The goal of this action is to strengthen the climate smart locally led adaptation approach in communities with meaningful youth engagement. One of the priorities of the call “implementing policies and actions that contribute to environmental protection and climate change mitigation and/or adaptation” will be addressed through National Climate Risk Assessment in alliance with the EU Climate Roadmap and strengthening of community resilience with strong levels of youth engagement in decision-making and policy making in a meaningful and inclusive way in accordance with the EU Youth Action Plan.

The Specific Objective is to increased capacities of selected communities in target regions towards inclusive climate resilience through awareness raising, youth engagement and locally led adaptation programming. The Action has been prepared in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders. The Action’s main applicant Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) and the co-applicant International Red Cross/Red Crescent Centre on Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness (CC) have developed jointly the Action. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) and the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC&PH) were consulted in the planning phase, and both stressed the importance of a joint understanding of climate change implications on health and involvement of various actors including CSOs in relevant dialogues as well as the importance of actions to respond to and prepare for heat waves and other climate induced extreme events. The collaboration with local CSOs and youth, as well as with local authorities in target municipalities and protection representatives will be an integral part of this Action, which ensures building up successful decision-making processes on a participatory basis.

IO1: Building resilience of the communities to the climate induced extreme events by strengthening local capacities on using climate risk information, preparedness, and response to extreme events such as extreme heat and strengthening early warning early action systems - In coordination with the Lagodekhi and Dedoplistskaro municipalities and civil protection representatives GRCS will select and assess communities using the EVCA toolkit (Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment) to understand the existing local knowledge on climate variability and change and to design the community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) plans for proper adaptation and mitigation activities. In this phase for the proper implementation of the developed CBDRM plans financial support to third parties presented in the target municipalities is planned to enhance and strengthen the local CSOs in the community to lead climate smart adaptation activities. Based on the received experience the respective actions will be repeated in other municipalities and supported by the GRCS 39 branches countrywide insuring proper implementation and sustainability of the action. IO2: Empowered skills and capacities of the youth in the target locations for youth-driven climate action to reduce the impacts of climate-compounded hazards on vulnerable populations and support their action - young people play a vital role in humanitarian action and development on the community level. Meaningful youth engagement is essential to delivering effective and principled assistance and transforming communities. Through the action it is planned to strengthen youth engagement in the locally led climate adaptation activities focusing awareness, action and advocacy actions in their communities using the Y-Adapt toolkit developed by Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. IO3: Increased awareness on climate change, one health, heat waves and general adaptation and mitigation solutions to climate change - The national climate risk assessment provides the basis for assessing the humanitarian implications of changing climate risk and, thereby, the relevant entry points for climate-smart programmes and humanitarian operations. This process will also build on the understanding and collaborations around climate and weather information with the National Environmental Agency. The respective action is the basis for the proper planning of the informational campaigns in ten regions of Georgia that were selected based on the survey. The following will be to country context and proper informational and educational materials will be developed: climate change, one health, heat waves and general adaptation and mitigation solutions to climate change. The topics were selected to ensure a comprehensive approach towards the awareness raising sessions in the communities with a focus on women, older persons, children, and persons with chronic illnesses. Information will be shared using the different media channels, street events and face to face approach. IO4: Enhanced Georgia Red Cross Society skills and capacities towards strengthening of climate smart programmes and humanitarian operations - Georgia Red Cross Society (GRCS) has been one of the main organizations assisting vulnerable groups to cope with the effects of these recent extreme weather events and other socio-economic crises, through a network of 39 local branches. Its role proved critical to the national discussion around climate change adaptation in Georgia, particularly around two topics: firstly, the Red Cross helped ensure that the local adaptation perspectives that emanate from the local assessments are included in the district and national plans and policies; and secondly, the inclusion of a variety of stakeholders ensured that there would be a balance between national interests and local interests in national adaptation plans. Strengthening the role and capacities of the GRCS will ensure the countrywide approach and sustainability of the indicated actions.
It is estimated that approximately only 10% of funding is granted to the local level as donors and funds instead favor large-scale national infrastructure projects that may miss the mark for local communities. In this regard the respective Action is developed to strengthen the communities reaching hard to reach population focusing on adaptation activities at a local level with the participatory approach. Local communities will be involved both in the development of the community-based disaster risk management based on the Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment and be supported though the small grant approach to propose and implement concrete climate smart locally led adaptation plans. This in term will encourage the local communities to be more strongly involved in the decision-making process at the local level and also to define themselves as an implementation actor who can really change the locality in their communities. On a larger scale five municipalities of Georgia (Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Lagodekhi and Dedoplistskaro) GRCS will actively support and ensure the inclusion of the youth in the in-climate action at central and local level developing the respective capacities and skills though the Youth Adapt toolkit. The respective toolkit will give the necessary information and guidance how to map, assess, develop, advocate for and implement activities towards the negative impacts of climate change thus also positioning youth as agents of change and valuable contributors to climate action. Strengthening of local resilience though the timely, and well-developed awareness raising activities can considerably limit the effects of heat on human health. Respective information will be shared though the different media channels taking into consideration specific vulnerable groups such as elderly and socially isolated persons that need more specific approach. On a country level in 10 target locations the project beneficiaries will receive information taking into consideration country specific approaches and challenges and agreed with respective state bodies information about climate change impacts on Health (including Climate and One Health) and waste reduction and separation benefits thus not just increasing awareness towards the challenges but also providing practical tips and recommendations to strengthen resilience. GRCS is supporting approximately 218 000 beneficiaries per year though different activities and programs. Through the strengthening of the National Society with its presence in 39 Municipalities towards the climate smart programming and establishment of the proper team will ensure the proper fulfillment of the auxiliary role for the government and provision of the activities for adaptation actions in communities on the frontline of climate risk.