Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction Project Launched

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The American University of Armenia Center for Responsible Mining (AUA CRM) is among the partners of the Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction project, ALTER for short, together with the National Observatory of Athens’ (NOA) Institute of Geodynamics (Lead Partner), European University of Cyprus’ Centre of Excellence in Risk and Decision Science, Bulgarian Academy of Science’s Center for National Security and Defense Research, and Armenia’s National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (known by its Armenian acronym ARNAP).

ALTER is a two-year project co-financed by the European Union’s Humanitarian Aid & Civil Protection Directorate, which focuses on establishing public-private partnerships to understand and address flood risks that may be caused by water and mining dam failures.

At the project’s outset, partners from EU member countries will review best practices on the resilience of areas facing flood risks associated with earthquakes and hydro and mine dam failures in Armenia. These strategies will be adapted into recommendations for three pilot sites in Armenia. ALTER’s three pilot areas are the Voghji River Basin of Syunik Marz and its associated tailing dams and water reservoirs, the Vorotan River Cascade of Syunik Marz and its associated reservoirs and hydroelectric infrastructure, and the Debed River Basin of Lori Marz, specifically the Akhtala and Teghut mining areas. These recommendations will then be implemented through public-private agreements, workshops, and small-scale exercises in pilot communities.

In addition to best practices, the project will also transfer know-how and critical technology upgrades to local communities. A web-GIS system will be developed that will allow community-level decision making. Sensors and warning systems will be integrated into the current systems in the three pilot areas.

The project’s official kickoff took place on February 12-13, 2018 in Athens, Greece, at the National Observatory of Athens.

For updates on the project visit http://crm.aua.am/alter/.

The American University of Armenia Center for Responsible Mining (AUA CRM) promotes the creation as well as transfer and adoption in Armenia of best practices in socially, environmentally, and economically responsible mining. AUA CRM works with companies, civil society, and the public sector to achieve this goal.