What we do

The EU4Sevan project is dedicated to improving the environmental protection of Lake Sevan, the largest freshwater lake in the Caucasus Region. Lake Sevan is vital to Armenia, providing essential resources for freshwater, irrigation, aquaculture, and hydropower. The lake’s health directly impacts regional environmental quality and Armenia’s economic prospects.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focuses on enhancing the governance of the Lake Sevan ecosystem through several key actions: Improving management frameworks, strengthening the policy and regulatory framework, enabling the long-term development planning and supporting ecosystem rehabilitation. 

Funding and Partnerships:

The project is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and is implemented under a Multi-Partner Contribution Agreement by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is part of the EU Action “EU4Energy Efficiency and Environment” and the BMZ-funded programme “Management of Natural Resources and Safeguarding of Ecosystem Services for Sustainable Rural Development in the South Caucasus” (ECOserve).

Beneficiaries and Key Partners:

The primary beneficiaries are the residents of the Gegharkunik region. Key project partners include the Armenian Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Economy, and Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.

Alignment with Development Strategies:

The project aligns with the Armenia Development Strategy 2014-2025 (ADS), which includes measures to reduce water resource pollution. It also supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 1 (No Poverty), addressing the interconnections among these goals.

Some results so far

Management Framework Enhancement: Developed a comprehensive Sevan National Park Management Plan, which includes detailed programs, thematic maps, and proposals for zoning and boundary adjustments.

Policy and Institutional Updates: Completion of a thorough review of existing policies, legal, and institutional frameworks governing Lake Sevan. This has led to the creation of a long-term national vision for Lake Sevan 2050 and a budgeted strategy, including the action plan for ecosystem restoration.

Long-Term Planning: Conducted an in-depth assessment of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of rising water levels through hydrological and water quality modeling. This includes the development of a roadmap to tackle the water level increase effectively. The potential for water reuse incentives in Armenia to support effective water management has been assessed.  The book “Lake Sevan Yesterday, Today...” by R. H. Hovhannissian was digitized by making over 50 years of research available to today’s decision-makers and researchers. 

Ecosystem Rehabilitation Support: Improved capacities to manage the cleaning of Lake Sevan’s flooded forest and surrounding swamp area, provided machinery and training, and developed technical specifications for further rehabilitation efforts.

These outcomes underscore UNDP’s commitment to improving the governance and sustainability of the Lake Sevan ecosystem.