CfE newsletter 3

Climate Forum East Newsletter Issue 3, December 2013

Ukrainian Activities on the Local Level on CCA In September and October 2 2013, a series of intergovernmental seminars "Support regional efforts to develop regional action plans on climate change adaptation" were held in three Ukrainian cities…

Continued on page 2.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Day against Climate Change On September 28, 2013 PR action “Day against Climate Change” was held by Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) with the cooperation of Tbilisi Zoo.

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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.

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).

Continued on page 2.

EU Climate Policy Seminar Organized in Baku

Lead: Austrian Red Cross

3 The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society held a seminar on ”The Climate Policy of the European Union…

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.

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.

Continued on page 3.

More news:

 The Round Table on Climate Vulnerability Assessment page 4  Young Activists Concerned about Climate Change page 4  Armenian Climate Forum in Action page 6  Highlighting National Advocacy Priorities page 6

 Interview with Medea Inashvili page 7  Interview with Sophiko Akhobadze page 8  Interview with Zlot Lengyel page 9  WWF and Climate Negotiations page 9

 CAN Perspective on Adaptation page 10  Red Cross Goes to Warsaw page 10  Q&A: EU and Eastern Partnership countries page 11  Climate Forum East News page 12

#: December [Date] Issue 3, 2013

Climate Forum East DolorNewsletter Sit Amet

Ukrainian Activities on the Local Level on CCA In September and October 2013, a series of intergovernmental seminars "Support regional efforts to develop regional action plans on climate change adaptation" were held in three Ukrainian cities (Ternopil, Donetsk, and Poltava) as the first stage of development of the regional action plans on CCA. Representatives of the local authorities, the public, and representatives of environmental departments and offices attended it.

During those seminars, experts determined aspects in which the cities are the least adaptable to climate change. So, Ukrainian cities are the most vulnerable through the density of population and harmful conditions of urban ecosystems.

For the climate change vulnerability assessment, the working groups analyzed city data according to the following criteria:       

vulnerability to heat stress; vulnerability to flooding; the existence and quality of urban green spaces; vulnerability to extreme weather events; vulnerability to the quality and reduce the amount of potable water; vulnerability to the spread of infectious diseases and allergens; vulnerability of the energy system of the city.

Ukrainian cities should be prepared to challenges, which depend on the geographical location and economic development. For Ternopil and other western regions of Ukraine, the greatest hazard today is floods. For justification, workshop participants presented data flooding in July 23-27, 2008, when 26 districts have been flooded, and 24 agricultural objects have been destroyed in the whole area of 2074 ha.

All meteorologists agreed that in the Ternopil region in the last decade is much warmer. "Since 1997, the annual temperature was fixed above the norm, for example, 2000 and 2007 years were the warmest in the history," - said Oksana Sofinska, Head of the Ternopil regional hydrometeorology center. According to her data for the last 10 years, average amount of dangerous weather events in the Ternopil region are from 90 to 100 during the year (in 2010 there were a record number of hazards - 115), 5-6 extreme weather events and extreme weather changes 2-4.

Different situation is in the Donetsk region. The most dangerous hazard from climate change is a vulnerability to heat stress and a decrease in quantity and quality deterioration of drinking water. Although the Donetsk region does not rich in water resources, at the same time, its heavy industry is characterized by huge water consumption.

According to hydrologists’ information, spring tide of the Seversky Donets River in the period from 2000 to 2013 (except 2003 and 2006) was on average 20-40 % of the norm, and in 2013 was not observed at all. Such situation is not typical for this pool.

According to Vera Balabukh’s research (Head of synoptic meteorology department in Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute), the average, maximum, and minimum temperatures for the period of 1961-2011 years have increased markedly. The number of ordinary rains have reduced, however, the number of heavy rainfalls have increased. In consequence of that fact, huge amount of rainfalls fall down in a short period in a large volume. Also in the Donetsk region the frequency of severe weather events has increased. Appropriate conditions for greenhouse gases accumulation in the atmosphere are increased too: the number of unwind days and days with fog.

The Working Group of the Poltava region state that their region is not very sensitive to heat stress and flooding. A key problem has been defined as vulnerability of green areas of Poltava (the appearance of new pests and invasive species, the disappearance of traditional forms under the influence of high temperature), and the complexity of new weather conditions for agriculture. Already in current time it is necessary to change some crops more resistant to drought and high temperatures.

Importantly that the workshops were conducted under the auspices of the State Agency of Environmental Investment.

The results of the expert group workshops will be used for development the regional plans on climate change adaptation. Thematic articles in Ukrainian are available here: cliategroup.org.ua/?p=2193 and climategroup.org.ua/?p=2275.

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Climate Forum East DolorNewsletter Sit Amet

Day against Climate Change

On September 28, 2013 PR action “Day against Climate Change” was held by Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) in cooperation of Tbilisi Zoo. Volunteers of the above mentioned organizations participated in the event. The aim of the action was to raise awareness about the importance of combating climate change and protecting environment, flora and fauna. In the event debates on the following topic was held: “What measures should be taken to combat climate change, how can we adapt to a changing climate and impacts of climate change on vulnerable people and solutions”.

Volunteers of Georgia Red Cross Society and Tbilisi Zoo as well as visitors had an opportunity to take part in the debates. Flyers were distributed and a creative poster titled as an “day against climate change” was created by the volunteers. Besides that, an open-air exhibition of the animals that are in a danger was organized.

Georgia Red Cross Society thanks the administration of Tbilisi Zoo for their support.

EU Climate Policy Seminar Organized in Baku The Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society (AzRCS) held a seminar on ”The Climate Policy of the European Union and The Environment Policy in the European Partnership Program” on 26-27 September 2013 as part of the Climate Forum East project. This meeting was prepared by members of Azerbaijan Climate Forum East Network on 18 September 2013.

In the EU Climate Policy, representatives of mass media were invited. The seminar was highlighted by Azerbaijan State Television, Public TV and the “Khazar” TV channel.

The Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society made the opening speech at the seminar. Then the Secretary General of the AzRCS Bayram Veliyev talked about an importance of the project and wished success to the seminar. In accordance with the program of the seminar AzRCS Deputy Secreatary General and project coordinator Jeyhun Mirzayev gave the floor to the Executive Secretary of the Azerbaijan National NonGovernmental Organizations Forum Gunel Ibrahim.

Gunel Ibtahim spoke about network coordination, the necessity of strengthening of the National Society’s relations with a network. Then the president of Ecological Promotion and Monitoring Public Union Gamza Yusifova made a presentation on adaptation to climate change in the world as well as in Azerbaijan.

A professor of the Ministry for Natural Resources and Ecology of the Azerbaijan Republic and a director of Climate Change and Ozone Center Gulmali Suleymanov spoke about climate policy of the European Union and the environment policy in the European Eastern Partnership program. At the end of the first day, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formally creates Azerbaijan Climate Forum East Network was signed by Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society and NGOs. On the second day of the seminar, our climate experts – Shamil Ismayilov and Shamil Movsumov made their presentations on the national climate vulnerability assessment (CVA). Afterwards CSO Network members discussed the CVA.

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Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

The Round Table on Climate Vulnerability Assessment The round table devoted to climate vulnerability assessment and its priorities on the project “Climate Forum East” was held on August 27, 2013 at the Belarus Red Cross Society (BRC’s) training centre. The representatives from both sectors – state as well as nonstate took part in the meeting: the hydrometeorological centre, the “Green Alliance”, United Nations Development Programme, the Youth Association, the Woman’s information coordination centre, the NGO “Nature and Us”.

The round table’s programme consisted of the coordinator’s (Dmitry Rusakov) presentation on heat waves in Belarus and that experience which BRC has already had in dealing such a problem. The national expert – Evgeniya Bertosh prolonged the topic, having shown existing best practices in adaptation to climate change as well as its influence on social and economic sectors. The potential partners took to priorities’ discussion for the future assessment.

The conclusion of the round table was that it is necessary to assess climate change and its influence on the following sectors: 1. Forestry; 2. Water resources;

3. Health care (the increase of heat waves, the emergence of new illnesses -tick-borne encephalitis, the emergency calls’ dependence on the temperature trend’s growth); 4. Fire break out (not only in forestry).

The partners have shown their willingness and readiness to take part in CVA, which should be written by the end of 2013.

Young Activists Concerned about Climate Change Preparedness to Current Challenges of Climate Change in Humanitarian Work – was the title of a training conducted by the National Ecological Center of Ukraine for young activists of Red Cross Ukraine on the 25th of September. The event was part of the Red Cross Ukraine Third National Assembly and All School first aid and youth leadership (September, 22-27).

The training consists of three parts: 1) theoretical, 2) group work, 3) presentation of the results. So, for practical tasks (2nd part) we formed 6 groups of 7-8 people. In each group were residents of the central, northern, southern, western and eastern parts of Ukraine and one group of Red Cross Germany representatives.

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#: December [Date] Issue 3, 2013 They had the task of evaluating their region on vulnerability to climate change impacts according to the following factors: 1. Climate factors 2. Hydrology 3. Industry 4. Agriculture 5. Forestland and green areas in cities 6. Urban density.

After each factor assessment groups determined which one has predominant importance to their region, who are the most vulnerable population, and what are urgent measures for Red Cross volunteers make in the direction of urban climate change adaptation.

The team from Central Ukraine assessed the impact of factors in a pyramid chart, and decided that climate factors such as abnormally heavy rainfall, high summer temperatures and droughts were the first priority for climate change adaptation actions. Urban density is less urgent for the Central region. Vulnerable groups were identified as: children, people with disabilities, and the elderly.

The Western Region presented a visual assessment of each factor separately.

1. Abnormal heavy rains and heavy snowfalls are usual for that territory.

2. Forests are cutting down, that causes landslides in the mountains, mudslides and floods.

3. There is huge industrial impact on the environment in the region.

4. Now, it become possible to grow plants such as peaches and watermelons.

5. There are many green zones in the Western region, which produce a lot of fresh air.

6. Urban density is almost comfortable for citizens.

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet For the Northern part of Ukraine the chemical and radioactive pollution after the Chernobyl catastrophe is most significant environmental factor. Some climate warming has positive influence on regional agriculture, because of new conditions for plants growth.

Representatives from the Southern part of Ukraine presented analysis of factors according to climate seasons. During a winter, there are very high air temperatures, causing heavy rains and early flowers blooming. In summer, there is a problem of increasing number of fires caused by increased solar activity and in result reduce harvest. Spring season is characterized by sudden changes in temperature. That means that flowers blooming alternates with the snowfalls, the local people should have ready both warm and light shoes and clothes. Autumn - velvet season, but there are frequent cases of poisoning edible mushrooms by toxic sediments. Autumn is also a season for deforestation to build new leisure complex.

In Eastern Ukraine the most significant factors are industry and urban density. At the same time all other factors (climate, agriculture, hydrosphere, forestland and green areas in cities) also look important in their assessment of vulnerability from the effects of climate change.

The group of German representatives stressed the biggest importance to the second factor - hydrology.

This year many German cities were suffered because of big floods. The 5th and 6thfactors (greenery and urban density) look most negligible in that assessment.

As a conclusion, it is interesting to sum up that, findings of evaluations from all teams correlates with the relevant

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Armenian Climate Forum in Action

Discussions and debates over hot environmental and climate change issues are the main accelerating and stimulating tools for achieving successful results while organizing multi-stakeholder meetings in this field. On June 19 – 20, within the framework of “Climate Forum East” Project (CFE), around 20 CSOs and Research Centers gathered in Armenian resort of Tsakhkadzor to discuss environmental and climate change policy issues and to prepare for initiating Armenian Climate Forum national platform in the beginning of July. Among the discussed topics were “International agreements on Climate Change: What next after Kyoto Protocols”; EU/EaP and RA positions”; and “Climate Change Adaptation: EU Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation.

Financial mechanisms and use of technologies and the strengthening of national capacities were also discussed.

Heated debates among the participants over these issues took place, which was considered as a positive signal for establishment of Armenian Climate Forum Network.

Following this event, two national workshops on climate change policy priorities has been organized by the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) within the framework of CFE Project. The first workshop, held at the Aarhus Center in Yerevan, gathered more than 20 NGOs and as a result of tough discussions and debates five policy priorities for the national climate vulnerability assessment have been identified; namely, disaster risk reduction, health, agriculture, ecosystems and water resources. Moreover, during the first policy priority workshop, NGO capacities and possible contributions for developing and enhancing the Armenian Climate Forum Network have been discussed. Furthermore, NGOs expressed readiness to contribute to the process of the development of the climate vulnerability assessment by preparing case studies for each selected policy area.

The second policy priority workshop was mainly devoted to discussions and debates over the next three-month preliminary action plan of the Armenian Climate Forum Network. Moreover, the second part of the workshop was dedicated to the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between ARCS and the other members of the Network. As a result the Memorandum text was finalized and it is scheduled to be signed at the end of October in Tsakhkadzor, when the next meeting of Armenian Climate Forum Network will be held.

Regional Advocacy Training in Odessa, Ukraine: Highlighting National Advocacy Priorities A workshop on Effective Advocacy and Communication Strategies took place on the 7-8 October in Odessa for project teams in EaP countries and communication experts from all six national networks. Andreas Beckmann, Managing Director at WWF DanubeCarpathian Programme, experienced facilitator guided participants during these two days through the mysteries of effective advocacy. This kind of experience in WWF International was formed due to decades of effective campaigning on conservation.

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Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

The Belarus Red Cross,Armenian Red Cross, Azerbaijan Red Crescent and Georgia Red Cross Societies, National Ecological Center of Ukraine, ECOSPECTRU were represented on the event together with NGOs from all countries of the Eastern Partnership.

Over two days, participants developed advocacy strategies for the key national priorities, chosen by local networks.

Armenia’s overall advocacy objective was to make the Armenian CFE Network the main CSO actor in the field Climate Change (CC) by the end of the project. For those top state authorities, CSOs and experts in the field should be addressed through TV, online news, parliamentary debates, public events.

The overall objective for Ukrainian team was to ensure that building norms in Ukraine are updated to the new conditions of changing climate. For that, one central scientific building Institute and 24 regional scientific building Institutes should be addressed through TV channels, which cover scientific issues, business newspapers and journals, specialized websites.

Belarus’ overall objective was adoption of a national heat waves plan. For that 50 officials should be addressed through key TV program, newspaper and thematic public events.

For Georgia it was the adoption of legislation on protection of green areas in Tbilisi by December 2015. For that students from two Tbilisi universities should be addressed through University information resources (printed, online) and meeting with Deans.

Azerbaijan’s team objective was to push governmental officials to allocate funds for finding new water resources. For that 40 out of 125 Parliament members should be addressed through main governmental TV channel, newspaper, public events and web-resources.

While in Moldova it was development capacities of the CSOs in the field of communication in climate change issues for the period till 2020. For that Internet, newsletter, presentation for the local mass media, radio, TV station, exchange of experience, case studies with the sharing experience should be used.

Thus the advocacy training gave a push for potential national advocacy campaigns on key climate change related priorities.

On 9 October, the third regional meeting was conducted, activity reports and plans shared and forthcoming regional and sub-regional events discussed. Colombe de Mercey from the EU Delegation in Kiev joined the meeting, and participants got the possibility to discuss EU related questions with her.

The next project team meeting will take place on the 6 February 2014 in Tbilisi.

Medea Inashvili (Chief specialist/Climate Change Office) - Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia What are Climate Change priorities in Georgia?

As a small country with low national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and without quantitative targets of their reduction, Georgia's climate change priority is adaptation.

The more so that Georgia is very rich in ecosystems and climate change has numerous impacts such as frequent disasters, land degradation, sea-level rise, glaciers melting and many others.

However, Georgia aims at retaining its GHG emissions growth along with economic growth, and has officially adopted a concept of Low Emissions Development, its strategy being under elaboration.

What significance has Climate Change adaptation in Georgia?

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#: December [Date] Issue 3, 2013 The Second National Communication (2009) revealed significant impacts of climate change in Georgia and a few vulnerable regions.

Taking into consideration these results adaptation to climate change is officially recognized as absolutely necessary and the country actively seeks ways to enhance this direction: numerous proposals have been prepared and funds being sought to implement them. In parallel, a national adaptation plan of action (NAP) is being elaborated to consolidate the main directions and coordinate national adaptation measures to ensure their maximal costeffectiveness and avoid overlapping. Alongside working on the NAP, Georgia tries to replicate ongoing adaptation pilot projects to similar areas.

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet How can the civil society led Climate Forum East project successfully contribute to climate change adaptation efforts in Georgia?

Climate change is making considerable impacts on human health: natural disasters, seasonal shifts, changes in temperature and humidity serious damage human health and psychology. Some infectious diseases are showing increasing trend for recent years. The Climate Forum East project has a high potential to fill the gaps in the study of climate change impacts on human health.

Sophiko Akhobadze - Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus (REC Caucasus) What are the current main initiatives in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in South Caucasus?

RECC’s Regional climate change adaptation initiatives are formulated with a view to the long-term testing and monitoring of innovative approaches; demonstrating transboundary cooperation on sustainable landscape and Integrated Water Resources Management.

RECC’s initiative “Adapt South Caucasus” works to develop a system to reduce the vulnerability and improve adaptation to climate change and enhanced resilience of agrobiodiversity of especially vulnerable arid and semi-arid ecosystems and local livelihoods to climate change. The initiative has conducted vulnerability assessments in 10 municipalities of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, to document impacts of climate change and community needs to response and deal with change.

Under the global initiative of 'Global Network for Disaster Reduction' (GNDR)” RECC develops “the View from the Frontlines study “ annual reports for Georgia and Armenia, to collaborate in securing a stronger voice for communities and more effective implementation of ten year programme for improvement in Disaster Risk Reduction, the 'Hyogo Framework for Action' (HFA). The study also reveals civil society organizations working alongside vulnerable people tend to be the most active participants in building disaster-resilient communities.

What are the benefits of the trans boundary cooperation in climate change adaptation in South Caucasus?

change adaptation in South Caucasus helps natural ecological system to straddle one or more boundaries and response the needs to be managed as a single ecological unit in order to preserve essential species, communities, and ecological processes, and to adapt to climate change. Valuable information and knowledge obtained as a result of studies conducted within the different climate change initiatives of RECC, aims to support the DRR and develop the principles, procedures, and institutions for managing and protecting shared resources, such as watercourse systems, to develop an economically and environmentally sound management systems at national as well as regional level in order to improve the living standards of local communities and to sustain vital ecosystem services for the billions of people in South Caucasus.

How can the CfE project bring climate change adaptation initiatives in South Caucasus forward?

CfE multi-stakeholder civil society project can create a multi-sectorial platform at regional level, combining representatives of Civil Society organizations, media and academic institutions from all three countries and can function as well established regional body in the area of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. This project can contribute to regional cooperation, establishing respectable think tank, promoting synergies, crossborder dialogue and multi-sectorial technical exchange of information to incorporate the lessons learned and experience of different countries into development and successful implementation of other incentives in the area of climate change adaptation.

Transboundary cooperation in climate 8

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Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

Zsolt Lengyel - Team Leader ClimaEast What is the ClimaEast project about?

activities are undertaken: 

The overall objective of Clima East is to support the ENP East countries (i.e. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) and the Russian Federation so that they are better equipped for greenhouse-gas emission reductions and better prepared to deal with climate change impacts.

This technical assistance project includes a policy component (budget EUR 11 million) and a pilot project component (budget EUR 11 million) supporting the development of ecosystems-based approaches to climate change. This second component will finance a number of pilot projects in the region that will demonstrate the relevance of nature management techniques for climate mitigation and adaptation in pasture, peat land, forestry and permafrost areas.

During the implementation phase, the following

     

Evaluation of the environmental and economic effectiveness of existing and proposed policies, strategies and market based mechanisms Support to national stakeholder consultations, policy making and drafting national strategies/road maps Transfer and dissemination of information and knowledge on EU climate acquis Organisation of regional training seminars/workshops Study missions to the EU and EU expert missions to partner countries Response to ad-hoc questions and requests for technical assistance Outreach and dissemination of results through dedicated website/publications.

Given the activities of the ClimaEast project, an active liaison has been established with the Climate Forum East implementation team in order to cooperate.

WWF: Governments must seize the opportunity to tackle climate change (Gland, Switzerland) - With only 50 days of negotiations left for world leaders to produce a new global climate agreement in 2015, they need to make every day count, WWF said ahead of the United Nations climate talks in Warsaw, Poland which start on Monday (11 November 2013).

The meeting in Warsaw is important because it paves the way to a critical meeting in Lima next year and then in Paris in 2015, where a new global climate deal is to be agreed. ”The Polish government has unfortunately shown us how not to handle these important negotiations by having embarrasingly low ambitions for this meeting and by trying to package their pro-coal stance as ”clean coal” – something that simply doesn’t exist,” says Tasneem Essop, WWF’s head of delegation for the upcoming climate talks in Warsaw.

“We are clear that we have little time left to act, and governments, including Poland, aren't doing enough to address the problem. The world is alarmingly far from an emissions reductions pathway that would limit dangerous climate change,” she says.

Climate and energy policy is currently driven almost entirely by the vested interests of fossil fuel companies and not by what is good for the planet and good for humanity, she says.

“We need to change this approach in Warsaw. We are calling on governments to make significant progress and agree to concrete actions to bring down emissions before 2020. Scaling up investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency provides such an opportunity, especially since the technologies are becoming increasingly competitive and affordable.”

Samantha Smith, WWF leader of the Global Climate & Energy Initiative said: “When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change delivered their recent report, they couldn’t have been more clear - climate change is still happening, the main source of climate pollution is burning fossil fuels, and the window of opportunity for tackling the problem is rapidly closing.”

In short, says Smith, we need to close the ambition gap now and Warsaw is the place for governments to start doing this. “We know that most of the pollution that causes climate change comes from burning fossil fuels.

We must quit fossil fuels and have a just transition to clean renewable energy. It won’t happen fast enough without governments, who need to send clear policy signals to investors.”

WWF is calling on investors and financiers around the world to end their support for coal, oil and gas and to increase investments in sustainable, renewable energy, including energy access for the poor.

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Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet

CAN perspective on adaptation at UNFCCC conference Climate Action Network-International (CAN Int) – is represented in the next international negotiation in Warsaw.

CAN Int established in December 2007. The nineteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) will be held from 11 to 22 November 2013 in Warsaw, Poland.

Despite the fact that CAN Int involved in the negotiations in the status of an observer, it has the power of indirect influence, through the publication of daily information reviews, commenting on the action of the national delegations from the point of view of CSOs, and by conducting public events and other activities.

According to CAN vision for COP 19 the main necessary decisions, which will shape Climate Change Adaptation in the future are:    



Based on the experience of previous negotiations we can say that the decision-making process is not simple for all participants of COP. CAN Int aims to fully support the achievement of the global objectives of the COP -19 in accordance with the core principles approved by UN: adequacy, responsibility, ability, development needs and the need for adaptation.

A summary of the position of CAN Int at the 19th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in English can be downloaded here: climatenetwork.org/node/3688

effective work and progress towards adoption of a new global agreement in 2015; increase of obligations of Parties to reduce GHG emissions with the aim to keep global warming in the limit of 1,5-20C; implementation by countries their commitments on filling the Adaptation Fund; extension of adaptation actions according to results of the latest IPCC report, the first part of which was published in September 2013, and the full release is planned in the spring of 2014; commitment to support full implementation of the National Adaptation Programs of Actions (NAPAs) and providing support for the developing countries, and increasing support the most vulnerable developing countries in preparing their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in the next few years.

The Red Cross goes to Warsaw A delegation from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) will attend the climate negotiations at the nineteenth Conference of the Parties (COP-19) which will be held in Warsaw from 11th – 22nd November. Representative from the Climate Forum East (CFE) will be attend. This annual conference of the parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the central forum where international climate treaties are negotiated, but it also provides a unparalleled opportunity for NGOs to rub shoulders with decision makers, and to network, share experiences and learn about cutting edge practices in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The IFRC delegation to COP-19 aims to bring the concerns of the most vulnerable people to policy makers, as well as taking the opportunity to showcase some of the ground-breaking work that National Societies around the world are engaged in to tackle the effects of climate change in their countries and region. This will include the innovative work of Climate Forum East in linking civil society, knowledge centre and decision makers.

The Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (RCCC) in conjunction with the International Insitute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) will once again run the 10

Issue 3, 2013 #: December [Date]

Climate Forum East DolorNewsletter Sit Amet

highly successful Development and Climate Days on the (GEF) will once again run the highly successful Development and Climate Days on the 17th and 18th November, bringing together high-level experts for participatory discussions on climate change adaptation and climate-smart development.

The Development and Climate Days will include a full day of fun and serious climate change games, pioneered by the RCCC as a highly effective way of communicating complex climate information. The theme of this day will be Article 6 of the UNFCCC, which focuses on the commitment of parties to engage in promotion, education and awareness-raising about climate change – all areas central to the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, and the Climate Forum East project in particular. Parties are encouraged to partner with NGOs to achieve their responsibilities under this article, which is a significant opportunity which civil society organisations working to raise awareness of climate change should capitalise on.

Representative from the CFE will attend the International Climate Conference. unfccc.int/meetings/warsaw_nov_2013/meeting/7649.php

Question and answer: EU and Eastern Partnership countries What are the priorities of the European Union in the Eastern Partnership countries?

Within the Eastern Partnership the EU offers its Eastern partners concrete, far-reaching support for democratic and market-oriented reforms and thus contributes to the their political and economic stability.

The multilateral component of the Eastern Partnership gives the EU an additional instrument to foster reforms, by providing a forum for the six partner countries to exchange experience and information in the framework of four platforms: democracy, good governance and stability; economic integration and convergence with EU policies; energy security; contacts between people.

The Eastern Partnership is the reply of the EU to the challenges and aspirations of the partner countries as the EU has a vital interest in seeing further economic development, greater democratic governance and increased stability in the Eastern neighbourhood. Based on the progress made in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the Eastern Partnership offers both bilateral and multilateral measures for enhanced cooperation.

What is the role of civil society in the Eastern Partnership countries?

The development and involvement of the civil society is a key factor for the success of the democratic and market-oriented reforms in the countries of Eastern Partnership. Civil society organisations (CSOs) play an increasingly important role in contributing to the reform process. The European Commission supports civil society actors and to engage them in the initiative through the establishment of an Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, which has been active since 2009.

The forum promotes contacts between civil society actors and facilitates their dialogue with public authorities. Civil society actors meet government officials and academics to share experience and identify relevant sectors for cooperation and immediate actions.

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#: December [Date] Issue 3, 2013 Society Forum has become a permanent feature of the work of the Eastern Partnership at the multilateral level.

This is an important achievement and one that must be constantly pursued.

How can the Climate Forum East project contribute to civil society development?

The main goal of Climate Forum East is to build the capacity of civil society to engage with policy-making and contribute to the political agenda in environmental governance and climate change. The project also aims to contribute to global policy-making by encouraging civil society input to national communications for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Strong environmental legislation, robust adaptation measures and an active civil society are seen as crucial to future prosperity, but awareness of the issue is very limited. It builds on the earlier successful South-East European Forum on Climate Change Adaptation in Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia that ran from 2010.

Climate Forum East Events

Climate Forum Dolor East Newsletter Sit Amet Each country establishes of reinforces existing national network of civil society organizations and develops its capacities in assessment of climate vulnerabilities, advocacy, and education actions to share information and knowledge on climate change adaptation. Central to this is the development by these networks of national climate vulnerability assessments, the identification of sectors and groups in each country which are most vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather events, and concrete recommendations for decisionmakers and civil society to address adaptation gaps.

The networks also works with young people and local communities to raise awareness about climate change and encourage their engagement with decision-makers and participation in the policy-making process, thus improving capacities of CSOs to jointly deliver education for action and citizenship amongst youth and communities, and creation of regional platform to sustain linkages between different stakeholders.

In November 2013, an EU acquis workshop on Climate Change Adaptation took place in Chisinau, Moldova, with participants from Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova and with trainers from the ClimaEast project.

In the South Caucasus, a drawing competition for school children is ongoing, to raise awareness about climate change and its impacts and possible solutions (planned activity implementation: October-December 2013).

On 6 February 2013, a CfE EaP project partner meeting will take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, to discuss climate vulnerability assessment results and plan of actions from January-June 2014. The meeting on 6 February will most probably be combined with meetings of the ADA cofunded and Austrian Red Cross led Building Safe and Resilient Communities project, implemented in South Caucasus.

On 26 and 27 March 2013, the foundation conference of Climate Forum East will take place. Participants include climate relevant representatives from the EaP countries (civil society organizations, Red Cross/Red Crescent, government institutions, hydrometereological institutes, media, higher education sector, international organizations, private companies, representatives from the South East Europe Forum on Climate Change Adaptation, representatives from other EaP initiatives) and local and international climate experts. A draft agenda should be prepared and shared for feedback by December 2013.

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