The Initial National Communication on Climate Change of Montenegro to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The process of preparation of the Initial National Communication began in April 2008, and was financially supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), through a project of the Montenegrin Government and the UNDP / GEF – “Enabling Activity for the Preparation of Montenegro’s Initial National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC“. The main objective of the project was strengthening of technical and institutional capacity to address climate change issues and their integration into sectoral and national development priorities.
The first drafts of national GHG inventories for 1990 and 2003 were prepared in 2005, in the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by and between the ministries of environment of the Republic of Italy and Montenegro. For the purposes of this Communication, the first draft inventory for 1990, which was chosen as the base year, was evaluated and improved through review of all input data and by using more recent research results and documents that were not available for the preparation of the inventory version of 2005.
The Initial National Communication also presents the GHG inventories for 2003 and 2006 that were prepared as a part of the said cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea. The GHG inventory for 2003 was prepared using the IPCC methodology with the Sectoral approach and is consistent with the inventory the base year 1990. The GHG inventory for 2006 was prepared for the purpose of reporting according to the LRTAP Convention, using the CORINAIR methodology. The emissions of greenhouse gases in 2006 are not comparable with those of 1990 and 2003, due to a partial consistency of methodologies, so for this reason the GHG emissions for 2006 are shown separately in Annex II to this Communication.
Around 20 local experts from various fields were engaged and have worked in multi-disciplinary teams to prepare an inventory of greenhouse gases, a program of measures for ensuring adequate adaptation to changed climatic conditions and a program of measures to mitigate climate change, An important role in this process was played by the Ministry for Spatial Planning and Environment (as the focal point for the Convention and Protocol), as well as by other relevant ministries (Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, etc.) and institutions (Environmental Protection Agency, Hydrometeorological Institute, etc.). The Steering and Advisory Committees were established to monitor the preparation of the Initial National Communication, with representation from all relevant ministries, scientific and professional institutions, Academy of Science and Arts, non-governmental and business sectors and the UNDP. The document was planned to be completed and submitted to the Secretariat of the Convention until October 2010. Within the same project, the preparation of a study was initiated to assess the economic impacts of climate change on vulnerable sectors of the economy of Montenegro. This study is planned to be completed in parallel with the completion of the Initial National Communication.
The Communication that follows was prepared in accordance with the recommendations given in the "Guidelines for the preparation of national communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention" (17/CP.8), the appropriate GEF procedures and relevant Montenegrin legislation and documents. In the process of preparation of the Communication, technical and steering/ advisory teams encountered certain difficulties. Those were primarily related to lack of data (unavailability of certain data or data series, unreliability, etc.), but also to an insufficient level of knowledge and awareness about climate change and a relatively low level of institutional capacity.
Notwithstanding the aforementioned difficulties, the process of drafting the Initial National Communication and the document itself are in many ways significant for Montenegro. First of all, the process contributed to developing the capacity for systematic monitoring of GHG emissions and their reporting. In addition, the Communication identified for the first time a range of measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as general constraints, gaps and needs the country faces in its efforts to define the appropriate responses to climate change, stressing at the same time the necessity of integration of climate change in sectoral policies and programs. The assessment of economic impact of climate change on vulnerable sectors of the Montenegrin economy resulted in preliminary, rough estimates of economic effects of the expected physical impacts that were identified in the Initial National Communication in certain sectors due to climate change. The study also deals with the evaluation of methodologies, data required and the necessary development of analytical and institutional capacity to accurately assess impacts of climate change on economic parameters in the future. It is expected that this study would be useful for further climate change integration into sectoral policies and for the preparation of the Second National Communication.
The first national Communication is an important strategic document for the sustainable development of Montenegro. The principles and objectives adopted by the country through confirmation of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto protocol and by supporting the Copenhagen Agreement, as well as those originating from the process of stabilization and association to the EU, have been operationalized by this document. Starting from this important initial step in addressing the issue of climate change, Montenegro is planning to prepare the Second National Communication and will continue to play an active role in global and regional partnerships.
 The Initial National Communication on Climate Change of Montenegro to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
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