MDG MONITORLand covered by forest (%) in 2005: 2.5 ↑
People using improved drinking water (%) 2006: 89 ↑ CO2 emissions per capita (metric tones) in 2006: 3.5275 ↑ |
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The Role of UNDP Syria
Energy and environment are essential for sustainable development. The poor are disproportionately affected by environmental degradation and lack of access to clean affordable energy services. These issues are also global as climate change, loss of biodiversity and ozone layer depletion cannot be addressed by countries acting alone. UNDP helps countries strengthen their capacity to address these challenges at global, national and community levels, seeking out and sharing best practices, providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through pilot projects that help poor people build sustainable livelihoods.
In Syria, UNDP’s support has been instrumental in assisting the Syrian Government to implement the conventions that resulted from the first Earth Summit. UNDP has also heavily engaged in capacity building with respect to the environment, both at institutional and technical levels, through:
1. Conserving Biodiversity and Managing Protected Areas
Syria is one of the richest countries in the Middle East in terms of biodiversity. UNDP supports initiatives aimed at the conservation, and management of biodiversity, through creating a relevant enabling environment at the policy level, as well as demonstrate practical methods for effectively managing protected areas while guarding the interests of local communities.
Local communities have been involved both in project formulation and in conservation processes in three protected areas (Abou-Qubies Protectorate in central-northwestern Syria, the Al Fronloq Protectorate in the northwestern coastal region of Syria and Jebel Abdul Aziz Protectorate in northeastern Syria).
2. Addressing Climate Change
UNDP supports the Government of Syria in implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through measures related to planning, capacity building, institutional strengthening, public participation and targeted research. UNDP also assists Syria in preparing and reporting on its Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC. Consistent with national priorities, UNDP is supporting efforts aiming at strengthening local adaptation strategies and building community resilience to climate variability and change in drought prone areas for livelihood restoration of vulnerable groups.
3. Managing Water demand
UNDP is negotiating a new initiative with the Ministry of Housing and Construction for water demand management in Rural Damascus. The project will increase awareness on issues related to water demand, encourage institutions to adopt sound water demand management projects, ensure financial sustainability to implement these projects and determine consumers’ ability to pay for the provided services.
4. Managing Solid Waste
UNDP Syria supports an initiative which aims at developing an integrated management system for olive oil wastes in order to reduce their negative environmental impact, while maintaining growth of the olive oil sector. In addition, UNDP helps national institutions in the development and implementation of local solid waste management systems that are environmentally sound.
UNDP's ongoing projects in the area of Environment and Energy:
|
Service Line |
Project No.
|
Project Name
|
Status
|
Project Management
|
Budget
|
| 3.1 | SYR/05/010 | Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Area Management | Ongoing | Energy and Environment Team | US$ 427,125 |
| 3.1 | PIMS 3525 NC EA | Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Syrias Initial National Communication to the UNFCCC | Ongoing | Energy and Environment Team | US$ 209396 |
| 3.1 | Integrated Waste Management for Olive-Oil Pressing Industries in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan (00045125) |
Closed | Energy and Environment Team | US$ 470,000 |