Government of Switzerland Supports INDC Development Process in Tajikistan

17-18 June 2015, Dushanbe, Tajikistan – UNITAR, ZOI Environment Network and the Government of Tajikistan, with support from the Government of Switzerland, organized a two day Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) Kick-off Meeting on 17-18 June 2015, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. INDCs are contributions that countries make towards the stabilization of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration in the atmosphere as part of the preparation for COP21 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Paris in December 2015, and a new global climate agreement.

The event was designed to raise the awareness of national policy-makers and other relevant stakeholders on INDCs and to discuss the formulation of the national INDC of Tajikistan. Over 50 participants, representing various government institutions, non-government organizations, scientific and educational agencies, international development partners and the media, attended.   

Mr. Rasulov, Director of the State Agency for Hydrometeorology and national UNFCCC focal point, and Mr. Saidi Yokubzod, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Ecolology of the President’s Office of the Republic of Tajikistan gave introductory statements. Ms. Regina Gujan, Senior Programme Manager, Swiss Cooperation Office, expressed the support of the Government of Switzerland to the INDC development process in Tajikistan. Furthermore, Ms. Cristina Rekakavas, UNITAR, highlighted the long-standing collaboration between UNITAR and the Government of Tajikistan to strengthen national capacities for engagement with the UNFCCC processes.

Using a participatory approach, the workshop included expert presentations, Q&A sessions and group discussions. Main topics addressed include:

• COP decisions relevant to INDCs
• Existing methodologies and guidelines for the preparation of an INDC
• Examples of INDCs submitted by other countries
• Key priorities of the Republic of Tajikistan by sector, to be reflected in the INDC, including GHG emission reductions
• Adaptation measures to increase resilience to climate change
• National circumstances as well as ongoing strategies, projects, activities and measures relevant for INDC formulation 
• Preparation and provision of background data for the compilation of the INDC
• Steps of the INDC development process.

This event forms a part of a wider support project, funded by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, to strengthen the capacity of Tajik policy makers to identify contributions to the post-2020 climate agreement. The project will also assist in the organization and delivery of a COP21 preparatory workshop in September 2015 as well as a follow up COP21 outcomes workshop in early 2016. This project builds on a previous capacity-development project implemented in 2013 and 2014. 

Photo 1: Tajik policy-makers discussing the national INDC development process

Photo 2: Group discussion