Mission

The Climate Change Information Center was created in 1997 within the framework of the UNDP/GEF "Armenia - Country Study on Climate Change" Program.

The Center was established during the preparation of Armenia's First National Communication under the UNFCCC. The primary goal of creating the Center was to assist to the preparation of the First National Communication through collecting the relevant information and making it accessible to national partners and experts.

The Center was also aimed at identifying and creating the network of national and international information sources, finding partners with international climate change potential who might collaborate also in future programs.

At further stages of project implementation, the Center added to its tasks regular exchange of information, with the use of its web-site. The site includes information that might be helpful to national and international stakeholders, as well as the public.

Presently, the Information Center is operating within the framework of the UNDP/GEF "Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Armenia's Second National Communication under UNFCCC" Project aimed at consolidating national, social, economic and environmental policies and actions leading to the implementation of the Convention. The Center will work towards development of information resources, collection of materials and accessibility of information to the Project's experts, as well as establishing network with national and international information sources.

The activities of Climate Change Information Center are inclusive of the following topics suggested by the UNFCCC Secretariat for the purpose of preparation of the Second National Communication:

• Steps towards inclusion of climate change issues into social, economic and environmental policies;
• Actions to foster transfer of technologies;
• Climate change research and systematic observations;
• Climate change adaptation and mitigation analysis;
• Education, training and awareness raising issues;
• Information on development of capacities on national and regional levels; and
• Programs and events to minimize the climate change negative impacts on economy, health and environment.

The activities of the Center are indicative of how the climate change is integrated in sustainable development programs and poverty reduction strategies.

Cross-cutting issues are being addressed by the Center through close collaboration with the projects aimed at implementation of other environmental conventions.