Climate Forum East GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

EU and ADA co-funded project Climate Forum East  Armenia  Azerbaijan  Belarus  Georgia  Moldova  Ukraine GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

3 Project duration: January 2013 – December 2014 Main beneficiaries: population from Eastern Partnership countries vulnerable to climate risks GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

4 Purpose of the project Strengthen the capacity of CSO networks to participate effectively in policy dialogue with local authorities, EU institutions and international organizations in Climate Change Adaptation across all six Eastern Partnership countries. GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

5 Partners in the project implementing partners:  Austrian Red Cross – project lead  Armenian Red Cross Society:  Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society:  Belarus Red Cross Society:  Georgia Red Cross Society:  ECOSPECTRU in Moldova  National Ecological Society of Ukraine technical advisors:  World Wide Fund For Nature, Danube Carpathian Programme  Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, The Hague, NL  Environment Agency Austria GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

6 “Climate Forum East” Project presentation in Georgia On 22 March 2013, an official presentation of the Climate Forum East project of the Georgia Red Cross Society took place in Tbilisi. The aim of the meeting was to inform the civil society organizations (CSOs) and government institutions /companies which work in the field of climate change about the Climate Forum East project and to suggest possible ways of cooperation within the frame of this project. The GRCS team and the invited CSOs and government institutions agreed to continue cooperation in this field to identify policy priorities for the network such as disaster risk reduction (DRR), health, biodiversity, energy efficiency etc. GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

7 Red Cross Week, exhibiton reflected GRCS activities and climate change On May 8, 2013 the Red Cross Week was opened with the GRCS volunteers’ picture exhibition. The exhibition was hosted by the National Library of Georgia. During the exhibition there were presented thematic paintings reflecting GRCS activities and Climate Change. Children at the age of 8-15 from Tbilisi public school were selected to draw these paintings on climate change because, as well- known, painting is a best way for children to express their emotions and ideas. Afterwards the exhibition was moved from the National Library to the Parliament of Georgia. The Parliament of Georgia hosted the exhibition till the end of the Red Cross Week. GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

8 National Meeting in Georgia On 20 May 2013 a meeting for Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) volunteers and key stakeholders was organized by the GRCS. The meeting was aimed at raising awareness of various issues related to climate change. There were following topics covered during the meeting: global warming and climate change phenomena; climate change impacts, adaptation to climate change; European Union and climate change framework I and framework II; climate financing and funding; overview of climate change adaptation in Georgia (policies, reports, stakeholders and actors, institutional set-up, activities, projects/programmes, climate change adaptation in different sectors). National Climate Forum East Workshop in Georgia On 18 June 2013, the national workshop regarding the Climate Forum East project was conducted by Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) in Tbilisi. The aim of the workshop was to discuss with representatives of partner organizations about concrete aspects and directions of climate change within the national climate change network of Georgia. GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

9 The regional Climate Vulnerability Assessment Methodology Workshop Chaqvi GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) and Austrian Red Cross (AutRC) organized regional CVA methodology workshop in Chaqvi. Around 45 participants coming from the European Union and Eastern partnership countries: Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Belarus and Moldova. The aim of the workshop was to bring together the authors of the national CVAs along with members of six national civil society networks on Climate Change Adaptation to consider the best approach towards developing the national reports. Representatives from government institutions, NGOs, the academic sector and the Red Cross and Red Crescent shared experiences and best practices in writing vulnerability assessments and discussed potential challenges and ways to further involve network members in the process.

10 Climate vulnerability assessments (CVA)  National and two regional reports  Focus on regional and national vulnerabilities in defined key sectors (e.g. biodiversity, disaster management, energy, health, water resources etc.)  Application of “traditional” tools & methods, e.g. vulnerability and capacity assessments  Pre-condition for evidence-based advocacy on national and regional level GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

11 A Day against the Climate Changes GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY The aim of the action was to combat climate changes, to protect environment, flora and fauna. In the event debates on the following topic was held: “What measures should be taken to combat climate changes, how can we adapt to a changing climate and impacts of climate change on vulnerable people and solutions”. Volunteers of Georgia Red Cross Society as well as visitors had an opportunity to take part in the debates. Flayers were distributed and a creative poster titled as an “A day against climate changes” was created by the volunteers.

12 GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY 4th CFE Regional CFE Partner meeting In the framework of Climate Forum East (CFE) project Austrian Red Cross (AutRC) and Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) organized the fourth Regional CFE partner meeting on the 5-6 February, 2014 Bakuriani, Georgia. Over a two-day meeting CFE coordinators from six countries presented progress reports, plans of actions for six months, and jointly planned forthcoming regional and sub-regional events with the project manager. Regional conference «Responding to Climate Change in Eastern Partnership Countries» More than 60 representatives from civil society organizations, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, scientific institutions, governments, regional and international organizations from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova participated in this regional event on March, 2014 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The main purpose of the conference was to bring together representatives from six civil society networks on climate change adaptation and representatives from other regional and international networks to present and jointly discuss the recommendations and outcomes of six civil society-led climate vulnerability assessment reports.

13 GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY Climate change from the view of school children School # 161, IB-Mtiebi and Zaal Sulakauri school of Art presented exhibition, the participants of the event were the 1 st and 2 nd graders of these schools, the children did a great job and painted amazing paintings about climate change.

14 Supporting initiative by GRCS Youth On May 6 th in frames of RCRC week, Red Cross volunteers planted the flowers in the 9 April Park, within the Green Action, the volunteers of NS distributed informational flyers about the climate change, what is climate change, what is our contribution to it and what can be the consequences of climate change. GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

15 Study visit in Brussels From May 12-14, In Brussels, Belgium was held the EU study visit, the main objective was to provide knowledge and better understanding of EU structures, institutions and mechanisms for better work in climate change adaptation on national level. Study visit was organized for CfE project partners and selected representatives from national climate change adaptation networks within the “Climate Forum East” (CFE) EU-funded project. CSOs participants received first-hand information on how to get effectively involved in policy dialogue with governmental institutions; it will strengthen CSO knowledge and motivation on how to get effectively involved in policy dialogue through adopting advanced practice coming from EU. GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

16 Next steps Conduct national workshop to train CSO networks in relevant EU and EaP environment and climate change policies Conduct one-day national workshop to develop climate change advocacy strategies of CSO networks Train national CSO networks in communications skills Consultations with nation decision makers and EU officials Organize round table for media representatives and decision makers on national level Develop communication and visibilities of Climate Forum East during the whole project duration Conduct advocacy workshop for youth and community leaders Organize seminars for teachers to sustain linkages with schools and educational authorities Promote youth and community action Conduct online conference between network members for experience exchange Development of advocacy strategy based on CVA recommendations Regional meeting in October GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY

17 Network members GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY organization Nacres Ecology of the Caucasus Mercy Corps Environmental Group Green Movement- Friends of the Earth ESIDG Heinrich Boell Foundation Energy Efficency Centre of Georgia WWF-Caucasus Programme Office Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) Peacfull and Busy Caucasus-APBC World experience for Georgia (weg) Global Water Partnership Greens Party of Georgia National Centre for Disease Control and Public Helath Green Alternative Georgian Association " Women in Business" Georgian Youth Eco Movement Helsinki Citizens Assemble- HCA sector Environmental Ecological International NGO Environmental Ecological, Democratic Energy International NGO Environmental National NGO Water Environmental Health Environmental National NGO Ecological Legal

18 Stakeholders GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY Environmental Health Expert Scientific REC Caucasus/ Georgian CVA report writer Scinetific Head, Natural and Anthropogenic Hazards Management Service - Ministry of Environment and Natural resources protection of Georgia Environmental Chief Specialist (Climate Change Office) Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of GeorgiaEnvironmental Chief Engineer-Geologist of Department of Geology- Ministry of Environment and Natural resources protection, GeorgiaEnvironmental Head of division of Risk Mitigation of Hydro-meteorological disasters- Ministry of Environment and Natural resources protection, GeorgiaEnvironmental " Farmers Rights Protection Association"Legal “ NGO Coalition Georgia” National Environmental AgencyEnvironmental Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Georgia State University Institute of GeographyScience Georgia Academy of Ecological StudiesScience Georgia Agrarian UniversityScience Institute of GeophysicsScience Helsinki Citizens Assembly Giorgi Mukhigulashvililocal Ngo Giorgi ShioshviliEnvironmental International Fund "Lea" Youth Centre Georgia "Coalition for independent Georgia" Article-42 constitution Kavkasiuri Mozaika REC Caucasus OXFAM (Georgia) Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia Farmers Rights Protection AsociationAgriculture Georgia Youth Eco MovenmentEnvironmental

Georgia Red Cross Society Address: #15 J.Kakhidze str. Tbilisi, 0102 Georgia Telephone:( ) Thank you for your attention Georgia Red Cross Society Address: #15 J.Kakhidze str. Tbilisi, 0102 Georgia Telephone:( ) Q q GEORGIA RED CROSS SOCIETY