Com East Team Leader Visits Armenian Communities

On April 1-2, 2024, Christophe Frering, CoM East Team Leader, conducted his second visit to Covenant of Mayors signatories in Armenia. The tour encompassed the communities of Talin, Parakar, and Akunk, with the aim of fostering direct dialogue between project management and local administrations.

Mr. Frering’s objectives included updating signatories on planned activities, promoting timely SECAP development, encouraging participation in the upcoming EU Sustainable Energy Week, and learning about local climate initiatives.

In Talin, a new CoM signatory, CoM East Team Leader met with the Assistant to the Mayor and Development Programs Division staff. They discussed the recent amalgamation of Talin with 33 settlements, which has expanded the community’s territory and population, necessitating a broader consideration of potential climate risks in their action plan. Solar energy emerged as a priority for GHG emission reduction, with plans to equip most municipal buildings with PV systems by 2025.

The visit to Parakar included a meeting with Deputy Mayor Gor Saribekyan, who provided updates on their SECAP development and plans for EUSEW 2024 participation. Frering toured the municipal art school and a wastewater treatment plant serving about half of the community’s population.

In Akunk, which joined the Covenant in February 2023, Mayor Hunan Rubenyan briefed Frering on the community’s enlargement and ongoing climate projects. These initiatives include thermal insulation of municipal kindergartens, installation of PV systems for municipal buildings, and the use of renewable energy for drinking water supply systems in several settlements.

Throughout the visit, Frering observed the impact of Armenia’s administrative-territorial reform on these communities, noting how it has influenced their approach to climate action and sustainable energy planning.