UNDP and the Government of Georgia, with funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Switzerland and Sweden, are implementing a seven-year, $74 million program to reduce climate-driven disaster risks across the country.
The initiative consists of four interlinked projects:
- Scaling-up Multi-Hazard Early Warning System and Climate Information– $27M (GCF)
- Strengthening Climate Adaptation Capacities – Phase 1– $5M (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SDC)
- Improved Resilience of Communities to Climate Risks– $4M (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA)
- Strengthening Climate Adaptation Capacities – Phase 2– $1.45M (SDC)
The Government of Georgia is co-financing the program with $38 million. Its goal is to protect communities, infrastructure and livelihoods from climate-induced hazards by establishing a nationwide multi-hazard early warning system and promoting risk-informed local action.
Main achievements so far
- Monitoring Networks: 143 of 154 planned hydrometeorological and agrometeorological stations are operational, including a new upper-air sounding system in Poti.
- Climate Services: The Georgian Climate Service for Agriculture (GECSA) is fully functional in Kakheti and Shida Kartli, serving over 1,000 users.
- Geological Monitoring: Stations installed in 11 landslide-prone areas; flood-protective infrastructure completed in 12 of 15 high-risk sites.
- Data Systems: Multi-Hazard Disaster Risk Information System (MHDRIS) operational for 11 river basins; a forecasting platform (Delft-FEWS) established.
- Risk Mapping & Planning: Hazard and vulnerability maps created for 11 river basins; Multi-Hazard Risk Management plans prepared for four basins, with local emergency management plans adopted in six municipalities.
- Community Engagement: 100 most vulnerable communities identified; Community-Based Climate Risk Management (CBCRM) plans implemented in 45 Western Georgia communities, with non-structural measures in 15 locations.
- Capacity Building: Over 10,000 people trained in climate and disaster risk awareness; Green Camp ‘Young Climate Ambassadors’ engaged 200+ youth; 96 university students awarded Green Scholarships.
The program works closely with multiple national agencies, including the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, National Environmental Agency, National Food Agency, Emergency Management Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure.
