Establishment of the "Green development" Platform (AMERV0003)

Commitment ID

AMERV0003

Commitment Title

Establishment of the "Green development" Platform

Problem

In the framework of the fight against climate change, it is very important to take steps to increase the level of energy saving and energy efficiency in the urban environment and to develop renewable energy, reducing the level of CO2 emissions.

Large-scale works have been carried out and are being carried out in the direction of using renewable energy sources, thermal insulation of apartment and public buildings, increasing the level of energy efficiency, modernizing the transport system and using smart solutions.

There is no such unified platform in Yerevan yet, and this will be a great opportunity for other communities to replicate and localize the platform in their communities as well.

So, it is necessary to create a unified, transparent, innovative system called "Green development" platform, which will enable all interested parties to be aware of the works mentioned above and the measures implemented.

Status quo

Over the past few years, Yerevan has taken significant steps towards climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate adaptation specific measures. We have developed strategic plans that are unprecedented in this region. One of them is the "Green City" action plan, which was developed for the first time in the CIS region and is based on the EBRD methodology, in cooperation with the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This project developed for Yerevan is the first application of EBRD's Green Cities approach. "Green City" action plan is a strategic document of green actions to be implemented until 2030, and a targeted policy is applied by the community for its implementation. The process of drafting a strategic adaptation plan for the city is currently under development.

Action

Yerevan Municipality suggests to launch a "Green development" program, which would include a comprehensive approach towards sustable practices at all levels of municipal management. The project will have three main components:
- Green actions – a web report of the Municipality on greenhouse gas emissions reflected through the measures taken by the municipality to reduce the negative impact;
- Green Seal – Yerevan Municipality will award annual Green Seals to the institutions and departments within its mandate based on their compliance to sustainability standarts. The target is that all structures of Yerevan Municipality will be fully compliant with the Green Seal standards by 2028;
- Green Procurement – Yerevan municipality will commit to purchase goods and services that can make a contribution to sustainable consumption and production.

Results expected:
- There will be an opportunity to get acquainted with the projects implemented by the municipality in the field of energy saving and renewable energy.
- Reduced energy indicators as a result of the projects implemented in the energy sector will be confirmed.
- Sustainability standards will be developed and invested, compliance with which will be an incentive for community-based organizations.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

Within the framework of the "OGP Local" action plan, it is planned to create a platform called "Green development" on the official website of the Yerevan Municipality, yerevan.am, where the information on how much the greenhouse gas emissions has reduced as a result of energy-efficient projects implemented by the municipality will be displayed.

The platform will be regularly updated and will contain information on reduced greenhouse gas emissions, electricity saved as a result of energy efficiency projects implemented by the municipality, will encourage municipal organizations to meet sustainability standards and receive the appropriate "Green Seal", will facilitate the purchase of goods and services through ''Green procurement'' procedures that can contribute sustainable consumption and production. As a result of the implementation of the commitment, awareness of the implementation and monitoring of "green" programs will be improved.

The main source of greenhouse gas emissions is energy sector, and most greenhouse gases are produced in the urban environment, especially in cities with high levels of urbanization. In this sense, Yerevan is considered a target city. Cities use most of the world's energy supply and are responsible for about 70 percent of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing levels of these emissions already cause climate changes.

Primary Policy Area

Audits & Controls, Open Data, Right to Information, Social Accountability

Primary Sector

Environment & Climate, Infrastructure & Transport, Media and Telecommunications

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?