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Climate Action Network —
Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and
Central Asia
Climate
Change and
Energy
News Digest
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Dear
subscribers,
We are pleased to bring
you the latest update on how the Eastern Europe,
Caucasus, and Central Asia region is tackling
climate change and gearing up for the energy
transition. This collection highlights
significant events and developments that have
caught our attention. If you feel we’ve
overlooked anything crucial, please don’t
hesitate to reach out—we greatly value your
feedback. Also, be sure to check out the section
at the end of the digest for exciting
opportunities.
Stay engaged with the
climate agenda alongside us,
Aliya, CAN EECCA
Communicator
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News from the EECCA
Region
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A
new video by Ecolur, our member organization in
Armenia, highlights the water crisis in the
Ararat Valley, emphasizing the severe threats to
the water resources of the Ararat artesian basin
due to fish farming, overexploitation, and
climate change. Key impacts include a
significant reduction in the area of flowing
waters, a drop in artesian pressure, and a
groundwater level decrease of up to 17 meters,
resulting in diminished irrigation and drinking
water quality for local residents. The video
features perspectives from community members and
local organizations, illustrating how the water
deficit has adversely affected the region's
productivity.
In
2024, the Aral Sea received 2 billion cubic
meters of water thanks to spring floods, raising
the volume of the Northern Aral to 22 cubic
kilometers. During a meeting of the
International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea on
September 18, 2024, experts discussed the second
phase of the Aral restoration project. However,
ecologists express skepticism regarding the
feasibility of fully reviving the sea due to
increasing water scarcity and significant
evaporation rates.
Residents of Shukruti
village continue their protests in Tbilisi,
demanding compensation from Georgian Manganese
for damage caused by the company's mining
activities. Since September 11, participants
have marched to the Public Broadcaster of
Georgia, emphasizing the destruction of their
homes and the environmental degradation
affecting their livelihoods. The protesters,
some of whom have resorted to hunger strikes,
insist that Georgian Manganese fulfill previous
compensation agreements made during earlier
protests, although the company claims it has
already provided more than the agreed
amount.
In
Uzbekistan's Surkhandarya region, authorities
are considering establishing a "zone of
alienation" due to a persistent hydrogen sulfide
leak that has forced the evacuation of residents
from one village. This situation has persisted
for several weeks, resulting in unpleasant odors
and the risk of gas poisoning affecting
neighboring areas. Local residents have reported
various health issues and a lack of adequate
support from government authorities, despite
reassurances from the Ministry of Emergency
Situations that the crisis will be addressed
soon.
In
the summer of 2024, human rights activists
called on Russian authorities to amend laws that
permit industrial companies to occupy indigenous
lands in Yugra. Local residents have expressed
frustration that oil companies are constructing
facilities on their ancestral territories
without proper consent, despite legal
obligations to consult with them. As a result,
indigenous communities often feel compelled to
accept compensation, as they lack genuine
property rights over these lands.
Uzbekistan has approved
a national program aimed at combating dust
storms and mitigating their negative impacts
from 2024 to 2030. Key measures include
improving forecasting and monitoring systems for
dust storms, implementing modern technologies to
prevent and alleviate their effects, and
increasing green cover in affected regions. One
of the program's goals is to reduce the
occurrence of severe dust storms by 50% by
2028.
Moldova is taking
significant steps towards implementing carbon
pricing, highlighted by the inaugural meeting of
the working group at the Ministry of
Environment. This initiative aims to develop a
regional carbon trading system, in line with
Moldova's commitments as a member of the Energy
Community and a signatory to the UN Convention
on Climate Change. The Ministry emphasized that
establishing a comprehensive Monitoring,
Reporting, and Verification system will not only
mitigate environmental impacts but also
encourage investments in cleaner technologies,
ultimately aiming for climate neutrality by
2050.
Ukraine has announced
its first online auction for carbon support
quotas, designed to boost renewable energy
sources, particularly solar power. Scheduled for
October 31, 2024, the auction will feature an
additional annual quota of 11 MW for solar
energy production. This initiative is part of
the government's broader strategy to enhance
transparency and bolster support for green
energy, following a recent increase in the
support quota for renewable energy producers to
110 MW for 2024.
Strengthening regional
cooperation in air quality monitoring and dust
storm management in the context of climate
change was the central theme of the third AQCA
platform conference, held in Almaty on September
19-20, 2024. The event brought together over 360
participants from diverse international and
national organizations, focusing on strategies
for improving air quality, monitoring dust
storms, and sharing best practices. Following
the discussions, representatives from Central
Asian countries collaboratively developed a
regional action plan aimed at enhancing air
quality by 2025.
In
this interview, journalist and researcher
Angelina Davydova discusses the current state of
the environmental movement in Russia, which she
characterizes as "almost the only mass protest
group" in the country. The withdrawal of
international NGOs has weakened activism, yet
local groups persist in their fight for nature
conservation and the ecological rights of
citizens. Davydova believes that this social
capital will be pivotal in shaping democratic
processes following the war.
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World Climate and Energy
News
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Climate negotiators
from the UAE, Azerbaijan, and Brazil urged
global leaders to increase their climate targets
ahead of next year's deadline, calling for plans
aligned with limiting warming to 1.5°C. However,
critics pointed out the hypocrisy of these
countries, which continue to invest heavily in
oil and gas production while advocating for
emissions cuts. Small island nations,
represented by Samoa, expressed frustration with
the lack of ambition from countries most
responsible for the climate
crisis.
A
major study has found that Earth has crossed six
out of nine planetary boundaries, crucial limits
for maintaining life-support systems. These
boundaries include climate change, biodiversity
loss, and freshwater usage, with ocean
acidification also nearing critical thresholds.
Scientists warn that breaching these boundaries
could destabilize the planet's health, impacting
ecosystems and human well-being
globally.
A
new study from World Weather Attribution reveals
that human-caused climate change doubled the
likelihood of the deadly flooding in Central
Europe caused by Storm Boris. The storm, which
hit in mid-September, unleashed record rainfall
across multiple countries, leading to severe
damage and displacing thousands. Scientists
stress that without a shift to renewable energy,
extreme weather events like these will grow even
more frequent and devastating.
Uber has called on the
EU to ban combustion engine cars in corporate
fleets by 2030 and implement binding targets to
accelerate electric vehicle adoption. Corporate
fleets, responsible for 71% of new car
emissions, are seen as key to helping the EU
achieve its 2050 net-zero goals. Uber also urged
policymakers to introduce consistent incentives
and policies to make the transition to electric
vehicles more affordable, especially for
low-income households and drivers.
New
reports reveal that fossil fuel companies have
been heavily involved in pushing anti-protest
laws across the U.S. These laws, designed to
curb demonstrations, specifically target
environmental activists who oppose fossil fuel
infrastructure projects. Critics argue that
these laws threaten free speech and are part of
a broader strategy to protect the interests of
the fossil fuel industry at the expense of
environmental advocacy.
The
Loss and Damage Fund, created to aid nations
most vulnerable to climate disasters, is set to
disburse its first funds in 2025 after
significant groundwork was completed during
meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan. Nearly $800
million in pledges have been made by countries
including the UAE, Germany, and the U.S., with
further contributions expected at COP29 to scale
up the fund. This milestone follows years of
negotiations and represents a crucial step in
addressing the escalating economic and
environmental costs of climate change, which are
projected to reach up to $1.8 trillion by
2050.
Research by Oil Change
International shows that wealthy nations could
generate up to $5 trillion annually through
measures like windfall taxes on fossil fuels,
ending subsidies, and implementing a wealth tax
on billionaires. This amount is five times what
poorer nations are requesting to help reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and address extreme
weather impacts. Critics argue that despite the
available financial resources, wealthy countries
are offering much lower sums and need to do more
to support global climate action.
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On
October 3, 2024, join our webinar to learn how
to engage in climate policy through the Local
and Regional Conferences of Youth (LCOY &
RCOY). This event aims to strengthen youth
involvement in climate action, offering insights
on tools to participate in policy-making at
local and regional levels. Speakers from LCOY
and RCOY will share ways to contribute to a
youth-led climate movement and help shape
meaningful climate policies.
The
2025 YGC Recoupling Awards aim to recognize
young changemakers who align economic prosperity
with social and environmental sustainability.
Eligible applicants—individuals only—have until
October 31, 2024, to apply, and the top 15 will
receive a full scholarship to attend the Global
Solutions Summit in Berlin, where they can
present their projects to a jury. The top
category winners will also receive a €2,500
prize, and applicants will gain access to a
global network of like-minded
individuals.
The
conference seeks to bring together youth and
academic institutions to collaborate in the
fight against climate change. It will feature
expert-led panel discussions on climate
challenges and the role of youth activism,
conducted in Russian with separate presentations
in English. Participation requires prior
registration, and the event will be held in a
hybrid format on October 12. The conference is
organized by Narxoz University (Kazakhstan), the
youth climate organization "Climate for Us," and
PRME Global Students.
Applications are now
open for the Oxford Climate Journalism Network,
with a deadline of October 13, 2024, at 23:59
(UK time). Successful applicants will
participate in a six-month intensive online
program, which includes 14 mandatory sessions
and access to a community of 100 journalists
worldwide, along with workshops and discussions
led by climate experts. The program is designed
for practicing journalists from various fields
interested in enhancing their climate change
coverage, and applicants must secure support
from their newsroom management to participate
fully.
The
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation's
Environmental Photography Award aims to raise
global awareness about nature conservation
through the power of photography. Photographers
from around the world can compete in five
categories: Polar Wonders, Ocean Worlds, Into
the Forest, Humanity versus Nature, and Change
Makers: Reasons for Hope, with a grand prize of
€5,000. The submission deadline is November 3,
2024.
The
Security Conference 2024, held on December 16-17
at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, will focus on
food security, energy security, and
cybersecurity as key pillars of global
stability. The hybrid event will bring together
experts, policymakers, and researchers to
discuss sustainable solutions for these
interconnected challenges. Abstract submissions
are open until October 15, 2024, with limited
travel grants available for participants in need
of financial assistance.
The
Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) will host
International Youth Climate Adaptation Day on
October 12, 2024, the largest annual event of
its kind, bringing together young people from
over 100 countries. This day is dedicated to
mobilizing, showcasing, and celebrating the
potential of youth in developing and
accelerating climate adaptation solutions. Young
people worldwide are encouraged to participate
in various activities, including the "My
Adaptation Solution" video competition and
organizing Youth Climate Adaptation Lighthouse
Events.
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Sent: Tuesday, October 01,
2024 3:14 PM
Subject: CAN EECCA
Newsletter: Struggles for Environmental Rights in Georgia and Russia, a
Glimmer of Hope for the Aral Sea, and Youth in Climate Advocacy
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