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Ecosystem Services & their Role in Poverty Alleviation in Suynik Province, Armenia. Armenia. The Project – Overall objective. To strengthen the knowledge base & capacity at the national, provincial and local levels in ecosystem valuation
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Ecosystem Services & their Role in Poverty Alleviation in Suynik Province, Armenia Armenia
The Project – Overall objective To strengthen the knowledge base & capacity at the national, provincial and local levels in ecosystem valuation Independent expertise in ecosystem valuation in order to provide scientific based evidence to stakeholders & decision makers
Key questions to be addressed through valuation study How do ecosystem services in Armenia support economic growth, employment and prosperity? What risks / costs are associated with their damage / loss? What are the links between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation?
Step 1: Stakeholder consultation and site selection • Consult on project and potential study sites • Select pilot site • Specify & agree the policy issue with stakeholders Step 2: Characterize the study and determine the context for the assessment 2a. Develop a conceptual understanding of the physical characteristics of the area to be studied e.g. its size, soil type, typography, hydrology 2b. Undertaken a socio-economic analysis 2c. Define the issues. What are the main threats to ecosystem services who is being affected and how? 2d. Define scenarios to be analyzed Step 3: Define the scope of the economic assessment • Undertake qualitative assessment of ecosystem services • Determine data availability (scientific / quantitative) • Select ecosystem services to be valued. • Select key economic indicators Step 4: Quantification of impacts • Quantify (in bio physical terms) the impacts of each scenario, taking into consideration both on-site and off-site impacts Step 5: Undertake valuation of ecosystem services • Derive monetary estimates of the ecosystem services under the elected scenarios using appropriate valuation approach • CBA (economic & financial perspective). Aggregation, discounting, sensitivity analysis • Impacts of different scenarios on key indicators – e.g. employment, incomes, tax revenues • Distributional analysis and implications for poverty alleviation • Identification of sustainable financing / development mechanisms Step 6: Analysis of economicevidence Step 7: Understanding the institutional requirements Specify the institutional barriers to achieving the sustainable and equitable economic development • Key steps in the economic assessment `
Study Site • Bardzradir (Musra), Suynic Region • Proposed gold mine • Community opposition • Alternatives?
Challenges & Opportunities • Challenges • New area for Armenia • Data • Opportunities • Framework law on environmental protection being drafted • Best practice principles and tool for assessing future mining investments