YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Improvement of the alternative sources of energy is among the most important directions of our country’s energy security, but we should pay primary attention to energy saving and efficiency improvement, Deputy Nature Protection Minister Simon Papyan said at today’s workshop. The goal of the workshop is to discuss the issues in the field of sustainable development – sustainable urban development, territorial planning, housing policy, improvement of energy efficiency in buildings, reduction of disaster risks and to find solutions to the issues together with the international experts.

Simon Papyan noted that a number of pilot programs have been implemented in Goris and Yerevan  on energy saving, which will enable to ensure 30% energy efficiency in the buildings in winter. 

“Studies in the fields of territorial planning, housing policy, development of energy efficiency in the buildings and energy saving will be implemented in near future by the Urban Development Ministry of Armenia. On the basis of the study, proposals on resistance to climate changes and reduction of disaster risks will be formed,” said Urban Development Minister Narek Sargsyan.

“We live in an interesting period of time when international community restructures the global sustainable development policy. I hope that during the workshop we will reveal the spheres that are important for Armenia in this field,” said Paulius Kulikauskas, UN-Habitat's inter-regional advisor.

Representatives of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE or ECE), UN-Habitat, government of Armenia, local governing bodies, international and non-governmental organizations participate in the workshop.