Strengthening the Republic of Moldova's flood resilience in the context of climate change was the topic of a national conference organized on 13 February 2025 by UNDP Moldova in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and with the support of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation. The event brought together representatives of government institutions and agencies responsible for water management, development partners supporting water sector projects, representatives of local public authorities, members of the basin and sub-basin committees of the Nistru and Prut rivers, civil society, national and international experts. 

The conference facilitated collaboration between national and local institutions in flood risk management and protection of the population, especially the most vulnerable. Climate change is projected to increase the occurrence of intense rainfall events in Moldova, with flooding remaining one of the most significant threats. The most recent flooding in September 2024 demonstrated the severity of this challenge, with record-breaking rainfall over just three days, causing significant damage in Chișinău and southern Moldova, affecting approximately 66 localities, with estimated losses amounting to US$3.64 million USD (65 million MDL).

The event tackled the need to attract investments in infrastructure development projects such as hydrometeorological monitoring and early warning systems, hydrotechnical installations, etc. 

"Recently, the Government approved the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024-2030, which aims to increase safety in the face of extreme phenomena. It aims to strengthen disaster response capacity and modernize civil protection infrastructure, through investments in hydrotechnical constructions, prevention and adaptation to climate change. Achieving this objective would be difficult without the support of development partners," said Sergiu Lazarencu, the Minister of Environment. 

Present at the conference, Stella Avallone, Ambassador of Austria to the Republic of Moldova noted: “As a donor, we are proud to support the National Flood Management Conference, an essential step in enhancing Moldova's capacity to tackle climate-driven flood risks. Through this initiative, we are committed to strengthening both national and local efforts to manage extreme water-related events and protect vulnerable communities. By investing in the development of robust flood control infrastructure, early warning systems, and integrated water resource management, we aim to contribute to a more resilient Moldova. We believe that by empowering local authorities and communities, we are helping create a future where the Moldovan population is better equipped to face the challenges of climate change.”

Daniela Gasparikova, UNDP Resident Representative of to the Republic of Moldova, said: “This conference is not just an opportunity for reflection—it is a call to action. Each of us—governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society—has a crucial role to play in building a safer and more resilient future. Our collective efforts need to focus on climate-proofing of existing infrastructure and economic sectors, as well as making climate-smart investments into new infrastructure.”

The participants of the event tackled the flood risk management in the context of the EU accession, the Republic of Moldova's agenda for adapting to climate change and increasing resilience to extreme climatic events. In this context, representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests of Romania and the National Administration "Romanian Waters" presented their practices in flood risk management.

According to experts, in the near future rainfall will become on average 66% more frequent, either in absolute terms or as a proportion of total rainfall. To become more resilient to these challenges, the authorities are to further improve the regulatory and legal framework in line with the EU acquis, streamline the flood risk management mechanism, strengthen cooperation with local public authorities, business, civil society, external partners, attract investments for the development of hydro-technical infrastructure, and better inform the population in areas at risk. 

Opportunities for accessing funds for various climate change adaptation measures at the local level were presented. 

Also, solutions to prevent and reduce flood risks were depicted, including the rehabilitation of watercourses and hydro-technical infrastructure, as well as the creation of an early warning system. 

Such solutions will be implemented by the UNDP project "Hydro-infrastructure rehabilitation to mitigate vulnerability to climate-driven extreme events in the Republic of Moldova", under which the ADA is providing about four million euros for the strengthening of national hydrometeorological monitoring and early warning systems, as well as for the application of an integrated approach to water resources management in five river basins. From these resources, local communities from the pilot areas will benefit from assistance to implement flood risk management plans, as well as small grants for reforestation, wetland restoration. This will contribute to flood risk mitigation for at least 65,000 people in the 5 pilot areas who are directly exposed to flood hazards.

The National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024-2030 was developed with support of UNDP and the Green Climate Fund.