Increase Resilience of Armenia to Climate Change through Modernization of Armenia’s Hydrometeorological Service

What we do

According to Armenia’s 3rd National Communication on Climate Change, Armenia already experiences extreme weather and climate variability resulting in negative impacts on communities and economy of the country from spring frosts, flooding, mudflows, droughts, hail and strong winds.

Highlighting the importance of reducing weather related damages on different sectors of economy, and particularly - agriculture, the Government of Armenia is looking for partnership for implementation of measures for increasing the resilience of the country to climate related risks. The key prerequisite for proper planning and proactive actions aimed at reducing the loss and damage is well operating national hydrometeorological service.

The project seeks to improve climate change adaptation planning and programming in Armenia through enhancing the capacity of national hydro-meteorological observation and warning services, for strengthening Armenia`s resilience to Climate Change risks.

The project focuses on strengthening the technical and professional capacities of the Armenia Hydrometeorological Service to ensure adequate forecast and warning services for contributing to climate resilient development.

Project Components

The project has three main components aimed at substantial modernization of the Armenia Hydrometeorological Service:

1.    Hydro-meteorological observation and forecasting system enhanced and modernized – technical capacities of AHS staff - women and men - for better forecasting, early warning and management will be increased through the organization of training including at least; basic meteorology, hydrology & ICT, maintenance and operation of newly acquired equipment, ICT, data processing, analysis & management, geographical information systems and remote sensing. Capacity building process and advance technology utilization training will be organized in partnership with Russian experts from Roshydromet and other relevant institutions.

2.    Hydrometeorological observation and warning infrastructure improved - Rehabilitation of meteorological and hydrological observation networks, observation network design and a maintenance program will be implemented. Rehabilitation of high priority meteorological observing stations; expansion and upgrading of the surface meteorological network will be organized. In Aragatsotn, Armavir, Lori, Shirak and Vayots Dzor marzes, a total of 8-10 hydrological and 15-20 meteorological stations will be re-equipped and digitalized, based on the priory conducted assessments. All hydro-meteorological stations will be integrated, which will enable to observe, collect and send unified, all around, near real time information and forecast on the hazards.

3.    Hydro-meteorological service delivery and early warning mechanisms are enhanced - Enhancing integrated disaster loss data management system will be enhanced to unify, analyze and disseminate all incoming and outgoing data related to whether forecast. Standard operating procedures for early warning operations will be developed. Integrated disaster loss data management system, including proper registration of hydro-meteorological emergencies and formulation of loss data statistics, including the historical data, as well as specifications for forecasting models and analysis will be established. In close cooperation with Roshydromet, specialized weather, climate and hydrological products and services will be developed tailored to sector specific needs (agriculture, water resources management, infrastructures, transport, energy disaster risk management, etc.) by facilitating access through modern communication technologies, public web portal including electronic feedback mechanisms (cell phone applications, web sites, etc.), and developing stronger relationships with decision makers, stakeholders, media, as well as end users.

Some results so far

In partnership with National Hydrometeorological Service of Armenia and in close cooperation with WMO experts the Technical Specifications for Automat Weather Stations (AWS) were developed and international tender announced on “Supplying and installation of AWS including construction of masts in Armavir, Aragatsotn, Shirak, Lori and Vayots Dzor regions, based on which 18-23 AWS will be installed by the end of 2019.

A comparative analyze on anti-hail protection systems was conducted based on the request of the Ministry of Emergency Situations aimed to conduct a brief analysis of the most commonly used anti-hail systems both in the world and in the Republic of Armenia to develop recommendations and suggestions for determining the most effective system for protecting agricultural lands from hail in the country.

An analysis of the information sources studied shows that at present, both in Armenia and around the world, the following main approaches are used to protect farmers and agricultural enterprises from the negative effects of hail.

1. Methods of active influence on natural phenomena (active protection):

a. Gas generating installations (guns);

b. Missile launchers and other means of delivering reagents to the hail cloud;

2. Methods of passive crop protection, such as protective networks;

3. Methods of financial protection and risk transfer, such as insurance;

All these methods, especially those related to the method of active influence on hail clouds, to a certain extent depend on the successful functioning of effective radar systems and recognition of hail clouds, timely identification of possible threats, warning and necessary response. Therefore, the primary task of developing an effective anti-hail protection system is to solve the problem of radar, monitoring and modeling of meteorological processes, identifying hail threats and timely warning of both the population and response and protection services.

The report was published and provided to Prime Minister and the Minister of Emergency Situations. http://www.arnap.am/?p=9008&lang=en