EU4Dialogue participants present their recommendations on regional cooperation at COP29 in Azerbaijan

Members of the Climate Vulnerability Task Force of the EU-funded project EU4Dialogue, Component 1, participated in the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

On 22 November, the Climate Vulnerability Task Force’s researchers and experts presented their joint paper ‘Cooperation on Climate Vulnerabilities: Adding Regional Dimensions to National Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Eastern Partnership Countries’, during a high-level panel at COP29.

The panel, hosted by the Ukrainian Pavilion, was opened by Victoria Kyreieva, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, and Patrizia Albrecht from the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. Hanna Plotnykova from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Water Convention, presented previous work done on the Dniester River cooperation.

The EU4Dialogue concept paper, which advocates for greater regional cooperation, was jointly written by 14 experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. The researchers and experts highlighted that transboundary cooperation can drastically contribute to the alleviation of the increasing climate vulnerability, as actions implemented at the national level are fragmented in their approach and insufficient of addressing the multiple dimensions of regional problems.

“During the past months, experts from across the South Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine have worked hand-in-hand to identify factors contributing to climate vulnerability highlighting the necessity of regional cooperation. Cross-boundary water resource management is an important field that requires special attention. Our panel was the first step to share the group’s recommendations with the authorities,” said Tanja Tamminen, Team Leader, EU4Dialogue, Component 1.

The concept paper underscores best practices from Ukraine-Moldova cross-border water governance, sharing valuable lessons with colleagues from the South Caucasus.

“Our experience, as part of the NGO community in the Dniester River basin, spanning over 30 years, demonstrates that non-state actors – such as NGOs, scientists, and local activists – can play a crucial role in collaborating around environmental goals. Non-state actors enhance the understanding across the divides on issues of mutual interest, such as cross-boundary water management, climate change adaptation, the green energy transition, and many other topics,” said Svitlana Slesarenok, Founder, NGO Black Sea Women’s Club, Ukraine.

“Our hope is that our paper will contribute to positive change and that the concept we have developed will help governments understand the necessity of cooperation,” concluded Rovshan Abbasov, chair of the Task Force and Professor at the Environmental Research Centre of Khazar University, Azerbaijan.

Over the course of three years, EU4Dialogue, Component 1, brought together experts on water, energy, and climate change from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine to discuss issues of mutual interest from cross-boundary water management to green energy transition and to build cooperation networks across borders.

The EU-funded project ‘EU4Dialogue: Supporting Understanding Between Conflict Parties’ is the first component of the broader EU4Dialogue Programme. It runs for five years and aims to facilitate dialogue and enhance understanding across divides by conducting studies, organising events, trainings, and workshops at various levels and in diverse settings for participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova. Implemented by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V. in partnership with IDIS Viitorul (Republic of Moldova), IDP Women Association “Consent” (Georgia), Institute for Mediation, Counselling, Development (Germany), and Cowater International (Belgium). The project runs until July 2025.

Media inquiries: Anna Moghilda, Key Expert 2, Deputy Team Leader, EU4Dialogue Project, Component 1, E-mail: anna.moghilda@EU4Dialogue.eu or Mobile: +373 68 982 479.

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