Building capacity on climate change mitigation

The second in its series of training workshops for National Communications, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recently held a training workshop on mitigation assessment for developing countries, as a follow up to the first workshop on vulnerability and adaptation assessment. 

Wind, sun and biomass are renewable energy sources that can be used to switch away from fossil fuels as a means to mitigate climate change.

Trinidad and Tobago attended the UNFCCC Hands on Training for Latin America and the Caribbean Region on Mitigation Assessment, held in Antigua and Barbuda during July 16-20, 2012. The workshop was organized by the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention, and was attended by Ms Jewel Batchasingh, Climate Change/Ozone Specialist, MEAU. 

The CGE exists to provide technical assistance to Non-Annex I Parties (basically, developing countries) to undertake vulnerability and adaptation assessments with a view to improving the accuracy, consistency and transparency of information reported in their national communications (basically, national reports). The meeting sought to examine:

1.            Mitigating Climate Change

2.            Mitigation in the Context of National Communications and Biennial Update Reports

3.            Experiences in Mitigation Assessment and National Communications

4.            Mitigation Options, Issues and Barriers by Sector

5.            Screening Mitigation Options

6.            Mitigation Analysis, Methods and Tools

7.            Reporting Mitigation in National Communications

8.            Building National Arrangements for the Mitigation Assessment

Participation by Trinidad and Tobago at this particular workshop augured well with the current mitigation initiatives being pursued by the country, such as providing an overview of the various technologies and options that might be appropriate for mitigating greenhouse gases, as well as the types of policies and measures that can promote the implementation of those options, including examining energy supply, transportation, buildings, industry, agriculture, forestry, waste management, and cross-cutting mitigation options. It will also supplement our work in the preparation of National Communications to the UNFCCC.