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of the National Adaptation Plan. A draft of the NAP
roadmap is currently under development.
In addition, the Armenia government has adopted
the following adaptation related regulations:
• “Procedures of the forecasting, warning and
response to dangerous meteorological phenomena
related to atmospheric excessive pollution, climate
change and ozone-layer condition” (Government
of the Republic of Armenia 2008a), which initially
had been focused only on adaptation but has since
been broadened to include both adaptation and
mitigation measures, and the
• “Monitoring
procedure”
(Government
of
the Republic of Armenia 2009), which has a
similar purpose. This procedure promotes state
monitoring to define organic carbon content
among 15 important indicators subject to soil and
soil layer protection.
Azerbaijan currently has no laws that specifically
reflect climate change adaptation or recognise the
need to develop NAP. However, a number of draft
strategies and actions do refer to a need to develop
NAPs, for example, there is a draft Action Plan
on Improvement of the Ecological Situation and
Efficient Use of Natural Resources in the Republic of
Azerbaijan (2015–2020).
Georgia committed itself to developing a NAPA
when it signed its Association Agreement with the
EU (EU 2014b). Moreover, the current government
programme states that a NAP for Economic Sectors
and Ecosystems will be elaborated (Government of
Georgia 2015).
Presently, all three countries have already submitted
their INDCs, which reflect national commitments
to addressing climate change adaptation
(UNFCCC 2015).
Azerbaijan’s INDC states: “In order to reduce
vulnerability of Azerbaijan towards climate change
impacts, it is considered to develop relevant adaptation
measures for decreasing or minimizing the losses that
may occur at national, local and community levels per
sector” (MoENR 2015a).
Georgia’s INDC, refers specifically to highland/
mountain regions within the context of extreme natural
events aggravated by climate change. The document
also identifies agriculture, coastal zones, tourism sector
development, forestry and the health sector as at-risk
areas. The document also identifies key actions and
institutional measures for climate change adaptation in
the abovementioned sectors (MoENR 2015b).
Armenia’s INDC addresses the state of the
landlocked mountainous areas that have vulnerable
ecosystems, and considers climate change adaptation
as a precondition for national security (Government
of the Republic of Armenia 2015). In this context,
the ecosystem approach to adaptation is seen as a
tool for: a) harmonised and balanced development,
b) coordinated implementation of international
treaties and c) international cooperation. The INDC
identifies the following sectors as being vulnerable
to climate change: health, water resources, tourism,
energy production, settlements, infrastructure, and
agriculture (including fishery and forests).
Currently, National Communications to the UNFCCC
remain the sole and most comprehensive climate
change policy documents for the three countries.
However, they are not formally reflected in national
legally binding documents and are therefore not taken
into account by the private sector or well-known by the
general public. Thus, the National Communications to
the UNFCCC remain standalone documents used by
non-governmental stakeholders when elaborating or
implementing their actions, but which the authorities
at national, regional or municipal levels rarely consult
in their activity planning. For example, although
Georgian coastal zone municipalities frequently invest
in infrastructure projects focused on addressing sea
level rises and coastal zone protection from storms,
none of these projects are referred to as adaptation
projects within the framework of the National
Communications envisaged to implement climate
change adaptation activities.
It is also noteworthy, that National Communications
of all the South Caucasus countries refer to climate
change in the mountain regions and even specifically
cover a number of mountain regions of the South
Caucasus ecoregion. For instance, the Third National
Communication of Georgia, through its assessments,
covers the five mountain municipalities of Georgia
(Akhmeta, Mestia, Khulo, Keda and Shuakevi), the
Armenian Communication covers the Vayots Dzor
Marz (region), while the Azerbaijani Communication
covers Shamakhi and Ismayilly districts (MoNP
2015; MoENR 2010; MoENRP 2015).
If the National Communications were afforded legal
approval within the countries, visibility of adaptation
measures in general and specifically in mountain
regions in national policy agendas would be greatly
improved. However, such a shift in status would not
replace the need for the countries to have formally
adopted NAPs or strategies with a legally binding status.
Of equal importance are the establishment enforcement
mechanisms to implement action plans and strategies,
including: awareness-raising at all levels, establishment
of economic incentives for implementation, and the
promotion of greater citizen involvement.
Development strategies
Almost none of the development strategies (such as
sustainable development and/or poverty reduction