Armenia

The Strategic Program of Prospective Development 2014-2025 – the overarching development strategy of the country – mentions climate change, which needs to be addressed in order to improve rates of economic growth. A strong focus is given to mitigation and emissions reduction. The country has a set of climate-relevant environmental laws with further amendments (e.g. Water Code, 2002, and Law on Energy Saving and Renewable Energy, 2004) and policies (e.g. National Forest Policy, 2004, and the Strategy of the Main Directions Ensuring Economic Development in Agricultural Sector 2020-2030, 2019). However, these existing laws and policies do not have a specific focus on climate change. To address this, the government decided to develop national action plans for all climate-sensitive sectors. The National Strategy on Disaster Risk Management (2017) integrates climate change and incorporates Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The National Adaptation Plan is under development with support from the Green Climate Fund. The designated authority for climate change in Armenia is the Ministry of Environment, and an Inter-Agency Coordination Council for the Implementation of the Requirements and Provisions of the UNFCCC was established in 2012.

With a population of around 3 million (2020), Armenia contributes as little as 0.02% to the total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is in the lower range of per capita footprint with 3.33 ton CO2e. In its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Armenia committed to achieving ecosystem neutral GHG emissions by 2050, with an ambition of only 2.07 ton CO2e per year per capita, conditional on the support of adequate international financial, technological and capacity building assistance.

Energy and agriculture are the two sectors with the largest GHG emission shares, and therefore this is where the majority of the mitigation potential lies.
Climate change is already affecting Armenia, with an annual temperature increase higher than the global average and a significant decrease in precipitation.
Climate change is increasing the vulnerability of Armenia, with an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, worsening desertification and land degradation. The most vulnerable sectors are agriculture, human health, water resources, forestry, transport and energy infrastructure.

Climate policy development and advancing cooperation with the EU in Armenia

The EU cooperates with Armenia through the Eastern Partnership, the eastern regional dimension of the EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy. The EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), from June 2018, covers transport, energy and environment/climate amongst other things. Environment and adaptation to climate change are supported by improving water resources management and transboundary cooperation, mainstreaming environmental goals, developing sounder environmental governance, enhancing environmental awareness, improving the sustainable management of key natural resources and promoting climate change resilience. Armenia is moving forward on its sustainable energy and climate resilience pathway, with strong support from the EU and international financing institutions.

2014
- Strategic Program of Prospective
  Development 2014-2025
2015
- INDC 2015-2050
- COP21 Paris Agreement
- Pledge to Sustainable Developent
  Agenda 2030
2016
- Stakeholder consultation for National
  Adaptation Plan (NAP)
- 1st Biennial Update Report submitted to
  the UNFCCC
2017
- Ratification of Paris Agreement
- National Strategy on Disaster Risk
  Management
- Energy Community Secretariat assistance
2018
- Comprehensive and Enhanced
  Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with EU
- CEPA Roadmap
- 2nd Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC
2019
- EU4Climate launched
2020
- Updated NDC 2021-2030
- 4th National Communication
  to the UNFCCC
- 3rd Biennial Update Report to the UNFCCC
- Framework NAP

EU4Climate key policy interventions and expected impact

Armenia is a country with an ambitious climate change agenda, which makes significant efforts towards a low carbon development through increasing the share of renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency, preserving and enhancing forest-covered areas and reporting regularly to the UNFCCC. However, as a developing country, Armenia needs international financial, technological and capacity-building support.

EU4Climate Programme, funded by the European Union, aims to support the development and implementation of climate-related policies by the Eastern Partnership countries. EU4Climate supports Armenia’s commitment to update and enhance the country’s NDC in 2020, with an ultimate goal to identify a realistic implementation strategy for the limitation of GHG emissions and prioritisation of adaptation measures for coping with risks to the country’s sustainable development. The main tool for the successful implementation of the Armenian NDC, as well as the Climate Action SDG, is a long-term Low-emission Development Strategy (LEDS), including the development of energy and agriculture sectoral strategies. A robust domestic emissions measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) system will be established, to inform the government and the international community of the progress of its NDC implementation. Throughout the project, the best international and EU practices will be applied, including some alignment with EU Acquis.

EU4Climate result areas and timeframe in Armenia

RESULT AREAS

2019

2020

2021

2022

NDC

Long-term LEDS

MRV System

EU Climate Acquis

Climate mainstreaming

Climate investment

Adaptation planning

EU4Climate substantial activities started in Armenia in the second half of 2019 and laid the footing for assisting the country in the implementation of Armenia’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Full country profile can be downloaded here.