Over the next eight years, $18.7 million will be invested in Armenia to establish new forest areas on the country, informs the Ministry of Environment.
Armenia, which is extremely vulnerable to climate change, has begun to expand its forested areas and reduce carbon footprint from its forests.
The project seeks to expand Armenia’s forest area by 2.5%, reduce the demand for firewood in rural communities by at least 30%, to promote sustainable forest management and ensure the availability of technologies in rural communities.
This work is planned through the Forestry Program of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the first large-scale project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in Europe and Central Asia.
This GCF eight-year program, whose total budget is $18.7 million, will be based on funding and technical skills provided by the Armenian government, the Austrian Development Agency, the Autonomous Province Bolzano-South Tyrol, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Armenia Office, and FAO.
On June 15, Within the framework of this program, an agreement was signed by Deputy Minister of Environment Anna Mazmanyan and FAO Representative in Armenia, Raimund Jehle.
On Monday, the World Wildlife Fund Armenia Office (WWF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a $ 200,000 co-funding agreement as an in-kind investment.
This is the first large-scale FAO project in Europe and Central Asia supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the first funding proposal for Armenia’s forestry.
The project’s objective will be implemented by FAO in close cooperation with the Environmental Programs Implementation Office of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia.
