Forest resilience of Armenia, enhancing adaptation and rural green growth via mitigation

Overall Goal: By 2030, contribute to achieving ecosystem neutral GHG emission with clear and monitorable adaptation co-benefits.

Project Objective: By Y8,CO₂ removals from the forests subsector are increased by at least 7% via sustainable climate adaptive forestry investments and fuelwood energy efficiency with effective involvement of communities.

GEF

Direct beneficiaries of the project are: (a) the rural populations of Lori and Syunik marzes (377,308 – 12% of the total population) distributed in the 15 municipalities and 207 rural communities, (b) line ministries including the ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development and the Ministry of Energy and Nature Protection, and (c) the private sector active in nurseries, forest management and EE. Rural communities in the two Marzes are mostly poor or very poor with the highest direct dependency on forest ecosystem services for fuelwood (average 8 m3/y) and livelihood (i.e. beekeeping, NWFP). Indirect beneficiary is the entire Armenian population. Indirect beneficiaries are the Armenian population.

• Expected tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO₂ eq) to be reduced or avoided.
• Expected improvement in the management of land or forest areas contributing to emission reductions.
• Expected total number of direct and indirect beneficiaries, (reduced vulnerability or increased resilience); number of beneficiaries relative to total population (PMF-A Core 1), particularly the most vulnerable group.
• Expected strengthening of institutional and regulatory systems for climate-responsive planning and development (PMF-A 5.0 and related indicator(s)).
• Expected positive environmental impacts, including in other result areas of the Fund, and/or in line with the priorities set at the national, local or sectoral level, as appropriate (including: Armenian biodiversity, air quality, soil quality and water availability; major impacts on women condition as well as on household health; energy efficiency, etc.).

Component 1 will address the forest restoration interventions responding to the country goal to increase the national forest cover to at least 20% by 2050 (Armenia’s NDC, 2015). The project will support the implementation of forest restoration interventions ensuring the job technology transfer and capacity development of concerned stakeholders pursuing both climate change mitigation and adaption objectives in order to: (i) secure higher capacity of forests to store carbon and (ii) contribute to higher resilience to climate risks of forests. Barriers Addressed: (a), (b), (c).

Outcome 1: By Y8, at least 2.5% of degraded forestland is restored and sustainably managed following a climate adaptive methodology.

Component 2 will address the main driver of forest degradation (fuelwood harvesting) ensuring technology transfer of energy efficiency appliances to both the private sector and rural households so as to decrease pressure on natural ecosystems and strengthen natural regeneration and sustainability of forestry investments. Barriers Addressed: (a), (b).

Outcome 2: By Y6, fuelwood consumption per energy unit output of targeted rural communities is optimized and decreased by at least 30%.

Component 3 of the project will assist stakeholders in creating the enabling conditions to execute the Armenia Forest Code (2005) and related bylaws ensuring sustainable and climate adaptive management and enhancing the capacity of rural communities to engage in forest governance. Barriers Addressed: (b), (c).

Outcome 3: By Y8, relevant stakeholders (including Hyantar and local communities) are enabled to adopt effective governance and adaptive management of forests and related ecosystem services.