Supporting reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable use of river ecosystems

Project Details & Results

In Armenia, there is an urgent need for reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants (SHPP), the development of which is carried out with insufficient consideration of environmental and social issues and impacts. River ecosystems and livelihood of population in the area of direct influence are in a particularly critical situation. One of the reasons is that the Government decisions and laws as well as conclusions regulating this sector, are based on insufficient and often contradictory data. No certain strategy incorporating ecosystem considerations into SHPP management is in place. Public opinion is polarized, the approaches of the public, government and business are contradictory, which hampers constructive solutions.

The main objective of the project is strengthening the capacity of the public for decision-making in the SHPP sector, based on the creation of a common platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue.

The special objective is to develop background for reforms in the SHPP sector through creating an enabling environment for the joint efforts of the public and the Ministry of Nature Protection with involvement of other major stakeholders. 

Project Results

The project will produce the following outputs:

• Joint on-site monitoring of river ecosystems with the involvement of the National Academy of Sciences, Union of SHPPs, governmental agencies issuing permits and licenses and project developers is conducted.

• "Eco-Passports" of 100 SHPPs are developed and uploaded onto the database of the Ministry of Nature Protection.

• Short- and long-term action plans for addressing problems in SHPP sector are developed based on eco-categorization database and joint monitoring.

• Information campaigns are run for the reforms in SHPP sector; an illustrated publication with “Eco-passports” of 100 SHPPs is developed; 200 informational and 120 visual materials are disseminated.

In Armenia, there is an urgent need for reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants (SHPP), the development of which is carried out with insufficient consideration of environmental and social issues and impacts. River ecosystems and livelihood of population in the area of direct influence are in a particularly critical situation. One of the reasons is that the Government decisions and laws as well as conclusions regulating this sector, are based on insufficient and often contradictory data. No certain strategy incorporating ecosystem considerations into SHPP management is in place. Public opinion is polarized, the approaches of the public, government and business are contradictory, which hampers constructive solutions.

The main objective of the project is strengthening the capacity of the public for decision-making in the SHPP sector, based on the creation of a common platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue.

The special objective is to develop background for reforms in the SHPP sector through creating an enabling environment for the joint efforts of the public and the Ministry of Nature Protection with involvement of other major stakeholders. 

Project Results

The project will produce the following outputs:

• Joint on-site monitoring of river ecosystems with the involvement of the National Academy of Sciences, Union of SHPPs, governmental agencies issuing permits and licenses and project developers is conducted.
• "Eco-Passports" of 100 SHPPs are developed and uploaded onto the database of the Ministry of Nature Protection.
• Short- and long-term action plans for addressing problems in SHPP sector are developed based on eco-categorization database and joint monitoring.
• Information campaigns are run for the reforms in SHPP sector; an illustrated publication with “Eco-passports” of 100 SHPPs is developed; 200 informational and 120 visual materials are disseminated.