Country’s experience in the frame of the

UNFCCC National Communications

Albania case

Pellumb Abeshi

General SecretaryMinistry of Environment, Forestry and Water Administration

Albania

Sub-Regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points in Europe and the CIS

Dubrovnik, Croatia11-13 February, 2009

Outline of presentation

Background on Albania and Climate Change Scope of the Second National Communication Key Players Results and Achievement Efforts to mainstreaming climate change… Lessons learnt and recommendations

Albanian Agency for Protection of Environment (1993) as first effort for the integration of environmental policies in national development.

International conventions and protocols ratified to take responsibility and coordinate in the international level

UNFCCC in 1994 Kyoto Protocol 2004 and in 2005 the Republic of Albania became

Party of the Protocols a Non Annex I Party). Legislation framework and strategy document focus

on Climate Change initiatives; Establishing of DNA, based on the DoCM (2008)

First National Communication in July 2002; followed by a Technology Needs Assessment 2004

Second National Communication: in-process Stocktaking exercise completed in October 2004 SNC project started in March 2005 Planned to be finalized by March 2009

Albania and Climate Change

The Scope of Second National Communication in Albania

• National GHG inventories (2000 and time series 1990 – 2000);

• GHG emission trends and projections (2000 – 2025);

• Policies and measures; • Climate scenarios (1990 – 2100);• Climate change impacts and adaptation;• Research and systematic observations; • Technology transfer and funding;• Education, training and public awareness

Institutional framework-Key playersPUBLIC INSTITUTIONS Ministry Of Environment, Forest and Water Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and

Protection of Consumers, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Public Work, Trade and Communication National Agency for Energy,, Institute of Statistics.

PUBLIC ACADEMIA & RESEARCH INSTITUTES Faculty of Natural Sciences (FoNS) is a potential provider of the technical expertise for GHG

inventory and GHG mitigation analysis; Institute of Hydro-Meteorology (IHM) / The Team Leader role of V&A and significant technical expertise on V&A are provided by the IHM. The IHM is the main hydro metrological data provider.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS BASED IN ALBANIA UNDP ALBANIA/ UNDP holds the capacity of the Implementing Agency of all GEF funded

Projects; UNDP provides technical support to the implementation process of the FNC WORLD BANK (WB) is a potential innovative financing mechanism for carbon sequestration

through its Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF) and other similar funds; (REC)/ Collaborator regarding issues related to raising of awareness for climate change;

Technical expertise regarding GHG inventory and abatement.

PRIVATE SECTOR and NGOs Considered as a potential partner for public awareness activities, promotion of solar energy

utilization, and data provider for GHG mitigation analysis exercise (energy section).

Key Findings Albania’s Key GHG emissions sources: As per the FNC, Albania is a low GHG emitter (around 7m ton CO2 in 1994), where:

energy sector (44%) mainly due to the fuel combustion category, agriculture (27.12%), Land Use Change and Forestry (21.60%), Waste (4.81%), and Industrial Processes (2.96%)

Mitigation potential Energy: as the main GHG source has large abatement potential. Measures include

increase of energy efficiency, increase and improvement of energy savings, use of economic, regulatory and legal instruments for energy efficiency and saving.

Transport: Measures focus on the development of a sustainable transport

Forest: Main policy goal is forest preservation & development of new management options

Agriculture: Focus is to increase production efficiency by improving genetic parameters. The reduction of fertilizer amounts and development of ecologically - economically sustainable agriculture

In water: Construction of new infrastructure (irrigation/coastal); Maintenance or restoration of wetlands, marshlands and dune systems; Monitoring of the coastal area

Key Vulnerability issues

Increase in the frequency of extreme weather events (heavy rains, potential flood risk, strong winds, droughts)

Decrease in runoff, both annual and seasonal A decrease of 20% in runoff a reduction up to 60% of

power generation! Increased energy demand for space cooling Reduction of water supply; Water quality problems (salinisation and water algae blooms) Decrease of wetland area; Increased risk of health related diseases; Lost of species; Reduced yields due to heat stress

Key Findings of the GHG inventory

0.00000

0.00025

0.00050

0.00075

0.00100

0.00125

0.00150

0.00175

0.00200

0.00225

0.00250

0.00275

0.00300

0.00325

0.00350

0.00375

0.00400

0.00425

0.00450

19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000

0.0000

0.0005

0.0010

0.0015

0.0020

0.0025

Albania’s CO2 emissions per capita [tonCO2/capita]

Albania’s CO2 emissions per GDP [tonCO2/ 1000 USD] 0500

100015002000250030003500400045005000550060006500700075008000850090009500

10000105001100011500120001250013000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

6 Waste5 Land-Use Change & Forestry4 Agriculture3 Solvent and Other Product Use2 Industrial Processes1 Energy

GHG emissions in CO2 eqv.

Efforts to mainstreaming…

While working under Second National Communication (SNC), efforts has been made to: Address climate change into other strategies:

National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI); National Environment Strategy

Raise awareness among policy makers and stakeholders: Address climate change to the environmental legislation;

Climate Change Communication strategy; Carbon Finance strategy

While working under SNC exercise new resources have been mobilized on priority areas/technologies:

Carbon financing project; Albanian Program under Global Solar Water Heating Project

Adaptation project (Drini –Mati River Delta); Generate project ideas for CDM project

Carbon neutral territories; Public awareness projects

Lessons learnt

• National Communication to the UNFCCC is NOT ONLY a reporting exercise;

• National Communication is not a stand alone process;

• National Communication is a mechanism to climate change mainstreaming

• National Communication is a capacity building process;

• National Communication helps in raising awareness on climate change

For more information on climate change activities in Albania:

http://www.ccalb.orghttp://www.moe.gov.al

Thank You!