Japan contributes $920,000 to UNDP for Georgian forest protection

Japan has allocated over $920,000 to the United Nations Development Programme in Georgia for supporting the country’s “sustainable and climate-friendly” forest management, the UNDP’s Georgian office announced on Thursday. 

Protecting forest covers from degradation and unsustainable lodging, and increasing their capacity to capture greenhouse gas emissions are among the goals of the programme.

The office will additionally carry out a pilot initiative in the eastern region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti to engage local communities in sustainable forest management, create “easy access” to renewable energy sources, and assist 43,000 people to explore “environment-friendly solutions” boosting employment and creating sustainable livelihoods, the organisation revealed. 

Imamura Akira, the Japanese Ambassador to Georgia, said “the unique and rich forests of Georgia are vital, for environmental disaster prevention, apart from the economic development.”  

Georgia’s Deputy Agriculture Minister, Nino Tandilashvili, said the Government’s priority was to introduce tools and mechanisms blending environmental protection with economic benefits, and noted the state had made an “ambitious pledge” to the Paris Climate Agreement, emphasising the new initiative contributed to the fulfilment of the international obligations.

Georgia signed up to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 35 percent below the 1990 baseline level by 2030 in its revision of Nationally Determined Contributions. Additionally, the country has pledged to reach a 10 percent increase in forest carbon capture capacity by 2030 from 2015 levels in its National Climate Change Strategy 2030 and Action Plan 2021-2023.