Mountains and climate change adaptation Short update from Carpathian Convention and UNEP EIONET- Meeting, Copenhagen, 14 June 2016 Mr. Matthias Jurek UNEP Regional Office for Europe, Vienna Office – Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention

Environmental challenges in mountains Extractive industries Hydropower/ Infrastructure Climate change Transport Tourism Waste

UNEP’s portfolio on mountains EBA Mt. Flagship Project, REGATTA, Cc and adaptation in the Alps, Climate change in the Carpathians etc. Climate change Carpathian Convention, transboundary institutional mechanism: Caucasus scientific network, ICSD (Central Asia), Africa Env. Governance Ecosystem Management ECOPOTENTIAL – use of Earth of Observation in Protected Areas, Great Apes Partnership Survival (GRASP) Chemicals and waste Global Mountain Waste Outlook, extractive industries/mining (South East Europe) Environment under Review Assessments, Atlas, policy briefs, UNEP-Live, etc. Global Mt. Partnerschip, SDGs/Post-2015 and mountains, collaboration with global MEAs (UNFCCC,CBD,UNCCD)

“Climate change action in developing countries with fragile mountain ecosystem from a sub-regional perspective” Duration: 2014-2017, Total: 1.75 Mio. EUR co-financed by Austria (UNFCCC FSF) Objective: Support to mountainous developing countries to integrate mountain specific climate change adaptation into relevant development policies/plans/strategies  from a sub-regional perspective Understand climate change vulnerabilities and impacts (synthesize information) Analysis of relevant policies and frameworks and bottlenecks Trigger policy action from a sub-regional perspective Inter-regional exchange of experiences with other mountain regions (in particular regional mechanisms: Alpine and Carpathian Convention and HKH/HICAP) Main Outputs: Participatory assessments (synthesis) related to climate change and adaptation Establish (inter)-regional cooperation platforms and support development/review of sub-regional climate change action plans/strategic agendas etc. in context of relevant institutional mechanisms Targeted regions: East Africa, Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia, Andes

Partners (not exhaustive): Launch of “Mountain Adaptation Outlook series” high-level side event COP21, Paris, Int. Mountain Day Current state (synthesized) of knowledge and information related to climate change and adaptation in targeted mountainous sub-regions: 2015: Balkan, Caucasus 2016: (Tropical) Andes, East Africa, Central Asia 2017 (planned): Hindu Kush Himalayas, Carpathians UNEPs inter-regional project “Climate change action in developing countries with fragile mountainous ecosystems from a sub-regional perspective” (funded by Government of Austria) Identified priority action towards promoting/development of mountain agenda on the sub-regional level (implementation of Rio+ 20 outcome!) Participatory governmentally owned approach (East African Community, Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development, etc.) With support of the Government of Austria and further co-financing support by Government of Norway

METHODOLOGY for producing sub-regional MOUNTAIN RESPONSE ASSESSMENTS CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WITH FRAGILE MOUNTAINOUS ECOSYSTEMS FROM A SUB-REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE METHODOLOGY for producing sub-regional MOUNTAIN RESPONSE ASSESSMENTS

Objectives of the Assessments State and trends of climate change Vulnerability of mountain ecosystems to climate change Climate change adaptation policies and strategies Policy gap analysis Priority areas for future action To inform about the latest trends of climate change in the sub-region, To facilitate awareness raising and discuss and learn from adaptation best practices To give an overview of the vulnerability factors in mountain ecosystems in the targeted sub-regions and to identify which sectors are affected by climate change To review and assess existing national responses (policies / plans / strategies) on climate change adaptation To provide a gap/needs analysis in terms of data collection, institutional capacity and stressors To identify priority areas for future policy development in key areas (amongst others: biodiversity, water, tourism, energy,…) and assess their feasibility, state of development and potential contribution to climate change adaptation (including institutional capacity)

Strong visualization products Strengthening the science – policy interface

Next steps Building on Series of Regional Mountain Adaptation Outlooks: Share of experience and knowledge between mountain regions (following same methodology used for outlooks) Establish (inter)-regional cooperation and dialogue and foster development of projects based on experience exchange: Mountain cluster within GAN Network? Support development/review of sub-regional climate change action plans/strategic agendas etc. in context of relevant institutional mechanisms (e.g. High Andean Initiative, EAC, ICSD) to guide further coherent development of activities & initiatives Catalysing concrete follow-up action (project ideas, etc.) promoting climate change adaptation in mountains using financial and technical assistance programmes and facilities Inter-regional Regional Regional/national

Concrete opportunities/ongoing ideas with mountain focus Azerbaijan: “Strengthening Capacities to Assess Climate Change Vulnerability and Impacts in Azerbaijan’s Mountain Regions” (CTCN) Azerbaijan: “Strengthening capacity and practice on climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning in more vulnerable regions of Azerbaijan” (AF) Georgia: “Technical assistance for assessing the feasibility of and building capacity in Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Georgia’s mountain regions” (CTCN) Georgia: “Safeguarding climate-resilient local tourism and related infrastructure in mountain regions through ecosystem-based adaptation” (GCF) Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan: “Promoting sustainable livelihoods and green infrastructure in Central Asia mountain regions under climate uncertainties using an Ecosystem-based approach“ (ICI)

The Carpathian Convention and cc adaptation Working Group on climate change adaptation Towards implementation of Strategic Agenda “Future imperfect – climate change and adaptation in the Carpathians” Strong cooperation with EEA: contribution to Platform on adaptation Future possible revision of Framework Convention: inclusion of Article on climate change adaptation (COP 5, 2017) Strong cooperation with Alpine Convention based on MoU

Some food for thoughts … Mountains as “sexy” topic and many areas relevant for sustainable mountain development (incl. donors interest) Within UN system UNEP as recognized leading organization on mountains and climate change Great potential for expanding activities building on UNEP’ s experience and knowledge (incl. EBA Mountain flagship project) Strengthening regional/ inter-regional cooperation Possible inclusion of mountain cluster within GAN? Potential areas for future work: urban EBA in mountain areas, Food water energy nexus in mountains (agriculture, hydropower) loss and damage, strengthening drr-adaptation linkage, etc.

Thank you for your attention Contacts: Mr. Matthias Jurek Programme Manager ROE/UNEP Vienna SCC matthias.jurek@unvienna.org