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WWF Case Study: Climate Change in Southern Caucaus: Impacts on nature, people and society
Summary:
Climate change has already started to have a significant impact on nature and people in the Southern Caucasus region – effects that will become even more severe in the future. This will create an extra burden on the development of societies in all the three countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, which still struggle to embark on a more sustainable path, including eradicating widespread poverty. Climate change also poses an additional risk for the political stability of the region.
Adaptation Experience:
Results and Learning:
The three Southern Caucasus countries show a rather different energy profile, with Azerbaijan consuming mainly its oil and gas resources, Georgia relying on hydropower production, and Armenia with a more diversified supply system of hydro and nuclear power. All three countries have embarked on the development of renewable energy resources supported by many international agencies, but only a few projects have actually started. Of the three countries, Armenia plans the largest investments in geo-thermal and wind power generation and also to reduce overall GHG emissions.
A study was undertaken to summarise current and future impacts of climate change in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the Southern Caucasus region and to provide a perspective of climate change in relation to sustainable development – especially the MDGs, biodiversity, energy production, and political security together with the national and international response in relation to each issue.a study was undertaken to summarise current and future impacts of climate change in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the Southern Caucasus region and to provide a perspective of climate change in relation to sustainable development – especially the MDGs, biodiversity, energy production, and political security together with the national and international response in relation to each issue.
Sustainability:
Through impacts such as droughts, water scarcity and soil degradation, climate change could exacerbate already existing conflicts leading to greater instability. The Southern Caucasus shares this feature with many other security “hot spots” of the world. Based on strategic recommendations provided by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), the Southern Caucasus countries need to pay particular attention to adapting water resource management and agriculture/food production to climate change, strengthening disaster prevention, and conserving the terrestrial carbon stocks (particularly forests). To incorporate climate adaptation in the future management of the Kura-Aras/Araks river basin should be seen as particularly important for the future stability and well-being of the region.
Replication:
n/a
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