On November 10-11, 2011 with financial support of the Ministry of Environmental Affairs, Land Use Planning,  Agriculture and Forestry of Lichtenstein, VII Annual International Conference of REC Caucasus on “Climate Change Adaptation – Challenge and Opportunity for the  Caucasus” is being organized in Tbilisi, Georgia. The event is designed to provide a forum for all interested parties in a comprehensive discourse on climate change issues.

The primarily goal of the Conference is to discuss problems of climate change taking into account natural and anthropogenic factors and environmental, economic and social impacts of global climate change in the South Caucasus  region; to search for balanced approaches towards reduction of anthropogenic pressure on climate system through promotion of understanding among scientists, governments, business and public; to learn about existing trends; to raise awareness of target groups and to promote information exchange and transfer of experience within and beyond the region in the field of global climate change.

The occasion aims to take stock of challenges posed by climate change in South Caucasus focusing on three countries’ (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) specific problems, strategies and response actions for reaching an effective agenda on climate change.

The participants of the conference include Embassies; International Organizations; Local and Regional NGOs; Representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Georgia, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Ministry of External Affairs, Economy of and Sustainable Development and State Ministry of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

Climate risks and hazards are already increasing and evident in the Caucasus region, therefore introduction of integrated approach in identification of common risks, in planning and application of innovative adaptation practices can increase a number of options that government and population can exercise to tackle with climate risk to improve environment and reduce poverty.

 

 

Agenda for the VII Annual International Conference

November 10, 2011

10:00-10.30  Opening  Ceremony

10:30-11:00  Welcoming Remarks:

Giorgi Khachidze        Minister of Environment  Protection  of Georgia

Boris Iarochevitch      Deputy Head  of Delegation

Delegation of the European Union to Georgia

Dr. Felix Näscher        Director General, the Office of Forests, Nature and Landscape,

Principality of Liechtenstein

 

 

11:00-11:30  General Introduction of the Issue: 

 

Sophiko Akhobadze     Executive Director of the REC Caucasus

 

Session One

11:30-12:00        National Climate Change Policies of the South Caucasus countries and  their positions towards COP 17

Chairman : Giorgi Zedginidze

Giorgi Zedginidze           Deputy Minister of Environment  Protection of Georgia

Samvel Amirkhanyan   Advisor of Minister,  Ministry of Nature Protection of Republic of Armenia

 

12:00-12.30 Discussion:

Questions:

- Country and region specific institutional and technical challenges and needs SC countries face in meeting post Cancun reporting obligations

- How support can be directed to meet these challenges

- Are the funding mechanisms in place and how much work has been done in this area that we can use as a starting point

- Challenges for South Caucasus in evaluation of CC impact

- National and regional priority issues: adaptation measures, effectiveness, donor co-operation

- Prospects for co-operation

12:30-13:00     Coffee Break

 

Session Two

13:00-14:00

Climate Change adaptation perspectives of Civil Society

Chairman:  Nino Chkhobadze

ELKANA-                                      Presentation “Importance of agricultural biodiversity and sustainable  

                                                        agriculture for the  climate change adaptation in Georgia” Mariam

                                                        Jorjadze,  Elene Shatberashvili

RECC BO ARMENIA                     Approaches to identification and implementation of adaptation  

                                                        response to climate change impact for conservation and sustainable  

                                                        use of agro-biodiversity in arid and semi-arid ecosystems of Armenia

                                                        Dshkhuhi Sahakyan/Armine Simonyan

 

ECOVISION                                   Dedoplistskaro Municipality Sectoral Planning on the Basis of

                                                        Landscape- Ecological Background- Gia Sopadze

 

ECO TEAM                                     Presentation      Raising awareness on issues of climate change and  

                                                         promotion of   renewable energy sources in Armenia and world –

                                                         Artashes Sargsyan

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT     Presentation Energy security of the Azerbaijan Republic and the   

                                                           problem of sustainable development of alternative energy sources

Fikret Djafarov

 

ENERGY, ECOLOGY, ECONOMY     Presentation     Influences of Regional Change of the Climate on the  

                                                               Environment- Shamil Movsumov

 

ARMENYAN                                          Mainstreaming Climate Change Considerations into Tourism -Zhanna 

ECOTURISME ASSOSIATION           Galyan

 

14:00-14:30           Discussion

14:30-15:30           Lunch

 

Session Three

 

15:30-16:30                 Climate Change adaptation perspectives of the Academia

Tamaz Chelidze         “On the climate change in Georgia in the past, at present and in the future: what

                                        should be done for filling the gaps “

                 M.Nodia Institute of Geophysics of Iv.Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Nicholas Meskhidze-   “Climate Change and Sustainable Development with the Emphasis on the  

                                        Southern Caucasus”

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

George Fayvush          On the impact of global climate change on the flora and vegetation of Armenia

Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia

Khayyam Rahimov      Assessment of the impact of expected cllimate change on population of

                                       Azerbaijan and possible adaptation

Climate and Agroclimate Department of Geography Institute, NASA.

Tahira Gahramanova  Several aspects of Geosystem climate change influenced by wind erosion within   

                                      the coastal region of Azerbaijan.

Baku State University

 

Session Four

16:30-16:40 Climate Change adaptation perspectives of the business sector

Maharam Mehtiyev  Presentation -The role of International Organizations and private sector for adaptation to climate change-SOCAR

16:40-17:00   Discussion

17:00-17:20   Coffee Break

 

Session Five 

17:20-18:30 Climate Change adaptation perspectives of international Organizations

GIZ                  Dieter Muller, Climate Tolerant Rehabilitation of Degraded Landscapes in Georgia

                        Project Director

 

UNDP             Presentation Climate Change Adaptation – Challenge and Opportunity for the Caucasus-

                       Marina Shvangiradze- Georgia

 

WWF              Presentation ‘Climate Change Related Projects Implemented by WWF-Caucasus      

                       Programme Office” Ilia Osepashvili, Forest Officer

 

RECC            Presentation” Sustainable Land Management for Mitigating Land Degradation and

Reducing Poverty in the South Caucasus Region”

 

UNDP              theses- Adaptation to climate change impacts in forests

                        and forestry of Armenia –Piloting selected adaptation measures in forest regeneration

                        and   forest rehabilitation to enhance the resilience of mountain forests to climate    

                        change, Essi Ulander, Armenia

 

CENN             Presentation Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Mitigation (CCADM) project

Tamar Mtvarelidze

 

UNDP/GEF     “Role of Collaborating Partners in Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation Projects   

                         at Local Level: Case Studies of GEF SGP Funded Projects in Armenia”  Vardan        

                        Tserunyan

18:30-19:00   Discussion

19:00         Closure of Day I

Wrap up of the first day and introduction of next day’s parallel discussion sessions

19:30    Dinner

 

 

November 11, 2011

Session Six

10.00-11:30  Dialogues on Climate Change:   

 Parallel Discussions

1:               Integrating climate change risks into national development policies, plans and strategies

Moderator:       Aram Gabrielyan (FP UNFCCC)

2:                 Identifying financing for adaptation initiatives

Moderator:       Nino Antadze(UNDP Georgia)

 

3:                 Priority directions for climate change adaptation

Moderator:       Oqtai Djafarov (FP UNCCD)

11:30-12:00   Coffee Break

 

Session Seven

 

12:00-13:00  Reports from parallel discussions:

Group 1

                     Group 2

                     Group 3

 

Session Eight

13:00-14:00  Common Problems in the Region and Potential Ways of Resolving

Chairman: Grigol Lazriev, Division of Hydrometeorology  and Climate Chnge,

                     Ministry of Environment Protection Of Georgia

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

14:00-14:30  Closing of the Conference

 

Chairman: Giorgi Zedginidze

Edgar PIrumyan President of the REC Caucasus International Advisory Council

 

14:30   Lunch