The workshop on the priorities of the "National Adaptation Financing Mechanism of Armenia" program presented to the Adaptation Fund by the "Environmental Projects Implementation Unit" (EPIU) of the Ministry of Environment was held.
Armen Khojoyan, Deputy Director of the “Environmental Projects Implementation Unit”, representatives of the professional units of the Ministry, regional authorities and NGOs participated in the workshop.
In her speech, Nona Budoyan, Head of the Climate Policy Department of the Ministry of Environment, highlighted such a meaningful workshop, referred to the recently implemented environmental programs in the regions, which were aimed at mitigating and adapting to the consequences of climate change.
"Climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing humanity. It affects people's lives everywhere, from natural disasters to significant economic losses and public health problems. This workshop is another way to help regional representatives to achieve the solution of environmental problems in communities through grants," she noted.
The scope of the Program’s intervention was presented: components and proposed measures, management system, their priorities and involvement of beneficiaries, as well as the topics of Program’s environmental and social risk management, beneficiary selection criteria and inclusion of vulnerable groups.
In September 2023, within the grant window of the "Extended Direct Access" program, the EPIU presented the concept document of the "National Adaptation Financing Mechanism of Armenia" program to the Adaptation Fund. After the approval of the latter, the work on the development of the complete application was started. The development of the program was undertaken by the companies "Consecoard" and "Alfa Partners", which are consulting companies in the sphere of environmental and climate finance in Armenia.
The main goal of the program is to improve the country's adaptation capacity by creating a national adaptation financing tool to respond effectively to the challenges caused by climate change and to increase the resilience of the regions and communities of Armenia to the effects of climate change.
The components of the program are:

• Policy implementation at the territorial community level,
•  Beneficiary capacity building - mapping, needs assessment and capacity building of key actors,
• Adaptation financing guidance, identification, assessment and financing of viable projects.