Armenian Red Cross Society has organized a kick-off meeting of ”Climate Forum East” project on May 13, 2013 at “Ani Plaza” Hotel in Yerevan. This regional project is financed by the European Union, Austrian development Agency, Austrian Red Cross and WWF and is implemented in all six Eastern partnership countries, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus.
More than 30 participants attended the kick-off meeting of “Climate Forum East” Project in Armenia. Among them were representatives from national NGOs, international organizations accredited in Armenia, government structures including representatives from regions as well as the Ministries of Nature Protection.
Notably, the Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, H.E. Ambassador Traian Hrestea has made his meaningful opening speech together with the Secretary General of the Armenian Red Cross Society Dr. Anna Yeghiazaryan and representative from the Ministry of Nature Protection Aram Gabrielyan.
The Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, has noted that all states has responsibility to inform their public about climate change issues and that “EU will monitor closely the activities of this project”. At the same time, ARCS Secretary General, Dr. Anna Yeghiazaryan has rightly pointed out that climate change is a challenge not only for the Armenia but also for the region and the World so that “all areas of human activity are negatively affected by Climate Change”. Moreover, representative of the Ministry of Nature Protection has emphasized regional ecosystem as the most vulnerable to climate change. Aram Gabrielyan stressed the importance of water ecosystem and agriculture vulnerability to Climate Change for Armenia. “Different countries have different vulnerability sectors so that the adaptation measures will be also different”.
After the first session, the representative of the Ministry of Nature Protection has made his presentation on Climate Change in Armenia followed with questions and discussion. Afterwards, ARCS CFE Network Coordinator has presented “Climate Forum East” project, timetable and planned MoU to be signed between “Armenian Climate Forum” Network members and the Armenian Red Cross Society. Remarkably, the successful start up of activities of the “Armenian Climate Forum” Network has been unanimously announced.
The last session was devoted to the Plan of Action of the Armenian Climate Forum. All members agreed to have their meaningful participation within the framework of this platform and expressed their readiness to consider possible contributions and present them during Armenian platform meetings in June.
