Armenia

"Strategy for the Management of Firewood Collection and Distribution from the Forest" was developed under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia by UNDP and GEF financial support within the framework of the “Mainstreaming Sustainable Land and Forest Management in the Mountainous Landscapes of Northeastern Armenia” project.
This study aims to define an alternative strategy to address the managment of firewood collection and distribution from th eforest. For this purpose the relevant policy, legal and regulatory framework was anlaysed at first hand, than field investgations were performed to find the local people needs, options and use of alternative sources of energy, feasibility of alternative options of energy to fuelwood in terns of policy, supply and demand, technival, economic and social aspects. Finally roadmap is developed with recommedations to deal with alternative energy needs of local communities, including options for improved managment of fuel wood harvest and collection, alternative sources of energy and mechanisms for their implementation. The results of this study are intended for a wide range of professionals in the fields of forestry, agriculture, environment, engineering, economics and related fields, as well as students and researchers.

Within the EU4Climate Project has been assessed Potential for Reducing GHG Emissions from Armenia's Agricultural Sector for Low Carbon Development

"Forest carbon stock measurements guideline" was developed under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia by UNDP and GEF financial support within the framework of the “Mainstreaming Sustainable Land and Forest Management in the Mountainous Landscapes of Northeastern Armenia” project. The guidelines aims to present the content and working steps of forest carbon inventory, registration
and monitoring system. The guidelines was prepared on the basis of the results of field inventory, remote sensing, mapping, laboratory analysis of the collected samples in the forest landscapes of Lori and Tavush marzes of the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the requirements and provisions of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is designed for a wide range of forest, environmental and related professionals, as well as students and researchers.

On Policy Instruments in Energy and Agriculture towards the Low Emission Development Strategy was developed.
The objective of this paper is to identify policy instruments in the energy and agriculture sectors from the perspective of the Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS). An attempt is made to assess the gap and to identify opportunities for LEDS integration into sector strategies.

Government of the Republic of Armenia approved “National Action Program of Adaptation to Climate Change and the List of Measures for 2021-2025” dated 13april 2021 N749-L .The Program serves as a roadmap for ensuring the mainstreaming of adaptation and implementation of the NAP in the sector policy, regional and local development, and respective financial planning processes, while providing a reference point for bringing together and coordinating various adaptation planning efforts from different sectors.The Program represents the first stage in Armenia’s national adaptation planning process, while facilitating the integration of adaptation options into sectoral and regional development plans. It is not designed to replace existing planning processes, rather to complement them.

Ministry of Environment is aiming to create a digital climate education platform for over 30,000 high school students, as part of a wider effort to increase future resilience.
The programme is still in its early stages, but has plans to influence young people in engaging with the climate adaptation space, through a number of participatory actions.
At the centre of the project is the development of a gamified learning app compatible with iOS and Android, as well as an online contest where winning students will be rewarded a financial prize and the opportunity to present their ideas to a wider audience of regional authorities, international organisations, and environmental donors.
The team also plans to establish a map of national climate adaptation “hot-spots” to understand where engagement in climate activities is lowest, so to be able to better assist specific regions going forward.
The project has been funded through a set of new grants under the Adaptation Fund’s Innovation Facility, specifically tasked with developing a broad range of innovative projects through targeted financing.
As a major financing window, the Facility is a part of the Innovation Pillar, one of the three focal areas of the Fund’s work and which emerged from a 2018 Medium Term Strategy focusing on Action, Innovation and Learning and Sharing. It sits among a number of other innovative activities developed by the Fund including novel resource mobilisation elements and Direct Access, a tool that allows accredited national institutions to directly access climate financing and build country ownership in adaptation.
The idea behind these new programmes is to take innovation a step further, to accelerate innovative adaption practices, technologies and tools on the ground, as well as create a knowledge base of what innovative solutions are effective and can be scaled up to contribute to addressing the urgency and enormity of climate change adaptation
They can be accessed directly by the Fund’s National Implementing Entities (NIEs) under Direct Access, or through the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator by a diverse range of stakeholders such as community groups, agencies, NGOs, young innovators and entrepreneurs.

Government of the Republic of Armenia approved “Armenia’s updated 2021-2030 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under Paris Agreement” dated 22 April 2021, N 610-L.
The updated document sets the ambition of the Government of Armenia towards reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40 compared with base year 1990 by 2030.
The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) submitted to the Secretariat of UNFCCC by the Government of Armenia in 2015, became county’s first NDC for the period of 2015-2050, after the ratification of Paris Agreement in 2017.
With the updated 2021-2030 NDC, Armenia aligns its NDC implementation periods with most of countries, including the EU's member states, adopting a ten-year NDC implementation timeframe of 2021-2030.
Setting the priority areas for low-carbon development and adaptation actions against climate change negative impacts, the updated NDC is based on green economy, compatible with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), that are reflected in socio-economic development framework of the Republic of Armenia.
Consideration of Armenia’s strategic goal to double country’s share of renewables in energy generation by 2030 on the path to achieve climate neutrality in the second half of this century.
Building on the principle of green economy and ensuring compatibility with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reflected in social and economic development goals of the Republic of Armenia.

A key component of the document is the enhanced transparency and accountability framework for tracking the progress on implementation of country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The Board of the Green Climate Fund approved the grant project “Forest resilience of Armenia, enhancing adaptation and rural green growth via mitigation”.
The project is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, improving the sustainability of forests, as well as enhancing adaptation.

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia has taken the unprecedented initiative to mitigate the effects of climate change and promote adaptation process. The "10 Million Trees" environmental pan-Armenian initiative has been launched in Armenia. It was planned to plant 10.000.000 trees on October 10, 2020, thus giving new life to country and land, ensuring a healthy and clean environment for future generations. This number is not accidental, it points to 10 million Armenians around the world.
However, taking into consideration the situation caused the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the potential risks and attaching importance to everyone's health, a decision was made to postpone the deadline of achieving the set target to the end of 2021. Nevertheless, within the framework of the 15th emergency relief measure, the program of planting coastal areas with willow cuttings was approved, and 2mln willows have already been planted. It is planned to fully implement the initiative in 2021. The German Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) has commissioned the GIZ to implement the German contribution to the “Restoration of Riparian Zones in Armenia”- support to the Covid-19 response measure #15 of the GOA project.
This project planned for 2020and 2021 will support the Covid-19 response measure #15of the GOA. Particularly, the project will support the following measures:
• Mapping and identification of appropriate planting sites for willow cuttings and other local species jointly with the communities;
• Identification of appropriate sites for waste collection
• Mobilization of the target groups from Gegharkunik region who will be involved in the implementation of the measure;
• Training and awareness raising of the selected community members on the proper implementation of the measure;
• Planting of local tree species on the river banks;
• Fencing of the planted sites where necessary;
• Collection of solid waste (mainly plastic) from river beds and other sites;
• Visibility events with representatives of the Communities, partner Ministries, German Embassy and EU Delegation in Armenia;
• Monitoring and documentation of implemented measure and results;
• Elaboration of recommendations for the future development of the program and learning experiences for Green Recovery.
In order to implement the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ministry of Environment has initiated, developed և submitted to the Government for approval a number of draft legal acts, some of which have already been approved. The aim to eliminate all loopholes in the current legal acts and promote protection and sustainable use of biodiversity.

“Building Armenia’s national transparency framework under Paris Agreement” UNDP-GEF project was officially launched. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia in cooperation with UNDP in Armenia.
The project will provide support for building institutional and technical capacities to meet the enhanced transparency requirements of Article 13 of the Paris Agreement, under which Armenia is committed to regularly provide information on the progress made in implementing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as well as on adaptation related actions and support received.
The expected results of the project also include shifting from ad hoc reporting to a continuous process of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) through capacity strengthening approach for capturing transparency activities of the country, data management for effective transparency reporting on GHG sources and sinks, as well as for transparency framework of actions and support.

UNDP Armenia launched consultations with the private sector to discuss the
country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and implementation of
the NDC Partnership Plan.

Republic of Armenia has undertaken number of Support Programs to address the economic and social impacts of COVID-19, some of which are directly related to the climate change adaptation and mitigation. They are:
Target : Agriculture
Beneficiaries:
a) Such local people operating in the field of agriculture in the territory of the Republic of Armenia that boast a good credit record;
b) Individual entrepreneurs or legal entities with a good credit and tax record, except for agricultural cooperatives with up to 365 days of registration;
Form of Assistance: Co-financing of targeted loans / leasing and / lending / leasing interest rate subsidy.
The basic terms and conditions may vary depending on the purpose of the loan / leasing facility provided under the program, as well as on the beneficiary’s legal status.
Loan / leasing facility interest rate subsidy:
Loan / leasing facility interest rate: 0%
Maturity of loan / leasing facility - 10 years at maximum
Grace period for the principal amount - 5 years at maximum
Co-financing:
Agricultural cooperatives - 10-70%;
Individuals - 10-30% (30% for loans provided under pig, poultry, pedigree cattle, pedigree / non-pedigree sheep and goat breeding projects;
Leasing of agricultural and agri-food equipment - 10% of down payment, but not more than 10 million drams)
Legal entities (except for agricultural cooperatives) and self-employed entities - 10-30% (30% for loans provided under pedigree cattle, sheep and goat breeding projects;
Leasing of agricultural and agri-food equipment - 10% of down payment, but not more than 10 million drams)
In case of introduction of energy-saving, water-saving technologies, introduction of greenhouses it will be possible to save water resources, to create favorable conditions for the development of agricultural sectors in low-water regions. The us of modern agricultural machinery, solar stations, can reduce the CO2 emissions.
Target: High-tech industry
Beneficiaries: Business entities that meet the criteria specified in the RA Law on State Support in the Sphere of Information Technologies,
Form of assistance: one-time grant to successful entrepreneurs
Basic conditions:
- As of the day of submitting the application, the beneficiaries did not have overdue tax and credit obligations during the last 12 months.
- As of the day of submitting the application, the beneficiaries had not received a grant from the High-Tech Ministry during the last 12 months.
- Beneficiaries should have been registered in Armenia over the past two years as manufacturers, or registered in Armenia for more than 2 years in case of services;
Or technology companies that will attract documented and approved investments.
Introduction of the modern and IT technologie, automated programs in the economy and environmental spheres and monitoring programs, will be possible to carry out complex studies, field optimization, creation of online data collection automated systems, through which studies and environmental analysis can be done properly.
Target: Support for competitive business ideas, entrepreneurial ideas developed by beneficiaries seeking to start a business from scratch, promotion of innovative business plans
Beneficiary: Armenia-registered economic entity or individual entrepreneur
Form of Support: 75% of financial resources are provided as interest-free loans with a maturity of 8 years, 25% as grants.
Basic Terms and Conditions:
- compliance with the criteria established by the RA Law on State Support for Small and Medium Enterprises,
- good tax and credit record during the 12 months preceding the day of submission,
- involvement in the regions of Armenia,
- the applicant has not benefited from the Investment Support Center Foundation’s startup support facilities;
- for at least 24 months before the date of application, the applicant has benefited from the Investment Support Center Foundation’s innovative development support facility.
Support for competitive business ideas, entrepreneurial ideas developed by beneficiaries seeking to start a business from scratch, promotion of innovative business plans will provide employment to the rural-community population, possible socio-economic stability, and the creation of additional financial resources, as a result of which the negative anthropogenic impact on the environment can be reduced (illegal logging, poaching, etc.).

Due to the surveys performed within the framework of "COVID-19: New Challenges in Ecologically Vulnerable Communities" project, various issues regarding the social sphere – the issue of enforced idleness of returned labor migrants to Armenia were revealed. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs implements the following programs to ensure sustainable employment, in which labor migrants can take part:
• Provision of assistance for small enterprises that are not competitive in the labor market, as well as for animal husbandry.
• In case of employment of people who are uncompetitive in the labor market, returned from prisons, have disabilities, as well as individuals with the status of " child with disabilities, provide partial salary compensation to the employer, inclusive of financial assistance to assistant of the person with disabilities,
• Providing employment to the unemployed in another place
• Provision of one-time compensation to the employer in case of employment of uncompetitive individuals in the labor market,
• Providing assistance to individuals on maternity leave for up to three years, in case of returning to work before the child reaches the age of two, in order to organize childcare in parallel with work,
• Providing assistance to people who are not competitive in the labor market to engage in animal husbandry
• Organizing of vocational training for unemployed people at risk of dismissal, as well as for those unemployed who have up to six months left to serve their sentence,
• Organizing trainings for parents of children with disabilities,
• Providing support to the unemployed to gain professional work experience in their profession.