulation and storage in all categories of land through comprehensive measures shall be implemented. Azerbaijan recently drafted its National Strategy and Action Plan to Combat Desertification based on requirements of the UNCCD, which is currently under inter-state procedures for consideration and adoption. Both the draft strategy and draft action plan refer to climate change as one of the parameters causing desertification. The plan covers concrete actions of adaptation to climate change related risks, such as preparation of measures for climate change mitigation, (e.g. related to drought and excessive precipitation) on the state and productivity of lands, and adaptation, etc. Under the Georgian Second National Strategy and Action Programme to Combat Desertification (Government of Georgia 2014b) climate change is recognised as a contributing factor to desertification. The Strategy outlines the development of a joint

national action plan or mechanism for the CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD until 2017, and for 2020 to ensure that 40 per cent of the decision makers and 30 per cent of the population will be informed about the challenges and correlation between climate change, desertification and biodiversity protection. Other measures related to climate change can be summarised as follows: • Review relevant legislation and policy to ensure consideration of climate change, desertification and biodiversity protection holistically, • Encourage research and public awareness in all relevant areas, • Advice on integrating all three of the abovementioned topics into Georgia’s spatial planning policies. Mountain forest degradation is presented as a phenomenon which intensifies desertification, and foothills andmountain pastures are perceived as areas vulnerable to desertification under anthropogenic and natural pressures. Forestry Climate change adaptation related to forests is underlined in a number of guiding documents of the South Caucasus countries, including the Ecoregional Conservation Plan (WWF/CBC 2012), and in key forestry development national policy documents. Armenia The National Forest Programme (Government of the Republic of Armenia 2005a) stresses the climate change vulnerability of forest ecosystems and emphasises the need for adaptation as well as the current lack of preventive measures. The Action Plan of the programme envisages evaluation of forest vulnerability and planning to increase the adaptive capacity of forested areas and to develop integrated approaches to land use planning in order to promote

sufficient protection of forests. The programme emphasises the need to protect mountain forests, as well as its socio-economic and scientific values and, under the Action Plan, a recommendation is to improve mountain forest road planning and design. The programme document defines the optimal level of forest cover in Armenia at 20.1 per cent, which was calculated within the framework of the First National Communication to the UNFCCC, and taking into consideration climate change scenarios. Moreover, the INDC (MoNR 2015) and Governmental Decree on Adoption of the National Forest Programme of the Republic of Armenia (Government of the Republic of Armenia 2005b) reconfirmed the abovementioned approach of the National Communication and the Action Plan. It also promotes forest protection and increased resilience of forests under climate change risks. Azerbaijan The new National Forest Programme of Azerbaijan, which is currently under consideration with an indicative approval date in 2015. In its climate change chapter it considers as appropriate the following measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the forest sector: • “compliance with legislative acts on forest protection • conduct reforestation measures and measures to stimulate natural regeneration • a complete ban on a cattle grazing in the forests • measures against forest pests and diseases and • introduction of highly productive forest species to increase forest cover” (MoENR 2013). To achieve these objectives the programme sets out the following targets: • Elaboration of the National Strategy on Climate Change adaptation, including the strategies and

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