Eritrea

Background

Eritrea is among the most vulnerable countries to the adverse effects of climate change, mainly because of its least adaptive capacities and geographical location in the arid and semi-arid region of the Sahalian Africa. The country faces alarming capacity limitations in implementing its national strategies in terms of financial, institutional, technical and human resources. For this reason Eritrea acceded to the common but differentiated responsibility of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on 25 March 1995.

The SNC project will implement activities needed to enable the Government of Eritrea to prepare its Second National Communication (SNC) in accordance with Article 12 of the UNFCCC, and following the guidelines adopted by the COP for the preparation of national communication from Parties not included in Annex I.

In addition to the expected outcomes, the project will enhance the government of Eritrea capacity to mainstream and integrate the cross cutting climate change issues into its national developmental goals and the MDGs, in particular MDG1; eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and MDG7; ensuring environmental sustainability which have been significantly influenced by the rapidly changing climate change.

Objectives

In addition to fulfilling its responsibility to communicate to the UNFCCC, the project has the following underpinning objectives:

• Update and inventory of greenhouse gases following the guidelines adopted by the COP;
• Analyzing potential measures to abate the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to climate change;
• Assessment of potential impacts of climate change;
• GHG Mitigation analysis
• Preparation of a national action plans to address climate change; and
• Preparation of the second national communication of Eritrea to the COP.

Implementation details

Department of Environment (DOE), of the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment is responsible for co-coordinating the multi faceted environmental endeavors in Eritrea, incorporating an array of institutions, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Transport and Communication, the Ministry of Fisheries, etc. in Eritrea.

Achievement

• An already established National Project Steering Committee as a result of previous CC related projects (EINC and NAPA) will continue to function under the auspices of the Department of Environment. This committee will provide policy guidance for the implementation of the project.;
• A Project Initiation Workshop was conducted in October 2007 to familiarize the objectives of the project to stakeholders and stress on the need for support and cooperation in successful achievement of project

objectives.

Food Security Energy and Environment Unit collaborates with government to ensure sustainable use of natural resources and realize better environmental governance. UNDP considers capacity building of relevant Ministries and governmental agencies is vital in achieving better environmental management; and supports preparation and harmonization of legal and policy frameworks and building human and institutional capital towards effective environmental management. Considering the role an effective natural resource plays in poverty alleviation and attaining food security vice-versa, this programme supports the improvement of sustainable livelihood initiatives. Furthermore, efforts are underway to harmonize specific interventions to catalyze the attainment of MDGs in particular, eradicate extreme poverty and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Over the last decade Eritrea has made considerable progress with the support UNDP in different fronts such as, studying its Coastal Marine and Island Biodiversity resources and establishing an Integrated Coastal Area Management framework; proving viability of application of renewable (Wind) energy technologies in Eritrea that can be further replicated, and the introduction of energy efficient fuel wood stoves; awareness raising in combating desertification and National Action Plan mainstreaming into development plans; enabling Eritrea to fulfil its commitment to UNFCCC to prepare its initial and second national communications; strengthening national capacity for effective land use planning and policy development and; preparing National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to climate change.