Georgia, which ranks 40th globally in vulnerability to climate change, grapples with environmental challenges that often escape major headlines. Although the country is not in the high-risk category, the nation faces a growing number of smaller incidents that demand attention. The positive news is that Georgia is not among the areas most threatened by glacier melting, as indicated by a Nature Communications report. Furthermore, the country seems well-prepared to seek assistance in the realm of climate change finance.
A noteworthy development is the report from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the world’s largest fund supporting developing nations, which held its 37th board meeting in Tbilisi in October, 2023. This report sheds light on Georgia’s early success in securing funding for large-scale projects, totalling $721 million in development finance commitments from entities such as the EBRD, Germany, France, the World Bank, and the EIB between 2016 and 2019. GCF alone invested $35 million, the highest among Eastern European countries, playing a crucial role in strategy-building and information gathering.
Despite these positive aspects, the concerns outlined by the GCF and the World Bank are extensive. Georgia faces above-global-average projections for temperature rises, droughts, landslides, and reduced river flows, posing threats to vital sectors such as agriculture and tourism. The Asian Development Bank has also sounded alarms, anticipating increased water run-offs, flooding, and landslides due to melting permafrost and retreating Caucasus Mountain glaciers.
Addressing these challenges requires not only gathering essential information on impending threats but also implementing efficient mitigation measures promptly. Some proposed ideas include zoning to avoid building near glaciers and establishing regional monitoring networks manned by scientists. Geologists advocate for delineating valleys with red lines to indicate permissible settlement areas and utilising advanced monitoring equipment.
The ongoing efforts include a UNDP project, undertaken with the support of the Swedish and Swiss governments, aiming to enhance climate resilience in Georgia. This initiative, halfway through completion, focuses on disaster risk zones, establishing a nationwide multi-hazard early warning system, and building flood-protection infrastructure. The programme strengthens the observational network with high-tech monitoring equipment, produces hazard and risk maps and enhances agromet advisory services.
Despite these endeavours, the government acknowledges the substantial challenges posed by Georgia’s geology, vulnerability, and hazard risk. With 70% of the country’s territory susceptible to various risks, policymakers are increasingly turning to historical data and geological hazard mapping to guide their decisions. In this context, the most vulnerable areas include Adjara, Guria, Racha-Lechkhumi, and Kvemo Svaneti, emphasising the need for sustained efforts to address climate vulnerabilities in the region.
Read the full article here.
Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter