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The form of presentation and prominence of climate
change in the sectoral policy documents of the
countries: a) clearly display for which sector the issue
is important, and b) show a level of understanding
of sector specific climate change impacts by policy
makers and, to a certain extent, the willingness of
sectoral decision makers to recognise that climate
change impacts have to be integrated into sectoral
policies that include other priorities. Accordingly,
integration of climate change adaptation into
environmental sectoral strategies is more perceptible
than in other sectoral policy documents.
Sectoral policy papers
Environment
Framework policy
The main framework documents for the
environmental sector in the three countries of the
South Caucasus are those related to the National
Environmental Action Programmes or similar
guiding policy documents. Most recent versions
of these policy documents were developed
between 2008–2011, and are referred to as “second
generation” NEAPs.
Armenia
The Armenian Second National Environmental
Action Programme came to an end in 2012; and a
replacement has not been developed yet (MoNP
2008). The document considered climate change
and atmosphere protection. Under the chapter in
the Action Plan on Atmosphere protection and
climate change, among other mitigation measures, a
recommendation was given to elaborate new inter-
agency programmes stemming from international
commitments. The newly adopted Obligations
Emanating from a Number of International
Environmental Conventions (Government of
the Republic of Armenia 2011) encourages
development of a climate change adaptation
concept with an ecosystem approach and NAPAs.
The chapter on climate change of the NEAP also
calls for development of the joint Action Plan for
identification of crosscutting issues between the
Convention on Climate Change and other global
and regional environmental treaties.
Azerbaijan
The government of Azerbaijan is in the process of final
inter-agency consultations for approval of the Action
Plan on Improvement of the Ecological Situation and
Efficient Use of Natural Resources in the Republic of
Azerbaijan (Alyev 2015). This document will have a
specific chapter on climate change and will include a
recommendation to elaborate a NAP.
Georgia
The Georgian Second National Environmental
Action Programme 2012–2016 (MoEP 2012) also
Azerbaijan