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Mountains Adapt Solutions from South Caucasus

May 2022

Mountain Adaptation Solutions: Turning Challenges into Opportunities.
To mark the official launch of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has published two new booklets, titled Mountains ADAPT. They feature 27 concrete solutions in mountainous areas to adapt to the climate crisis – 18 in East Africa and 9 in the South Caucasus. The material was produced under the Adaptation at Altitude programme, which is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by UNEP and its partners.

Sustainable Caucasus team members visited South Caucasus mountain sites within the Adaptation at Altitude Program to collect the best climate adaptation solutions and speak with the local beneficiaries and take testimonials that are shared in the booklet as the best climate adaptation solutions from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

Authors of the document are: United Nations Environment Programme: Sabine McCallum, Ansgar Fellendorf GRID-Arendal: Torjus Solheim Eckho, Laurent Fouinat Caucasus Network for Sustainable Development of Mountain Regions (Sustainable Caucasus): Sophiko Lomineishvili together with Ashot Sargsyan (Consultant in Armenia) and Aytan Poladova (Consultant in Azerbaijan)

The booklet showcases adaptation solutions proven to be successful in response to specific issues caused, “People living in the South Caucasus mountains — from villages at the foot of the Great Caucasus range to further downhill — have always lived with extreme climatic conditions. Yet the climate crisis means we now need to find a new relationship with nature and also tap into old wisdom to keep benefitting from nature’s gifts, like freshwater and stable healthy soils. 

Download booklet here