Introduction

Armenia, a nation acutely vulnerable to climate change, has embarked on ambitious projects to expand its forested areas and mitigate carbon emissions. Among these efforts is the "Forest Resilience of Armenia, Enhancing Adaptation and Rural Green Growth via Mitigation" project, funded by the Green Climate Fund of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and co-financed by various international and Armenian organizations. With an $18.7 million budget, the project aimed to introduce sustainable forestry practices and reduce fuelwood demand while promoting climate-adapted forest management.

However, the initiative has been overshadowed by a staggering level of mismanagement. Out of six greenhouses built to grow saplings with a closed root system, four were destroyed—two were later restored, while the other two remain in ruins. This egregious waste of international funding points to a glaring lack of oversight and accountability within Armenia’s Ministry of Environment and the two state non-commercial organizations (SNCOs) operating under it.

The Collapse of the Greenhouses

The six greenhouses, each spanning 500 square meters, were constructed in Hrazdan, Sisian, and Tashir under the management of Hayantar SNCO. Despite their intended purpose of nurturing saplings for reforestation efforts, four of the greenhouses never fulfilled their function. The two in Tashir were destroyed twice by strong winds—the latest incident occurring on December 28, 2023. Meanwhile, the Sisian greenhouse succumbed to snow load during the same winter. Only the greenhouses in Hrazdan remain operational.

The Ministry of Environment attributes these failures to extreme weather conditions. However, the company that built the greenhouses, VES Group LLC, disputes this claim, blaming the forestry authorities for neglecting necessary maintenance procedures.

A Procurement Process Marred by Flaws

The tender for greenhouse construction was announced in June 2022, attracting two bidders: "Father and Son Beglaryans" LLC and "VES Group" LLC. The former was disqualified due to a missing bid security document, leaving VES Group as the sole contractor. VES Group, founded in 2020 by Vardan Aslanyan, was awarded the contract despite having a limited track record in large-scale forestry projects.

A closer examination of the project specifications reveals troubling discrepancies. The Ministry of Environment based the greenhouse design on standards from a 2019 government decision concerning agricultural crop cultivation—rather than forestry-specific greenhouse requirements. This lack of foresight likely contributed to their structural vulnerability.

A Blame Game Between Contractors and Authorities

Following the destruction of the Sisian greenhouses in December 2023, the Ministry of Environment insisted that weather was solely to blame. However, VES Group’s founder, Vardan Aslanyan, argued that the collapse resulted from negligence by Sisian Forestry staff.

According to Aslanyan, the greenhouses were equipped with a special dual-layer membrane system and a heating system designed to prevent snow accumulation. The heating system, capable of operating on both gas and diesel, was never activated. Forestry officials countered that the area lacked a gas supply—yet they failed to explain why they did not use diesel as an alternative.

Aslanyan also pointed out that a similar greenhouse built by his company in a neighboring village withstood the same snow load because staff there had taken proper precautions. This raises a critical question: if the same type of greenhouse survived elsewhere, why did those in Sisian fail?

Tashir: A Case of Repeated Failures

The greenhouses in Tashir suffered an even more embarrassing fate. They were first destroyed in early 2023 but were subsequently restored. Just two months later, on December 28, 2023, they collapsed again under wind speeds of 37 m/s—well beyond the 25 m/s wind resistance threshold specified for the structures.

A special commission, assembled by Hayantar SNCO to assess the damage, determined that rebuilding in the same location was unwise due to frequent strong winds. Yet, inexplicably, restoration efforts proceeded in the same vulnerable spot. The repeated destruction of these greenhouses suggests not just poor planning but an utter disregard for expert recommendations.

Financial Mismanagement and a Lack of Accountability

Each greenhouse cost approximately $200,000 to construct. Given that two of the six were destroyed twice and another remains unusable, this represents a significant waste of funds. The Ministry of Environment has not taken legal action against any entity involved, claiming that the damage resulted from "dangerous weather phenomena."

Furthermore, a report from the Green Climate Fund in 2022 already highlighted delays and unfulfilled project activities due to administrative bottlenecks and unforeseen construction issues. These warnings were ignored, leading to the current debacle.

Conclusion: A Crisis of Governance

The Armenian government has demonstrated an alarming degree of incompetence in managing this project. The failure to ensure the structural integrity of the greenhouses, the lack of accountability for those responsible, and the decision to proceed with rebuilding in areas deemed unsuitable all point to gross mismanagement.

At a time when Armenia is seeking international aid for climate adaptation, such failures damage the country’s credibility. If millions of dollars in climate funding can be squandered so recklessly, one must question whether the nation’s leaders are genuinely committed to environmental sustainability or merely paying lip service to international donors.

Without urgent reforms in project oversight and governance, Armenia risks not only losing future international funding but also failing in its crucial fight against climate change. The greenhouse disaster is a stark warning: incompetence comes at a cost—one that the country and its people can no longer afford.