Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the South Caucasus Mountains

priority measures for the adaptation of forest management to climate change, and • Strengthening institutions on the issue of adaptation of forest management to climate change, through undertaking scientific research and exchanging research results with relevant international institutions and programmes. The document in its background specifies different types of Azerbaijan forest ecosystems, including mountain ones, and indicated that about 20 per cent of population lives in mountainous regions and that they dependent on forest resources. Georgia The National Forest Concept for Georgia (Government of Georgia 2014c) was approved by the Parliament as the basis for elaboration of both new legislation and policy for forest management in the country. Particular actions, which can support Georgia’s forest adaptation to global warming, covered by the concept can be summarised as follows: • Commissioning of an assessment of climate change impacts on forest areas, including impacts on the goods and services provided by forests • Support national dialogues on possible adaptation strategies • Categorizing forest stands according to forest composition and vulnerability to climate change and elaborating sustainable management guidelines, including adaptation measures, for each forest type • Implementation of adaptation plans for climate vulnerable forest stands • Equip forest management bodies and forest users with the best methods for carrying out vulnerability assessments. It is worth noting that no specific actions to protect mountain forests are promoted by the concept.

Shepherd in Sevan, Armenia

Armenia The Strategy on Rural and Agricultural Development of the Republic of Armenia (Government of the Republic of Armenia 2010) considers both climate change adaptation and mountain region development. Climate change is mentioned as factor to which resilience of the entire agricultural sector should increase, while mountain and high mountain regions are where: a) economic growth should be promoted through special infrastructural projects and b) pasture and hayland protection measures should be implemented. The new draft agricultural and rural development strategy for the period 2015–2025, also considers climate change as a threat to the sustainable development of agriculture. It recommends the establishment of an early warning system and the

Analysis of forest programmes and concepts of the South Caucasus countries demonstrates certain similarity of approaches, problems and challenges. Considering existing studies, both national and regional, it can be concluded that all countries are missing comprehensive and evidence-based research on the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to climate change in order to plan further detailed and complete action to increase the resilience of forests in the South Caucasus. Agriculture Agriculture is acknowledged as one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change by a number of studies and assessments produced during the last decade in the three countries. Recent strategies of all three countries consequently reflect these research findings.

57