Outline of presentation

1. Country experience in reporting on cross-cutting issues and application of the template under the SNC Albania case Ermira Fida, MBA Manager Climate Change Program Cairo, 20-22, September, 2007

2. Outline of presentation • Background on Albania, Climate Change and NCs; • Institutional framework for NCs; • Organizational structure of the CCU; • SNC project implementation strategy; • Planning of the SNC process; • Cross-cutting issues under the INC; • Addressing cross-cutting issues under the SNC; • Applying the template; • Case: Integrating climate change issues… • Constraints; • Recommendations.

3. Albania and UNFCCC & Kyoto Protocol • Joined the UNFCCC in 1995 • Status under the UNFCCC • Non-Annex 1 Party to the UNFCCC • No emission reduction targets • Joined the Kyoto Protocol • 16 December, 2004

4. Status of the NC process in Albania • INC: completed on July 2002 • Launched at COP8, India; • Followed up by a Technology Needs Assessment. Completed on November 2004; • SNC: In process • Stocktaking exercise completed in October 2004 • SNC project started on March 2005

5. Institutional framework for NCs • Relies upon the responsibility of the Climate Change Unit/Program (CCU/P): • Based under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Water Administration of Albania; • Funded jointly from UNDP and GoA • Responsibilities: • Support the implementation of the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol • UNFCCC Focal Point • DNA for CDM • Draft/design nation policy actions for climate change and mainstreaming; • Management and implementation of climate change projects portfolio;

6. Organizational structure of CCP/U

7. SNC Project Implementation Strategy • Build upon the previous work and expertise gained under the INC and TNA in order to ensure the sustainability of the process; • Start up with GHG inventory and V&A in parallel and follow up with GHG abatement once the first draft of GHG inventory is available; • GHG inventory: work with key sources and data gap filling; • V&A focus in a priority system (Drini River Cascade); • Update the GHG mitigation analysis and TNA. • Elaborate other/cross-cutting issues in an integrated manner with other thematic components . • Apply the strategy of improvement of the quality of studies (GHG inventory, mitigation) and replicate it at the V&A studies, at the extend possible • Archive/document the data and the studies. • Mobilize additional resources for additional studies to be attached to the SNC study and process, such as: • UNEP& Dutch: Public awareness, training and education activities. • GoA: GHG inventory, Abatement, V&A • REC: V&A (expanding the project site area from Drini to Mati River Deltas) • Work in parallel to designing project proposals that address findings from NCs, subject of funding from GEF and/or other donors. • Develop partnership with relevant institutions and involve stakeholders from the beginning to ensure among others integration of climate change into national planning • Conduct public awareness activities and communications continuously.

8. Planning the SNC

9. Cross-cutting/other issues under the INC • Delivered under a separate chapter under INC of Albania • The chapter addressed only such issues as: • Public awareness • Training • Education • Capacity building • Potential follow-up activities • No information on steps to integrate climate change into policy formulation under this chapter: • This information has been provided in an integrated manner under the section of the National Climate Change Action Plan as part of the baseline situation at policy level. • No information on technology transfer under this chapter: • Some elements of the situation regarding technology transfer has been implicitly provided under the GHG mitigation chapter. • Lots of information on the level of climate change integration and technology transfer has been provided under the TNA report

10. Addressing cross-cutting issues under the SNC • Status of the work on cross-cutting issues: • Majority of the information has been collected • An approach to collect information on cross-cutting issues in the most effective and accurate way has been followed: • Refer to 17/CP8, UNFCCC user manual for guidelines on NC from NA1 and to NCSP resource kit for NCs as guiding materials. • Integration of the information on the cross-cutting issues under key thematic areas: GHG mitigation and Vulnerability and Adaptation • Majority of of the information obtained through GHG mitigation and V&A studies performed. • ToRs for Mitigation and V&A contained tasks that required collection and elaboration of information on cross-cutting issues • Cross-cutting issues will be provided as a separate chapter under the SNC of Albania, containing the following subsections: • Steps taken to integrate climate change; • Activities relating to technology transfer; • Climate Change RSO and research programs; • Public awareness, communications, training, education and capacity building • A synthesis of the collected information on cross-cutting issues is needed aiming at the provision of the information in a comprehensive without repetitions in other sections.

11. Application of the UNFCCC template… • The template has reached us before the synthesizing of the information in the form of the draft-chapter on cross-cutting issues; • Once delivered by the UNFCCC has been shared with Team Leaders of three thematic areas, and relevant experts involved in the SNC preparation; • Consultations with Team Leaders and experts have been held to discuss and agree on the degree/rate of its application: • The template has been found helpful in terms of the provision of the list of the key issues for reporting and applicable for us; • The template complements the current guidance on cross-cutting issues: • Bringing additional key issues for consideration • The national team recommended to revise the already collected information on cross-cutting issues in the light of the key considerations provided by the template; • The team recommended a provision of the synthesized information on cross-cutting issues in a narrative way rather than in tabular form as per the template.

12. Example 1: Steps to integrate CC This has been addressed as an issue for consideration under both thematic areas: GHG mitigation and V&A : Ex: GHG Mitigation has been addressed under Energy Strategy This has been addressed as an issue for consideration under both thematic areas: GHG mitigation and V&A. Ex: Hydropower sector (mitigation and V&A); Coastal zone (V&A). The description of the level of stakeholder involvement has not been addressed explicitly. It will be elaborated in a comprehensive way. This has been addressed as an issue for consideration under both thematic areas: GHG mitigation and V&A . Ex: Energy sector This has not been addressed in such an explicit way . It will be elaborated in an explicate way and in such a chronology. This has been addressed as an issue for consideration under national circumstances .

13. Constraints • Not easy to synthesize information on issues related to: • Technology transfer and specifically with TNA: • In Albania’s case the team has planed the update the TNA study carried out in 2004 • GHG mitigation technologies • Adaptation technologies in a priority system • Solution: • The results of the updated TNA are going to be elaborated under the respective chapters (GHG mitigation and V&A); • Under the cross cutting part we are planning to describe the TNA as a process, rather than its findings. • Institutional framework on: • National Communications (recommended under national circumstances) • Implementation of climate change policy (recommended under cross-cutting) • Technology Transfer (recommended under cross-cutting) • Public awareness, communications, … (recommended under cross-cutting) • Solution: • Adding a new sub-section namely: Institutional framework to deal with climate change in Albania. • Measurable impact indicators of the NC:. • Solution: • Add a matrix to summarize the indicators (most quantitative)

14. Example: Activities related to TT

15. Recommendations • Collect cross-cutting issues in an integrated approach - an effective way; • Consider the template as a complementary and flexible guide; and • Adapt the template according to national circumstances; • Integrate some issues in one, if necessary • Add new issues as needed. • More focus on processes rather than results; • Conduct consultations with the technical teams on the approach to be used; • Consider the section of Cross-cutting issues as the most proper site to provide information on the impacts of NC. • Draw on good practices identified from other countries, if available. • Document the information collected

16. Thank you !