The USAID South Caucasus Regional Water Management Program and Covenant of Mayors East convene Mayors for Water-Related Climate Change Adaptation

Tbilisi, Georgia-28 March, 2024. USAID supports effective local governance to deliver better outcomes for the Georgian people. In line with these commitments, the USAID South Caucasus Regional Water Management Program, in partnership with the EU initiated “Covenant of Mayors East,” hosted mayors and representatives of Georgia’s 32 municipal governments in Tbilisi. The participants gathered in Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel to discuss pathways to water security, sustainable management of water resources and water-related climate changeadaptation.To emphasize the central role of water in climate change adaptation, the event focused on three objectives-informing attendees of the implications of the newly-adopted Georgian Law on Water Resource Management at the urban scale; enabling knowledge-sharing on the importance of water security and water resource management in the context of sustainable and climate-resilient local development and encouraging municipal governments to reflect on their needs and challenges for sustainable water resource management.Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Mzia Giorgobiani whoopened the event with the keynote address stressed that access to clean water is critical toeveryday life as it relates to people’s health, social equity and sustainable development, adding that “Climate change and its impact on water resources usage create additional challenges. This requires more investment in water infrastructure, as well as the development of a properly planned climate-adapted approach”. Annie Steed, USAID/Georgia’s Acting Economic Growth Director, discussed effective watermanagement as part of USAID’s larger support for the region: “This new USAID program will facilitate regional cooperation to improve water management. This will improve the wellbeing of families and communities across the South Caucasus and contribute to regional stability, which are core objectives for USAID.”Sustainable water management is central to building the resilience of local communities and ecosystems, especially in light of climate change. In Georgia, management of local water resources is the responsibility of local government entities meaning that their role is essential in safeguarding the water security in their communities.

“Water management today faces challenges that require us to look beyond just engineering or supply augmentation”, Eric Viala, the Chief of Party of South Caucasus Regional Water Management Program emphasizes. “Moving towards demand management implies that water users are accountable and adopt improved water use practices and municipalities are critical actors to develop and lead such water stewardship”.

The Team Leader of Covenant of Mayors East, and the co-organizer of the event Christophe Fréring, underlined the deep interconnectedness of water and climate change which is most evident at the community level. “As we navigate the uncertainties of changing weather patterns and environmental challenges, prudent management of water resources at the municipal level is one of the cornerstones of resilience for Georgia’s communities, protecting livelihoods and ensuring sustainable development. In the face of these challenges, collaboration is key”, he noted.

The work sessions and discussions centered on topics such as water and environmental governance in municipalities, river basin management approaches, municipal-scale nature- based solutions for disaster risk reduction, and water security improvement for climate change adaptation.

About the program: South Caucasus Regional Water Management Program (SCRWM) is a 5-year regional program funded by the USAID and implemented by Deloitte Consulting LLP in the South Caucasus. Its goal is to support effective regional cooperation and water management for the promotion of regional stability and resilience through advancing stakeholder engagement and effective regional cooperation in water management in the region. Working collaboratively with key stakeholders from relevant government ministries, the private sector, civil society, academia, and water-related institutions, the program intends to catalyze regional environmental and water management cooperation on shared priorities; support harmonization of water management policy frameworks and introduce new technologies to advance social, economic, environmental, and climate change objectives for the prosperity and stability in the South Caucasus Region.

About Covenant of Mayors (CoM) East: CoM East is an EU-funded project aimed at introducing the EL climate and energy initiative to the Eastern Partnership countries. CoM East supports local authorities in implementing sustainable energy policies, improving the security of energy supply, and facilitating the contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation. For more information, please visit: https://con

east.eu/en/

USAID

EU4Energy

About USAID’s Partnership with Georgia: USAID first opened its doors in Georgia in 1992. In total, USAID has invested approximately $1.9 billion in programs to help Georgia to build effective and accountable public institutions; improved education, healthcare, and other public services; an economy that creates jobs and prosperity for workers, families, and communities across the country, and democratic processes that put citizens at the center. USAID currently invests in 40 development programs that support Georgia in a number of key areas – economic growth, energy security, education, democratic governance, and many others-all of which are aligned with Georgia’s domestic priorities to strengthen its security, prosperity, and democracy and to continue advancing toward Europe. For more information, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/georgia.