Christine Kitzler, Project Co-ordinator, OSCE

10th Meeting of the Working Group on Flood Management and Adaptation to Climate

Change

22-23 April 2015, Kiev

This project is funded by the:

Project: Climate Change and Security in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Southern Caucasus

CONTENT

General Overview and Purpose

Status of project implementation

Next steps and Upcoming events

Benefits of transboundary cooperation and relevance of Dniester activities for other regions

CONTEXT CLIMATE CHANGE & SECURITY

Acknowledgement of climate change & security linkages at global and regional level

Global Risk Report 2014 (WEF) lists Failure of climate change mitigation & adaptation, Water crises, Food crises, Greater incidence of extreme weather events, among top ten global risks of highest concern

Security implications of climate change on water resources, food production, energy security, human, domestic & international security; (5th AR IPCC Volume I)

Security Implications not yet everywhere assessed

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Project: Climate Change and Security in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Southern Caucasus

Implementation Period: 01.01.2013 – 31.12 2015 (2016)

Donors: EU (IfS) and ADA

ENVSEC Partners: UNEP, UNECE, UNDP, REC, OSCE

Project Regions: Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus

“support regional stability through transboundary co-operation on adaptation to consequences of

climate change”

Specific Objectives:

Key stakeholders in three regions better informed on security implications of climate change

Key stakeholders capacitated to mainstream security considerations of climate change into adaptation plans and strategies to counteract risks

Enhanced regional co-operation in developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies

PURPOSE

1.1 Participatory assessments of security impacts of climate change - Implementing Organizations: UNEP, OSCE, UNDP, REC

Vulnerability assessments to identify climate change and security risks and hot-spots in all three regions through:

• Desk study for each of the three regions• Participatory assessments of security risks of climate change in national & regional consultations in Eastern Europe, Central Asia & South Caucasus• Mapping of assessment results for each region• Development of an integrated climate risk assessment (vulnerability assessments & visual map of climate change & security issues & hot- spots)

MAIN ACTIVITIES

ACHIEVEMENTS

1.1 Participatory assessments of security impacts of climate change

1st PHASE of Participatory Assessments of Security implications & Climate Change Hot-Spots completed (Desk Study and National Consultations)

Preliminary maps with findings from stakeholders and participants in national consultation workshops elaborated

Preparations for 2nd PHASE of Participatory Assessment (Regional Consultations & Finalization of Assessment Reports) ongoing

1.1 Participatory assessments of security impacts of climate change

Preliminary assessment of local, national & regional security impacts of climate change completed together with key-stakeholders from different sectors in project countries

Understanding & awareness of climate change as a security challenge & need for regional cooperation on adaptation in 3 regions enhanced

Recommendations how to adapt to climate change & security risks in identified hot-spots under elaboration

ACHIEVEMENTS

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS – Eastern Europe

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS – Eastern Europe

Example: Floods and high water

Issues and trends: Catastrophic floods, mud slides, bank erosion, flooding of settlements (especially in lower reaches), blocked watercourses (especially in rural areas), pollution hazards – heavy metals, cyanides and radionuclides

Impact on livelihoods, threats to health & lives of people, infrastructure, local & transboundary problems

Security implications: Water security, human security, social tensions

Areas: Basins of the Western Dvina, Western Bug, Neman, Pripyat (Belarus); Dniester, Prut, Reut (Moldova); Dniester, Prut, Pripyat, Danube, Tizsa, estuaries of the Black Sea (the Dniester & Danube deltas), Dnieper-South Bug, Tiligulsky (Ukraine)

Example: Agriculture and soils

Issues and trends: Droughts, climate disasters (e.g., hail), desertification, yield loss, increased risk of farming in some areas, reduced nutritional value of products, temporary increase of yield, displacement of boundaries and appearance of the new climatic zones Soil degradation, soil salinization, the need for new irrigation systems, shortage of water, reduction of drinking water quality

Impacts on livelihoods, competition for water, infrastructure

Security implications: Biodiversity, food security, water security, economic security, social tensions

Areas: southern and south-western part including Polesie (Belarus), all of Moldova; southern and south-eastern part including northern Crimea and other steppes, Polesie (Ukraine)

SECURITY IMPLICATIONS – Eastern Europe

1.2 Production and dissemination of information on security impacts of climate change & required adaptation measures –

Implementing Organizations: OSCE, UNEP, UNDP

• Preparation of materials reflecting the outcomes of the participatory assessments for each region

• Public information meetings (2 in Eastern Europe)• Public outreach through Aarhus Centres and Website

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Main activities once Assessment component is completed; scheduled for 2016; public outreach activities started in frame of organized events

2.1 Dniester basin-wide strategic framework for adaptation to climate change, implementation plan & implementation of adaptation measures – Implementing Organizations: UNECE, OSCE

• Vulnerability assessment & development of transboundary adaptation strategy with WG on flood management & climate change adaptation • Development of implementation plan & resource mobilization strategy • Implementation of selected transboundary adaptation measures • Climate change impacts mainstreamed into national & basin-wide water management policies, river basin management plans, etc.• Share Dniester adaptation strategy as best practise example

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Dniester River Basin = pilot region for adaptation to climate change and security risks of regional project on Climate Change and Security

2.1 Dniester basin-wide strategic framework for adaptation to climate change, implementation plan & implementation of adaptation measures

Strategic framework for basin wide adaptation to climate change finalized

Adaptation measures selected in July 2014; Implementation ongoing (Water balance for basin, reservoir modelling, reforestation and public awareness raising etc.)

Implementation plan & resources mobilization strategy under elaboration together with national consultants

ACHIEVEMENTS

2.1 Dniester basin-wide strategic framework for adaptation to climate change, implementation plan & implementation of adaptation measures

1st time cooperation on climate change adaptation in Dniester basin between Moldova & Ukraine

Dniester basin one of only few transboundary basins worldwide with basin wide climate change adaptation strategy

Capacities enhanced to adapt to climate change in a transboundary context (ecosystem adaptation)

ACHIEVEMENTS

2.2 Training of key stakeholders on security impacts of climate change and adaptation measures - Implementing Organizations: REC

• Development of training syllabus based on results from assessment & pilot adaptation phase

• Training of stakeholders on methodology for regional Climate Risk Assessment (how to identify hot spots)

• Training on preparation & implementation of transboundary adaptation strategy

MAIN ACTIVITIES

To enable replication of methodologies in other regions & transboundary basins

NEXT STEPS

UPCOMING EVENTS and NEXT STEPS

1.1 Participatory Assessments

- Regional Consultations (June – September 2015) in EE, CA & SC

- Finalization of Vulnerability Assessments and Visualization of Hot- Spots for EE, SC & CA

2.1 Dniester Pilot Region

- 11th Meeting of the Working Group on flood management & adaptation to climate change end of 2015 in Chisinau

- Finalization of Implementation Plan and Implementation of adaptation measures

2.2 Training - (Autumn 2015)

BENEFITS OF TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION AND SHARING OF DNIESTER EXPERIENCE

Raise awareness that cooperation for effective adaptation crucial

Transboundary cooperation prevents negative effects & maximises effectiveness of adaptation strategies

Dniester experience sharing with other (project) regions

Participatory approach important

Strategic Framework for Adaptation contributes to implementation of international commitments of both countries

THANK YOU FOR

YOUR ATTENTION AND

COOPERATION !