CfE newsletter 1

Climate Forum East Newsletter Issue 1, May 2013

Climate Forum East Launched Under the coordination of the Austrian Red Cross, the EU cofunded project Climate Forum East has been launched.

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PROJECT INFORMATION

“Climate Forum East” 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.

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Expected results: development of national and regional CSO networks; national and regional climate vulnerability assessments; advocacy and communication; awareness raising and education activities for youth; establishment of the regional Climate Forum East in EaP countries.

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Project partners: Armenian Red Cross Society, Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society, Georgia Red Cross Society, Belarus Red Cross Society, National Ecological Center of Ukraine, Ecospectru (Moldova).

Presentation of the Climate Forum East in Azerbaijan On 29 March 2013, an official presentation of Climate Forum East project of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society took.

The main objective of Climate Forum East is to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSO) to actively participate in policy dialogue with local and national authorities, EU institutions and international organizations on climate change adaptation.

Lead: Austrian Red Cross

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International partners: Environment Agency Austria, Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Center, World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF).

Project duration: January 2013 – December 2014 (24 months) Budget: The project is funded by the European Union, additional funding is provided by the Austrian Development Agency, the Austrian Red Cross and World Wide Fund For Nature.

More news:  Kick-off meeting in Moldova page 4  Kick-off meeting "Adapting to climate change in Ukraine" page 5  A presentation meeting of the „Climate Forum East“ project in Azerbaijan page 5

 Armenian Red Cross Society organizes “Climate Forum East” project presentation page 6  Picture exhibition of Georgia Red Cross Society volunteers hosted by Georgia National Library page 7

Issue 1, #: May [Date] 2013

Climate Forum East DolorNewsletter Sit Amet

Climate Forum East Launched National networks on climate change adaptation will be established or reinforced in cooperation with Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine and the Moldovan NGO ECOSPECTRU. Below are the expected results of the project:

Under the coordination of the Austrian Red Cross, the EU co-funded project Climate Forum East has been launched. The presentation of the project was held on 1822 February, in Bakuriani, Georgia. In this first regional meeting, action plans were discussed, regional meetings planned and the regional project team was formed.

The project will be implemented in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. The main objective of Climate Forum East is to strengthen the capacity of CSO networks to actively participate in policy dialogue with local and national authorities, EU institutions and international organisations on climate change adaptation.

In order to develop the capacities of CSOs, youth and communities to engage with environmental policymaking, activities in six areas are fostered: regional CSO networks; national and regional climate vulnerability assessments (CVA)s; advocacy and communication; youth and education activities; the establishment of a regional adaptation forum (Climate Forum East).

 Six national CSO networks on Climate Change Adaptation will be established or reinforced  The capacity of six national CSO networks to assess national and regional climate vulnerabilities will be strengthened  The capacity of six national CSO networks in advocacy and awareness raising on impacts of climate change will be strengthened  The capacity amongst CSOs to jointly deliver education for action and citizenship amongst youth and communities will be enhanced.

A regional CSO platform will be mobilized to sustain linkages between Civil Society, local authorities, EU and international organizations.

International partners, such as the Environment Agency Austria, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness in The Hague, Netherlands, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Danube Carpathian Programme will support networks in assessing national and regional climate vulnerabilities, developing advocacy and awareness raising actions, delivering educational activities amongst youth and communities and mobilize a regional platform to sustain linkages between civil society, local authorities, EU and international organizations. The project is co-financed by the European Union, the Austrian Development Agency, the Austrian Red Cross

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Issue 1, #: May [Date] 2013

Climate Forum East DolorNewsletter Sit Amet

“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 GRC Steam 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. The attending CSOs expressed great interest in cooperating with the GRCS in the project implementation process and also expressed their readiness to participating in trainings and workshops, and contributing their expertise in drafts and analysis.

On the meeting participated the Georgia Red Cross Society President Natia Loladze, Secretary General of GRCS Medea Margania-Avaliani; Sonja Greiner, Austrian Red Cross Country Representative Georgia; and representatives of various international and local organizations, government and non-government. GRCS is preparing for signing a memorandum of understanding with the CSO-s and government institutions. The project is co-funded by the European Union, with additional funding from the Austrian Development Agency, the Austrian Red Cross and the WWF.

CFE project current activities In April-May 2013, a training workshop will be held for 2 days (all CSO partners will be attend thetraining); Training workshop will be facilitated by local consultant and expert, workshop topics willinclude good understanding of European Union polices and experience, and the training will inform participants how to cooperate with state structures and decision makers.

Climate change issues will also be discussed.

A National Presentation of the Climate Forum East Project in Azerbaijan On 29 March 2013, an official presentation of Climate Forum East project of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society took place in a conference hall of the Europe Grand hotel in Baku city.

The Climate Forum East project of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society will be implemented with technical support of the Austrian Red Cross Society which is a partner organization within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The European Union and the Austrian Development Agency will provide a financial support to the project. The Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society Baylar Talibov, the head of Information and International Relations department of

the AzRCS Elmar Safiyev, an ambassador of the Embassy of Austria in Azerbaijan Mrs. Sylvia MeyerKaybich, an official representative of the Delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Azerbaijan Sabinanur MehbubiIran, a delegate of the Austrian Red Cross for the countries of the Southern Caucasus Sonja Greiner, representatives of various international and local organizations, government and non-government organizations participated in the official presentation meeting.

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Issue Issue #: 1, [Date] May 2013

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

After the opening speech of the Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society Baylar Talibov a Deputy Secretary General of the Az.RCS Shaban Shayev made a presentation of Climate Forum East project. Due to this presentation all partners received full information about ClimateForum East project.

The purpose of the presentation was to inform the institutions working in the field of climate change, other international and local organizations, government and non-government organizations about Climate Forum East project of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society and to create a favorable condition for them in order they could cooperate within the frame of this project.

In their speeches the representatives of the Azerbaijan Delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Austrian Red Cross spoke about an importance of Climate Forum East project and wished every success to the project.

During the presentation meeting it was proposed to establish a Working Group involving all organizations working in the field of disaster risk reduction in communities and to use their knowledge and experience.

Kick-off meeting in Moldova April 5, 2013 in Chisinau, Moldova, a national meeting on the project "Forum Climate East" is held. The purpose of the meeting was to find a common vision for adaptation to climate change and discuss the possibility of collaboration in the project. It was attended by about 30representatives of civil society organizations and representatives of the European Commission, UNESCO, Red Cross (Moldova), and Austrian Development Agency. The participants decided to create a 小limate Forum and work together in a project on the topic of adaptation to climate change.

Representative of WWF and Regional Project Coordinator Natalia Gozak attended the meeting and discussed with participants of Moldova Climate Forum their vision of the project implementation in the country.

Some participants signed a memorandum of Understanding, so the project "Forum Climate East" in Moldova has officially started.

"I first visited Moldova in Chisinau," - said WWF project officer Natalie Gozak - "so during one day I got much experience. Starting from small historic cottages downtown and recently restored monastery on the outskirts Kapriani, everything looks differently in comparison to Ukraine or Europe. It was interesting to learn representatives of civil society members of the Forum of different age and experience. Participating Organizations working on various aspects of climate change with different target groups, from a scientific, social or the educational point of view. But I see that we have one thing in common, namely desire to make a small but important contribution to the common work.

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Issue 1, #: May [Date] 2013

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

Kick-off meeting "Adapting to climate change in Ukraine" The participants of the round table, the representative of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the OSCE representative in Ukraine, representative of the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Ukrainian Scientific-Research Institute of Forestry and agroforestry, meteorologists, and Ukrainian NGOs discussed the issue of adaptation to climate change from different points of view.

In April 19-20, in Kiev, Ukraine a kick-off meeting on "Adapting to climate change in Ukraine" was conducted.

The event that was organized by the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine, the Austrian Red Cross, the World Wildlife Fund, was aimed at raising awareness of climate change adaptation and improvement of the dialogue between NGOs on this subject. The consequences of global climate change become more and more visible to the population of Ukraine.

Organizations also confer joint activities to adapt to climate change. The representative of the WWF Natalia Gozak highlighted recent research in the field of climate change in the world and said: "Changes have happen much faster than we expected five years ago. In reality, we are now observing drastic climate change that affects our daily lives. Let's remember the events in Ukraine this March. An unexpected snowfall has shown that the capital and, consequently, the country is not ready for such weather conditions". As a result, during the meeting it was concluded that the adaptive capacity of the country should be strengthened. NGOs, combining their efforts, can assist and take adaptive measures while it is not yet too late.

A Presentation Meeting of the „Climate Forum East“ Project in Azerbaijan On 18 April 2013 a meeting was held with the heads of non-governmental organizations in the Headquarters of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society.

This presentation meeting was organized with the initiative of the Climate Forum East project of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society and with the technical support of the National NGOs Forum, especially the Executive Director of the Forum GunelIbrahim.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the new Climate Forum East project of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society to the heads of the leading NGOs working in the field of ecology and health and to discuss on how to establish a partnership Forum for this project in the future.

Climate Forum East network coordinator Shaban Shayev made a presentation of the project. This presentation included the project activities and the expected results. After familiarized themselves with the

project the participants of the meeting discussed the main trends of activities of the future Partnership Forum that they would establish together. rom the side of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society it was said that these kinds of projects and meetings serve to the establishment of platforms for non-governmental organizations to work in the form of a joint forum or a coalition.

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Issue 1, #: May [Date] 2013 The participants of the meeting also discussed the name and a logo of the future partnership forum. During the meeting it was proposed that the non-government organizations included into the partnership forum should implement concrete visible activities in the field of ecology and climate change. It was proposed that in parallel with these activities it would be better to carry out public awareness activities in this field The participants of the meeting were explained that there would be signed a special cooperation agreement between all non-governmental organizations included into the forum and the AzerbaijanRed Crescent Society. The participants of the meeting were given a draft cooperation agreement. It was noted that there would be organized a special event in order to sign a cooperation agreement between the parties.

This event would be highlighted through mass media.

In the end of the meeting the participants thanked the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society for this project and thanked the National NGOs Forum for a technical support.

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet Participants in the meeting included representatives of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society, the National NGOs Forum, Healthy Life Culture Public Union, Ecological Stability Public Union, Dalga public union for ecology and protection of nature, Sema and Eko Public Union, Care for Youth Public Union, Demiragaj Public Union, Ecological Promotion and Monitoring Public Union, Çıxış Yolu Healthy Youth Public Union, INEPO-Avrasiya Public Union, Protection of Health Public Union, and the Advocacy of Healthy Life Public Union participated at the meeting.

It should be mentioned that Climate Forum East operates in countries included in the European Union Eastern Partnership program and that the project is realized with coordination of the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with the partnership of local NGOs. The donors of the project are the European Union and the Austrian Development Agency. The Austrian Red Cross provides a technical support to the project.

Jeyhun Mirzayev – Deputy Secretary General in Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society Armenian Red Cross Society organizes “Climate Forum East” project presentation On 13 May 2013, Armenian Red Cross Society organized a kick-off meeting of the “Climate Forum East” project that is funded by the European Union, Austrian Development Agency, Austrian Red Cross and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at “Dvin” Conference Hall of the “Ani Plaza”Hotel in Yerevan.

In this event, representatives of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ministry of Nature Protection, international and civil society organizations participated. The aim of the meeting was to introduce the new project “Climate Forum East” to the institutions working in the climate change field, to discuss about project implementation steps and activities, as well as to develop and elaborate the country action plan for the “Armenian Climate Forum’.

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Issue 1, #: May [Date] 2013

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

Natalia Gozak – Project Officer, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme/Kyiv, Ukraine Picture exhibition of Georgia Red Cross Society volunteers hosted by Georgia National Library On May 8, World Red Cross Red Crescent Day was celebrated all around the world. This was the opportunity to remind Georgian society once again of the Red Cross history, its role, importance and its fundamental principles. The Georgia Red Cross Society had planned a number of charity activities to be implemented during Red Cross Week. The activities planned by the Georgia Red Cross Society were implemented in the framework of the Red Cross Week and were dedicated to the World Red Cross Red Crescent Day. 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.

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