CoM East Team Leader visits Armenian communities

On April 1-2, 2024, Mr. Christophe Frering, Team Leader of the EC “Covenant of Mayors East” regional project, visited signatories of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in Armenia and had meetings with the local administrations and staff of Talin, Parakar and Akunk communities.

This was already the second visit of the Team Leader to Armenia, after a series of meetings with communities held in October 2022, aimed at establishment of direct dialogue between the CoM East project management and the local administrations with the purpose of updating signatories on the planned project activities, calling for timely development and approval of SECAPs, encouraging to actively participate in the upcoming EU Sustainable Energy Week, as well as learning on implemented and ongoing mitigation and adaptation measures on local level.

In Talin community, one of the new CoM signatories, the meeting was held with the Mr. Artur Harutyunyan, Assistant to the Mayor and the staff of Development Programs Division, responsible for development of SECAP.

During the meeting Mr. Frering was informed about the process of amalgamation of Talin with 33 settlements resulting to a significant increase in the territory and population of the new enlarged community as well as expanding the spectrum of potential climate risks to be considered during development of an action plan.

It was emphasized that given the climatic conditions of Talin, in particular, the large number of sunny days and high solar radiation, widespread use of solar energy for electricity and heat generation was considered as the priority measure for GHG emission reduction in municipal and residential sectors. To this end, the local administration has already initiated installation of PV systems for power supply of municipal buildings and facilities such as the community pumping station. It is planned that by the end of 2025, the vast majority of municipal building in Talin and the settlements will be equipped with PV systems.

In Parakar community, the meeting was held with Mr. Gor Saribekyan, Deputy Mayor of Parakar, who updated the CoM East team on the process of SECAP development (first draft has already been submitted for evaluation of Helpdesk) and on plans of the community to take part in EUSEW 2024.

During the mission, Mr. Frering visited the municipal art school of Parakar as well as the wastewater treatment plant constructed with the support of GEF Small Grant Program and the “Water, Climate and Development in CACENA Region” DFID project. The plant serves about half of the community's population and provides mechanical and biological treatment of wastewater.

In Akunk community that joined the Covenant in February 2023, Mr. Frering met with the Mayor of the community Mr. Hunan Rubenyan. Like most of the CoM signatories in Armenia, Akunk has also been enlarged in the process of administrative-territorial reform that resulted in amalgamation of the community with 8 settlements, including three high mountain villages. Mr. Rubenyan informed the Team Leader about the ongoing projects of the local administration aimed at thermal insulation the municipal kindergartens, installation of PV systems for power supply of municipal buildings and use of renewable energy to power the drinking water supply systems of several communities.