Outlook on Climate Change Adaptation in the South Caucasus Mountains

Implementation of adaptation measures

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 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.

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. Georgia 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 prepared the Second Georgia CASE STUDY

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

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