On May 22, within the framework of the "Environmental Protection of Lake Sevan" - #EU4Sevan program, coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, jointly financed by the European Union and the German government, the "I am responsible for Sevan IV" event dedicated to the International Day of Biodiversity took place. EU4Sevan for the fourth time brought together project donors, partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries to meet each other, discuss new ideas and successful results, and establish effective collaboration.
The purpose of the event was to bring together project partners, stakeholders and implementers and raise awareness about the environmental challenges of Lake Sevan and their possible solutions, especially in the direction of sustainable land use activities and wastewater management. It drew the public's attention to the current actions and further steps initiated by the program aimed at improving the state of the Lake Sevan ecosystem.
The event was attended by Environment Minister Hakob Simidyan, Deputy Minister Aram Meymaryan, Gegharkunik Marz Governor Karen Sargsyan, European Union Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Viktorin, UNDP Permanent Representative to Armenia Natia Natsvlishvili, Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Armenia Eric Tintrup, Director of the Armenian Office of the Armenian Chamber of Commerce Madeleine Rauschenberger, EU4Sevan Program head Christian Henschel, UNDP climate, environment, sustainability team leader Hovhannes Ghazaryan, as well as other officials, stakeholders and community residents.
After the arrival of the guests to the community of Gavar, the exhibition presenting the achievements and results of the EU4Sevan project was opened. Ambassador Viktorin greeted the participants. "The joint efforts of partners and stakeholders is the key to the success of the EU4Sevan project, because no single actor or organization can solve the problems of Lake Sevan alone. A joint approach is important to face the challenges of Lake Sevan." During the event, the specialists of the "Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" SNOC demonstrated the process of field analysis of water samples of the Gavaraget River.
The socio-economic and environmental benefits of transitioning from traditional intensive agriculture to sustainable use of innovative land use activities were also presented.
The minister started his speech by congratulating his colleagues on the occasion of the International Day of Biodiversity and emphasizing everyone's excellent work aimed at its preservation.
Minister Hakob Simidyan once again referred to the council of the day and in that context spoke about the protection of the Lake Sevan ecosystem.
"The catchment area of Lake Sevan is one of the most unique and rich biodiversity areas of our country. Therefore, its restoration is one of our priorities," the minister noted, and thanked the European Union and the German government, the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for implementing the "EU4Sevan" (Environmental Protection of Lake Sevan) program. to call The minister specifically referred to the component of the management plan of the "Sevan" National Park during the program and expressed hope that it will help to solve many problems affecting the ecosystem of the lake.
During the exhibition, the process and results of mapping of surface and ground water resources of anthropogenic pressure sources (including municipal and industrial wastewater discharge, solid waste, agricultural activities, fisheries, tourism, etc.) were presented. These maps help to better understand the interaction of social, economic and environmental aspects in the Lake Sevan basin. Timely and reliable monitoring data on water quality and quantity parameters are vital for assessing the state and dynamics of the Lake Sevan ecosystem, identifying types and sources of impacts, as well as developing and implementing targeted measures to improve the situation. Long-term sustainable monitoring is a fundamental component of water security.
Christian Henschel summed up the exhibition. "We wanted to talk about important aspects of Sevan and show that environmental data management is important for understanding the ecological situation of the lake and as a basis for making evidence-based decisions as needed. adequate funding for continued operation; Wastewater management in Armenia is a developing topic that needs further development, especially for the further preservation of Lake Sevan. The partial replacement of mineral fertilizer is a great opportunity in Armenia, because the production of fertilizers of organic origin can provide environmental and economic opportunities and support the further development of the circular economy in Armenia."
During the event, an agreement on the modernization of the waste water treatment plant of Gavar city was also signed.