A Climate Forum titled "On the Way to COP27: a coordination meeting of the climate development partners" was held ahead of the 27th Conference of Parties (COP-27) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Armenia.

The Forum, co-organized by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia and the UNDP in Armenia, was attended by Gayane Gabrielyan, Deputy Minister of Environment and the UNFCCC Focal point, Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, and Mariana Panuncio-Feldman, Country Engagement Director of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership Support Unit.

The Forum launched with a welcoming speech by RA President Vahagn Khachaturyan. The speech was delivered by Tigran Samvelian, head of the Department of External Relations and Protocol of RA President. The President noted that forming a green and climate-resilient economic system is essential for the country's economic and socially responsible state policy. For Armenia, properly implementing its obligations under the Paris Agreement, which is based on the green economy vision and compatible with the country's social and security objectives, is highly important.

On 22 April 2021, the Government of Armenia approved updated NDCs for a ten-year implementation period (2021-2030), setting a mitigation target of an economy-wide 40% reduction of greenhouse gases below the 1990 emissions level to be achieved in 2030. Armenia's long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) is in the process of consultations within the Government, intending to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 conditioned on sufficient international financial, technological and capacity-building support.

The Ministry of Environment and UNDP have organized this Climate Forum to provide attendees with updates on the national climate agenda, ongoing processes, and support frameworks, as well as discuss the Government's expectations from the upcoming COP-27," said Natia Natsvlishvili in her welcoming speech.

Deputy Minister Gabrielyan noted that in the climate agenda related to the adaptation actions, priority sectors have been defined based on the degree of vulnerability of those sectors to climate change; the most vulnerable sectors have been identified – natural ecosystems, biodiversity, health, water resource management, energy, community infrastructure, and tourism. Updates on the sectors, plans, and challenges were presented during the Forum.

In particular, Armenia's efforts in contributing to global efforts to stop global warming while enhancing the national climate resilience and NDC Partnership Plan, a tool for coordinating national climate action: an updated version of the Plan and next steps have been presented. Armenia joined the NDC Partnership in August 2018 to strengthen the country's capacity and efforts to achieve the goals of the national climate agenda.

Emphasizing the importance of cooperation with Armenia, Panuncio-Feldman noted that only the effective coordination of the Government, particularly the Ministry of Environment, and facilitation of the development partner UNDP, have made it possible to present NDC Partnership today with the Government and implementing and development partners. "Based on the country's request to expand the scope of capacity building, NDC Partnership has already approved funding for Armenia via its Partnership Action Fund, a funding mechanism of last resort to support requests from countries. As an NDC Partnership's Institutional Member, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has been selected as an implementing partner to support activities of the request," told Ms. Panuncio-Feldman.

The Forum targeted to ensure that the interests of all groups of stakeholders are represented and incorporated in the national climate action in a gender-responsive manner. Forum participants included climate policymakers, government representatives, national stakeholders, international partners, and donor agencies: members and non-members of the NDC Partnership and the NDC Partnership Support Unit representatives in Armenia.

The Forum supports the Government of Armenia in identifying in-country up-to-date needs and existing and potential donor resources around the prioritized adaptation and mitigation sectors. This important stock-taking exercise will support formulating the agenda of the country's national delegation within the framework of COP-27.

To ensure that Armenia fulfills its commitments under the Paris Agreement, periodic consultations and coordination meetings with key sector authorities, the private and public sectors, donors, and development partners on the national climate actions, priorities, and needs are of utmost importance. This dialogue platform contributes to the coordinated and effective implementation of joint climate-related efforts and programs.

The Climate Forum is timely ahead of the 27th Conference of Parties (COP-27) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change hosted by the Government of Egypt on 6-18 November 2022. The COP-27 offers a platform for an international dialogue on NDCs, adaptation actions, climate finance, transparency arrangements, etc., emerging across developed and developing countries.