Albania is a disaster-prone country, with the main hazards comprising earthquakes, floods, forest fires, landslides and medical and health
consequences of pandemics and epidemiological emergencies. As part of the Climate Promise with UNDP in
the lead of the multistakeholder forum, Albania submitted a more ambitious and robust National Determined Contribution (NDC) than previously, with an Action Plan of interventions aiming to achieve a near-doubled target of 20.9 percent by 2030. FAO’s support to the NDC revision process focused on the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector, ensuring that the revised NDC expands the scope compared to the initial NDC to include, apart from the agriculture and forestry sectors, livestock, lagoons and wetlands, and fisheries and aquaculture as well as adaptation measures. The NDC is also informing the Integrated Plan of Energy and Climate with consideration of climate change adaptation where, with UNDP support, a Climate Change Adaptation Planning initiative has been launched to provide for sectoral and local level interventions to increase resilience and sustain livelihoods.
Please read the In-depth Progress Report 2021 - page 94 for a detailed account of action on this action: https://albania.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/UN%20Albania%20Annual%20Progress%20Report%202021%20-%20In%20depth%20results.pdf

The joint UN – Government of Albania efforts in 2021 contributed to progress in achieving SDG targets: 7.2, 9.1, 11.2, 11.b, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 15.1, 15.3, 17.9

Systemic changes were achieved at the central level, and also at the LGU level, for gradually consolidating the responsibility to act for the present protection and future resilience of the environment. Work with the line ministries focused on building a broader ownership of the climate agenda and stronger inter-institutional partnerships. This effort provided a governance basis for the establishment of innovative funding mechanisms that can incentivise and help to pay for improved energy efficiency and renewable solutions (SDGs 13 and 7) in synergy with international and regional financial institutions. The work with the scientific community mapped climatic risks and cooperation with communities, especially women and youth, helped local authorities identify and implement adaptation measures (SDG 9).
Albania’s partnerships with homologue institutions in riparian countries of the River Drin (South–South cooperation) were institutionalised and strengthened, and implementing procedures developed for management of this trans-boundary basin are in line with the commitments already undertaken through the Strategic Action Plan.
Management structures for protected areas and water management are now established and functional, reinforcing the role of local authorities and prefectures as an important institution standing between local and central government. For the first time Albania has a special fund for protected areas that will preserve the country’s natural assets and strengthen monitoring in 18 percent of the territory.
Albania’s first draft country programme to engage with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has been developed, with the aim of exploring additional environmental financing resources.
As part of the climate promise, Albania submitted its more ambitious and robust NDC with an Action Plan to achieve the almost double target of 20.9 percent by 2030. NDC is also informing the Integrated Plan of Energy and Climate. Meanwhile, the Climate Change Adaptation Planning initiative was launched in 2021 to provide for sectoral and local-level interventions to increase resilience and sustain livelihoods.

The joint UN – Government of Albania efforts in 2021 contributed to progress in achieving SDG targets: 3.9, 3.d, 6.1, 12.1, 12.4, 13.1, 13.2, 14.5, 14.a, 15.1, 15.3, 15.5, 17.9, 17.14, 17.19

Aligned to PDNA and in collaboration with government to support the reconstruction and recovery efforts to Build Back Better, successful resource mobilisation efforts resulted in EUR 11.69 million unearmarked contributions to the Albania SDG Acceleration Fund from the governments of Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Romania and the UK to support national earthquake efforts in the areas of (i) education, (ii) economic recovery and resilience, (iii) agriculture, (iv) community infrastructure, (v) social protection, (vi) child protection, (vii) gender equality, and (viii) DRM. Besides the allocation to the Albania SDG Acceleration Fund, direct funding was provided by EU, with (i) EUR 75 million provided to UNDP for 63 school reconstructions or refurbishment in the eleven municipalities impacted, affecting the life of 1,087,897 people and benefitting 1,372 teachers and 23,157 children and students, and (ii) EUR 40 million provided to UNOPS for rehabilitation of cultural heritage sites damaged by the earthquake.
By the end of 2021, at least 5,000 children and parents and caregivers had benefitted from child protection in emergency services, 450 child protection professionals were capacitated to deliver quality protection services in emergency settings, 1,200 teachers were skilled in DRR strategies and other inclusive methodologies, 350,000 boys and girls accessed online learning, 35 households restored agriculture production and dependent livelihoods, 30 households were supported through guarantees and micro-finance credit lines, 19 education facilities were repaired or reconstructed, one cultural heritage property (Rubik Monastery Church) was rehabilitated and revitalised while six sites have work ongoing, two sites in solicitation, while the designs for six sites are complete, awaiting final certification allowing for works to begin.

The joint UN – Government of Albania efforts in 2021 contributed to progress in achieving SDG targets: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7, 4.a, 4.c, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.a, 5.b, 5.c, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.5, 9.b, 10.2, 10.4, 11.4, 13.1, 16.2, 17.3