Ambitious climate policy in the countries of South-East and Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia
Project description
Title: Capacity development for climate policy in the countries of South-East and Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia, Phase III (CDCPIII)
Commissioned by: Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (BMWK), participating commissioning party Federal Foreign Office. The project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
Country: Partner countries receiving more comprehensive service packages are Georgia, Montenegro, Republic of Albania, Republic of Moldova, Mongolia and Ukraine. The supraregional project also supports individual and small-scale measures in other countries of the project region of Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia: Republic of Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kosovo, Russian Federation, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan.
Lead executing agency: Ministries and authorities in the partner countries with responsibilities primarily in the energy, environmental and climate sectors
Overall term: 2017 to 2024
Context
Since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) entered into force, all countries party to the treaty have been faced with the challenge of implementing their national commitments to climate change mitigation. Integrating climate change mitigation goals into sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies, activities and budget plans as well as monitoring and reporting are of crucial importance in this context.
Even though 25 years have passed since ratification of the UNFCCC, the institutional and human capacities for developing and implementing effective climate policy are still not sufficiently developed in the countries of the project region. These countries share the common pursuit of successfully transforming their economic systems into an open market economy while at the same time integrating ambitious climate policies into their national development planning. The institutional, regulatory, financial and human resources required to achieve this are available only to a limited extent.
As a result, these countries have not yet been able to unlock their existing potential for effectively implementing and increasing climate change action while at the same time achieving their development goals. Overall, there are shortcomings in the modernisation of regulatory frameworks required for designing climate-friendly transformation processes. In the countries of the project region, government investment decisions are often based on insufficiently comprehensive cost/benefit analyses. In this respect, the project not only offers the benefits of an ambitious climate policy but also contributes to modernising economic structures, developing technological capacities and improving the living conditions of the local population.
Objective
The project countries have integrated their national climate change mitigation action targets into national development strategies.
Approach
The project makes it possible for political decision-makers and the responsible institutions to systematically plan and successfully implement integrated, ambitious climate policy. The project countries are supported in effectively implementing national climate change mitigation strategies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus contributing to the low emissions development of their economies.
The project implements measures at government level in all six selected partner countries. These measures aim at raising awareness among decision-makers about effective climate policy and improving national frameworks. Pilot projects on specific thematic areas will also be implemented and offer great potential for sharing experience and results at the regional and international level. Effective knowledge management creates multiplier effects in other countries of the project region and at international level.
The measures are implemented in cooperation with numerous partners, including civil society stakeholders, universities, clubs and associations as well as individual experts.
Results
The project supports the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Climate Action (BMWK) and the participating commissioning party Federal Foreign Office with expert advice and implements individual as well as small-scale measures in the countries of the project region. The goal is to develop the capacities to implement ambitious climate action policy.
Awareness is raised among decision-makers in the partner countries about the need for integrated climate policies and the associated opportunities. As a result, national decision-makers from various ministries in the pilot project countries step up their efforts to design national climate policies through interministerial coordination.
The partner institutions responsible for implementing climate policy in selected partner countries are empowered to include climate change mitigation action targets into their development strategies and plans. Targeted measures for systematic capacity development are planned and implemented based on a needs analysis. Additionally developed approaches and strategies for integrating climate change mitigation action targets into national development planning that are suitable for multiplication at international level are communicated among decision-makers and institutions in the countries of the project region.
Specific outcomes include the integration of national mitigation targets into national strategies or planning documents. Success stories on how the improved cooperation between government institutions helps to achieve nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in the countries of the project region are also compiled. This includes documenting the experiences gained while integrating climate action targets into national development strategies which are communicated both regionally and internationally.