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Approaches in the implementation of adaptation
measures shown under the different strategies of
the South Caucasus countries are strongly linked
with: (a) the mandate of actors involved in planning
and implementation of any adaptation measures in
the countries, (b) the legal status of the strategies
elaborated, both independently by different
stakeholders or under National Communications
to the UNFCCC, and (c) the efficiency of
implementation mechanisms for climate adaptation
strategy enforcement.
Actors involved in climate change adaptation
While development of policy documents and
regulatory instruments is the responsibility of national
authorities, implementation of grassroots adaptation
measures or elaboration of local action plans in all
three countries is supported by aid from donor
agencies and countries through non-governmental
or relevant international organizations.
Legal status of climate adaptation strategies
As mentioned under the section on climate adaptation
policy, for a number of regions (including mountainous
ones) regional development strategies were developed
through the Third National Communications:
in Armenia for the Vayots Dzor Marz (region);
in Azerbaijan for the Shamakhi and Ismayilly
districts; in Georgia for the Kakheti (including the
semi-mountainous municipalities of Akhmeta and
Lagodekhi) region (UNDP 2014b), the Upper Svaneti
(Mestia mountainous municipality) region (UNDP
Implementation of adaptation measures
2014a), and Adjara (includes mountain municipalities
of Khulo, Keda and Shuakevi) Autonomous Republic
(UNDP 2013c). Likewise, under the Second National
Communications similar strategies on climate
change were prepared. A number of local/municipal
draft action plans were also put in place; developed
by different non-governmental organizations and
international agencies.
However, all the above policy documents suffer
from the same problem – the absence of a nationally
recognised and legally binding status.
Implementation mechanisms of adaptation
strategies
The major shortcoming of the climate adaptation
strategies and policy documents that address the
development and implementation of adaptation
plans, is their lack of a legally binding status, and
the absence of implementation and enforcement
mechanisms (both institutional and financial).
Those two issues are strongly interlinked with
prioritization of different measures planned especially
Georgia
prepared
the
Second
National
Communication on Climate Change (MoENRP
2015) with the financial support of the Global
Environment Facility (GEF). One of the main
components of the Communication was a climate
change strategy, based on which significant
investments related to the climate change sector
were made in Georgia.
Over the period 2009–2014 total funding through
foreign grants was US$ 176 million.
The analysis under the Third National
Communication (Chapter 6) demonstrated
that most of this was consistent with the actions
planned within the Strategy on Climate Change
for 2009 and the actions planned or implemented
within the strategy were fulfilled with almost
80 per cent, while the implementation of some
activities is still under way.
The proportion spent on vulnerability/adaptation
and mitigation actions in implemented projects is
42 per cent to 58 per cent, and the grants in money
terms for mitigation activities are three times
more (27 per cent and 73 per cent respectively).
It is difficult to say what proportion of this spending
was allocated specifically to mountain regions
and lowlands.
Georgia
CASE STUDY