Aga Khan Foundation
Established in 1967, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) brings together human, financial and technical resources to address the challenges faced by the poorest and most marginalised communities in the w
Aga Khan Agency for Habitat
The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat’s (AKAH) goal is that people live in safe, sustainable, and resilient habitats with the opportunity to thrive, whether in a remote mountain village, a town, or a den
CC&E Nexus Brief: The El Niño Phenomenon and Related Impacts 
This brief focuses on El Niño–Southern Oscillation phenomenon and the 2015/2016 El Niño event in particular, the environmental and societal impacts and effects of which will extend well into 2017.
Food in an uncertain future
This report sets out the risks to food security in the Middle East and North Africa from climate change, and how these vulnerabilities interact with other key trends and sources of risk.
Climate and Syria
During 2015 the media started connecting climate change with the conflict in Syria and subsequent refugee movements across Europe. This report looks at their appraoch and whether they got it right.
ENPI CBC MED
The multilateral cross-border cooperation "Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme" is part of the new European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and of its financing instrument (European Neighbourhood and Part
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) was established in 1977 and is one of the 15 centers strategically located all over the world and supported by the Consu
NAPA – Syria
The primary goal of the NAAP process is to identify priority measures to adapt to climate change and climate variability, and develop them into project based activities that can address...

Case Study: Tal Hadya
Wheat growing in Tal Hadya: Photo ICARDA
Tel Hadya is a water scarce area in the North of Syria. During the last 30 years droughts have frequently led to crop failure...
Mitigation: Syria intends to implement mitigation activities across sectors. Within the energy sector Syria intends to expand renewable energy production to meet existing energy needs while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Climate smart agriculture, rehabilitation of degraded lands, and sustainable forest management will be implemented to manage land use related emissions. The transport sector could reduce emissions through improved urban transportation, efficiency, and fuel. Industry emissions could be reduced through greater use of renewables and regulations on production processes. Within the waste sector encouraging recycling, using waste for energy, and improving the waste management system overall could reduce emissions. Finally, within housing the establishment of standards, reductions in rural-urban migration, and green architecture could contribute to mitigation. Adaptation: Syria's adaptation priorities include water resource management, biodiversity conservation, combatting land degradation and desertification, integrated coastal zone management, and the development of early warning systems. Specific activities include increasing the efficiency of water use, mitigating dust storm impacts, and increase the amount of natural protected areas in Syria. Syria has expressed a need for external technical, financial, and capacity building support to achieve its mitigation and adaptation goals. International Climate and Environmental Commitments: The Paris Agreement (Accession), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Party), Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Party), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (Party), Convention on Biological Diversity (Party), Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (Party), Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Party)
Summary
Syria is a developing state facing significant challenges related to conflict and insecurity, economic growth, provision of public services, and environmental degradation. Syria is facing internal and external conflict, and associated actions by the international community, that threaten human life as well as livelihoods and economic development. These challenges are further exacerbated by Syria's economic dependency on oil production, issues with natural resource misuses, water shortages and misallocation, pollution, deforestation, overgrazing, and soil erosion. These environmental issues are likely to be exacerbated by climate change, which is causing changes in precipitation, dropping water levels, drought, heatwaves, forest fires, sandstorms, and desertification.
International Commitments and Reporting
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Nationally Determined Contribution Under the Paris Agreement - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NDCStaging/pages/Party.aspx?party=SYR
NDC Monitoring and Reporting
World Bank’s Climate Knowledge Portal - https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/syria
ClimateWatch Profile - https://www.climatewatchdata.org/countries/SYR
NDC Partnership Page - http://ndcpartnership.org/countries-map/country?iso=SYR
SDG Voluntary National Review
Syria has not yet completed a Voluntary National Review, but a Review is expected by 2020 and will be available here - https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/memberstates/syria
National SDG Monitoring and Reporting
World Bank Overview - http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/syria
UNDP's Open SDG Data Hub - http://unstats-undesa.opendata.arcgis.com/
NDCs, SDGs, and Climate Change
NDC Partnership Dashboard on NDCs and relation to the SDGs and Climate Change Vulnerability - http://ndcpartnership.org/climate-watch/ndcs-sdg
Emissions Data
Syria does not currently have a dynamic online emissions tracking platform, but national emissions reporting can be found within this report - https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Syria_GHG_Inventory_0.pdf
The ClimateWatch profile may provide one more recent assessment of greenhouse gas emissions - https://www.climatewatchdata.org/countries/SYR
Sendai and Hyogo Frameworks
National Progress Report on the Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action - https://www.preventionweb.net/english/policies/v.php?id=17404&cid=168
Index for Risk Management Country Profile - https://drmkc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/inform-index/Countries/Country-Profile-Map
National Coordination and Reporting
National Appropriate Mitigation Actions
Windfarm in Quttaineh - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/PublicNAMA/_layouts/un/fccc/nama/NamaSeekingSupportForImplementation.aspx?ID=116&viewOnly=1
Windfarm in Ghabagheb - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/PublicNAMA/_layouts/un/fccc/nama/NamaSeekingSupportForImplementation.aspx?ID=117&viewOnly=1
Solar electric power plant - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/PublicNAMA/_layouts/un/fccc/nama/NamaSeekingSupportForImplementation.aspx?ID=118&viewOnly=1
Combined cycle power plant in the coastal area - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/PublicNAMA/_layouts/un/fccc/nama/NamaSeekingSupportForImplementation.aspx?ID=119&viewOnly=1
Expansion of combined cycle power plant in Nasiriyah - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/PublicNAMA/_layouts/un/fccc/nama/NamaSeekingSupportForImplementation.aspx?ID=120&viewOnly=1
For recently added action check here - https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/PublicNAMA/SitePages/Country.aspx?CountryId=170
National Action Plans
Environmental Affairs Law No.50 of 2002 - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC063021
National Strategies Related to International Mechanisms
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Part 1 - https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/sy/sy-nbsap-01-p1-ar.pdf
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Part 2 - https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/sy/sy-nbsap-01-p2-ar.pdf
National Regulations/Policies
Resolution No. 24/Tof 2008 on environmental tourism - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC081840
11th Five-Year Plan 2011-2015 - http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/law/11th-five-year-plan-2011-2015/
Law no 32 on the electric sector - http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/law/law-no-32-on-the-electric-sector/
Energy Conservation Law (Law no 3 of 2009) - http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/law/energy-conservation-law-law-no-3-of-2009/
Legislative Decree No. 30 of 1964 on the protection of aquatic livings - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC002167
Law No. 6 of 2018 on Forestry - http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/law/law-no-6-of-2018-on-forestry/
Resolution No. 3661/W of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation declaring the forests located in the zone of Mar Mousa Alhabashy as protected forests - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC054328
Legislative Decree No. 114 of 2011 establishing a fund to mitigate the effects of drought and natural disasters - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC186483
Legislative Decree No.29 of 2012 on Agricultural Land Reclamation - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC176192
Legislative Decree No.59 of 2005 regulating agricultural production - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC176007
Law No. 31 of 16 November 2005 on Water Legislation - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC081193
Decree No. 86/T of 2006 establishing the Directorate of National Project on Shifting to Modern Irrigation and defining its tasks - http://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC093130
Reviews of National Legislation and Policy
London School of Economics: National Climate Legislation - http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/country-profiles/syria
Financing
Key Areas of Climate Investment
Financing energy efficiency - https://www.thegef.org/project/lgge-energy-efficiency-code-buildings
Financing river resource management - https://www.thegef.org/project/med-coastal-rivers-and-orontes-river-basins-water-resources-management-project
Financing waste composting - https://www.isdb.org/projects/data/uid-pj0000540
Selected Relevant Sources of Climate Related Funding
Climate Funds Update - https://climatefundsupdate.org/data-dashboard/#1541245745457-d3cda887-f010
OECD Climate Change - https://www.oecd.org/env/cc/
OECD Investment for Green Growth - https://www.oecd.org/environment/green.htm
Multilateral Funders
Syria receives climate funding from the Islamic Development Bank and the Global Environment Facility, among others.
Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning
Vulnerability/Adaptation Capacity Data
Notre Dame's Global Adaptation Initiative Vulnerability/Readiness Climate Change Index - https://gain.nd.edu/our-work/country-index/
Environmental Performance Index - https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/
Natural Disaster/Hazards
PreventionWeb - https://www.preventionweb.net/english/countries/asia/syr
Drought vulnerability in the Arab region: case study - Drought in Syria, ten years of scarce water (2000-2010) - https://knowledge.unccd.int/publications/drought-vulnerability-arab-region-case-study-drought-syria-ten-years-scarce-water-2000
Energy Supply and Demand
Energy Statistics - https://www.iea.org/countries/syria
Land Use
Impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on land use and transboundary freshwater resources - https://www.pnas.org/content/113/52/14932
AQUASTAT Report - http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/CA0350EN
Economic Development/Quality of Life and Livelihoods
Resilient Livelihoods for Agriculture and Food and Nutrition Security in Areas Affected by the Syria Crisis - http://www.fao.org/publications/card/en/c/19477cf3-886a-4423-82b8-3ecea165ebb8
Special Report: FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to the Syrian Arab Republic - http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA5934EN
Monitoring food security in countries with conflict situations - http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA5938EN
Summaries of Programming and Priorities
Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment in Syria's first National Communication - https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Syria_Initial%20National%20Communication.pdf
Case Studies
weADAPT Case Studies
weADAPT Entries - https://www.weadapt.org/case-studies?keyword=syria
Islamic Development Bank Reports
IsDB Country Page - https://www.isdb.org/syria
Climate, Climate Change, and Environmental Data
Natural Disaster/Hazards Data
ThinkHazard - http://thinkhazard.org/en/report/238-syrian-arab-republic
Energy Supply and Demand Data
Renewable Energy Mapping - http://resourceirena.irena.org/gateway/countrySearch/?countryCode=SYR
Land Use Data
FAOStat - http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/
Weather/Meteorological Data
World Meteorological Organization Profile - https://www.wmo.int/cpdb/syria
Country tags
