South Caucasus in Europe & CIS

South Caucasus

• Integrated Environmental Policies
• Water Governance
• Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Land Management
• Energy and Climate Change

 

 

Integrated Environmental Policies

Environmental situation and trends in the South Caucasus countries is influenced by several factors: expanding European Union, global growing significance of Caspian oil, gas resources and transportation pipelines, remaining ecological consequences of the Soviet period, and natural hazards end especially to earthquakes, which can have great environmental impacts unless addressed early enough and in an integrated manner. In order to regenerate their economic development and address current and future environmental problems at the same time, countries have to focus on improving of environmental legislation and its implementation, integrating environmental concerns into other policy areas and supporting access to environmental information and public participation in policy making. To do this, countries have to cope with current lack of political commitment for environmental mainstreaming and public involvement in policy making, lack of understanding of its benefits, lack of technical, administrative and financial capacity and lack of coordination among relevant national authorities. [back to top]

 

Water Governance

Pollution hotspots are found downstream of large cities due to the discharge of insufficiently treated waste water, heavy metals from mining and industry, and ammonia and nitrates from the fertiliser industry. Despite high waste water connection rates, large amounts of untreated waste water is discharged into water courses as many treatment plants are no longer operational (around 80 percent in Georgia).. On the quantity side, Azerbaijan is classified as water stressed. Discharges from diffuse sources, in particular agriculture, are very difficult to control. There have been recent reductions in water abstraction and pollution discharges, but water-saving technologies and pollution controls have not been introduced. Climate change will aggravate many of these problems, changing rainfall and river flow patterns as well as affecting demand, particularly in agriculture. [back to top]

Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Land Management

Biodiversity continues to evolve in the region. Biodiversity is still in decline in the south Caucasus, particularly in farmland, mountain regions, and coastal zones. The main threats to biodiversity continue to be habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation, followed by the introduction of invasive alien species, overexploitation and pollution. Agriculture still exerts pressure on biodiversity, with over-grazing a major problem in Georgia and Armenia. Furthermore, forest cover has decreased in Armenia. Illegal logging remains a substantial issue, linked to both the illegal timber and fuel wood trade. Climate change is increasingly recognised as a serious threat, particularly for endemic species with a limited range in the Caucasus region. [back to top]

 

Energy and Climate Change