ALM Project Profile 2008 - Identification and Implementation of Adaptation Response Measures in the Drini-Mati River Deltas

Summary:

summary text

Adaptation Experience:

The project’s overall goal is to assist Albania in establishing a mechanism by which strategies to moderate, cope with, and take advantage of the consequences of climate change are enhanced, developed, and implemented. The project’s specific objective is to build adaptive capacity in the DMRD to ensure resilience of key ecosystems and local livelihoods to climate change. This will be done by first identifying and then integrating climate change response measures into conservation and development programming in the DMRD.

Results and Learning:

In 2008 it was too early to report on lessons learned.

Sustainability:

Sustainable livelihoods of communities surrounding Kune-Vaine and Patok: The objective is to ensure that community level activities, especially among those communes that rely on the natural resource base of the DMRD, mainstream adaptation.

Replication:

In terms of mainstreaming adaptation in the DMRD, both the central government and the regional administration of Lezha will be critical partners. Key activities that provide opportunities for mainstreaming adaptation measures include: * Implementation of the Strategic Environmental Zoning plan (and associated Local Environmental Action Plans or LEAPs) for the DMRD. * Follow-on investments by the EU such as grants for community development projects (e.g., tourism activities). The objective is to ensure that community level activities, especially in communes that rely on the DMRD’s natural resource base, also mainstream adaptation. * Sewage and waste water treatment plans for the DMRD. * Agriculture sector development plans (including fisheries).

Funding Source:
SDC

ALM Case Study 2010 - Identification and Implementation of Adaptation Measures in the Drini River Deltas

Summary:

The Drini and Mati River Deltas in Albania are experiencing stressful impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems as a result of climate change. There is currently a lack of institutional and individual capacities to undertake a rigorous assessment or to address the potential climate change impacts on biodiversity. The aim of this project is to address key risks and vulnerabilities in the coastal areas of Drini Mati River Deltas of the Northern Adriatic by developing the capacity to adapt to climate change. The key lessons learned thus far with regard to the adaptation project have been: engaging in broad stakeholder consultation during project design; building regional collaboration and support from project inception; ensuring coordination among multiple stakeholders during implementation stage; focusing on strenghtening local institutional and human capacity; remaining focused, pragmatic and strategic about scope, objectives and outcomes.

Adaptation Experience:

The vulnerability of the DMRD, combined with the potential impacts of climate change on its biodiversity, produce an urgent need for all stakeholders to take climate change into account within sustainable development plans. By developing adaptive capacity and piloting adaptation approaches in the DMRD, the project will be first step to extending this experience to other vulnerable areas and sectors of the country.

Results and Learning:

Key lessons learned: 

  1. Engage in broad stakeholder consultation during project design: The first key lesson learned is the importance of conducting a detailed stakeholder analysis during project design. The project counterparts include representatives of Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, World Bank, Regional Environmental Centre, regional authorities and the Council of Lezha Qark as well as Environmental Association operating in the project area.
  2. Build regional collaboration and support from project inception: The regional authorities have demonstrated strong support to the project, voicing it explicitly at the inception workshop. Local authorities fully realize the need to assess climate change impacts and implement adaptation measures, especially since these issues have not yet been addressed in the development plans of the Zone or the Protected Area of the DMRD.
  3. Ensure coordination among multiple stakeholders during implementation stage: Careful coordination among multiple stakeholders including government and civil society during the implementation stage have proven to be vital to insure inclusion and engagement across stakeholder groups including community groups and various government bodies.
  4. Focus on strengthening local institutional and human capacity: The beginning of the project proved to be challenging, due mainly to the limited expertise in the country for this specific topic (climate change adaptation). Unexpected delays were encountered in the recruitment of the project staff due to the very limited in-country experience for the requisite specialized domain.
  5. Remain focused, pragmatic and strategic about scope, objectives and outcomes (particularly during inception stage): Projects need to remain focused and be cognizant of their logistical and practical parameters. Given its small size and limited resources, it was noted that this project should find strategic short-cuts for achieving the designated set of objectives and outcomes. At the inception stage it was recommended that the project only cover coastal ecosystems and not consider marine ecosystems in any studies or activities.
Sustainability:

The Global Environment Facility resources will be utilized to ensure the sustainability of the current response mechanisms (policies, programmes, financial schemes, etc.) with a focus on maintaining the functional integrity of the ecosystem and protectingthe biodiversity in the area. This will specifically be done by identifying the measures that need to be taken to avoid fragmentationand help enhance the adaptive capacity of the ecosystem. For example, the adaptive capacity of the ecosystem will be enhanced byestablishing buffer zones or migration corridors.

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(policies, programmes, financial schemes, etc.) with a focus on maintaining the functional integrity of the ecosystem and protectingthe biodiversity in the area. This will specifically be done by identifying the measures that need to be taken to avoid fragmentationand help enhance the adaptive capacity of the ecosystem. For example, the adaptive capacity of the ecosystem will be enhanced byestablishing buffer zones or migration corridors. The Global Environment Facility resources will be utilized to ensure the sustainability of the current response mechanisms(policies, programmes, financial schemes, etc.) with a focus on maintaining the functional integrity of the ecosystem and protectingthe biodiversity in the area. This will specifically be done by identifying the measures that need to be taken to avoid fragmentationand help enhance the adaptive capacity of the ecosystem. For example, the adaptive capacity of the ecosystem will be enhanced byestablishing buffer zones or migration corridors. 

Replication:

The specific objective of the project is to build adaptive capacity in the DMRD to ensure resilience of the key ecosystems and local livelihoods to climate change. Building adaptive capacity is the first step to enable replication to occur.

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Funding Source:
GEF-SPA