An awareness campaign on climate change and climate change adaptation related issues was launched within the Armenia’s National Adaptation Plan UNDP-GCF project. The campaign officially opened on July 18 with a series of online workshops. The introductory event organized jointly with the Ministry of Environment was intended for journalists and media content specialists covering environmental and public issues as well as different economic sectors of Armenia. Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Ms. Mihaela Stojkoska welcomed the participants of the event.

“It is extremely important for us to see climate change and climate change adaptation issues in a wider development context and in wider sense of the implications that they have on us not only as societies and organizations but also as individuals. It is extremely important that evidence based information is available from the policy makers down to individual citizens. Information on climate change is essential for changing people’s attitudes and behavior. Many are still skeptical about climate change because it is not easy to comprehend and to adjust to the concept of climate change and to how it affects our lives, our jobs, our health and our future. This is where the media and everybody who creates media content is extremely important, not simply as news broadcasters, but an ally who can help the national authorities and development partners such as UNDP to pass those messages to spread the information and the evidence that can help people make those informed based decisions” Ms. Stojkoska mentioned in her speech.

The online initiative targets climate change challenges and adaptation solutions in six areas most vulnerable to climate change: agriculture, water resources, energy, settlements, human health and tourism. As part of the work with the participants, about two dozen experts and representatives of public bodies coordinating targeted sectors are involved in the workshops as speakers.

The impact of climate change on various spheres of human activity is growing day by day. In this context, measures taken to help mitigate or prevent the harmful effects of climate change, as well as to find solutions for living and developing in new climate conditions become essential.

The main beneficiaries of this important process are all segments of the society, from the government and professional communities to ordinary residents. Public awareness has a particular role in climate change adaptation processes. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first awareness campaign of the Program is aimed at journalists and media content developers.

The objective of these educational workshops is to introduce to the participants the existing and potential impacts of climate change in the most vulnerable areas, as well as present adaptation measures through a direct contact with industry professionals and dissemination of educational materials.

Workshops will help participants to more efficiently implement assessments of the activities carried out by different governmental bodies, contributing to the dissemination of thematic content to wide public. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to receive answers to their questions about climate change, its risks, vulnerabilities, impacts, and other related issues directly from industry experts.

The second educational workshop is planned for July 25. It will be followed by a series of awareness raising events aimed at a wider public, which will help further spread information on climate change adaptation processes and their outcomes, as well as the role of communities and the society in general.