Approval of the Capacity Development for improved management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for Global Environmental Benefits Project

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has received approval from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for its project entitled, “Capacity Development for Improved Management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for Global Benefits.”  This project will be done in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme.

The objective of this project is to strengthen national capacities for implementation of the Rio conventions (i.e. the Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and other Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in Trinidad and Tobago.

The project’s strategy is to achieve this through:

• training on environmental obligations, rules and regulations, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and  national reporting guidelines and requirements to the Conventions for key actors including civil society and key members of national institutions as well as coordinating bodies with responsibilities for  environmental matters 
• create, leverage and maintain coordination and alignment among relevant bodies by creating cross institutional alliances, strengthening management capacities for implementing Convention requirements and developing coordination mechanisms to replicate and disseminate necessary information and approaches 
• develop an awareness and communications strategy to raise awareness of MEA obligations and  requirements and disseminate project results awareness to effectively coordinate the achievement of global obligations. 

Lima limate Change Conference

The Lima Climate Change Conference convened from 1-14 December 2014, in Lima, Peru. It included the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 10th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 10).

Three subsidiary bodies (SBs) also met: the 41st sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 41) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 41), and the seventh part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-7).

Trinidad and Tobago was among the parties to participate at the COP20/CMP10. The country delegation comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs  including the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Winston Dookeran (Head of delegation), Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis, (Director, Multilateral Relations Division) , Ms. Rueanna Haynes (Second Secretary, Permanent Representative to the UN, New York), and Ms. Joanna Ross (International Relations Officer).  Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources served as the co-chair of the ADP along with Artur Runge-Metzger of the European Union for  the ADP 2 - 7.

 

Mr. Kumarsingh, co-chair Of ADP following amendments to draft text

The negotiations were centred on the advancement of the work of the ADP towards a new climate agreement at COP 21 in Paris in 2015 as well as the elaboration of the information, and process required for submission of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs).

Extensive negotiations resulted in a draft decision entitled the “Lima Call for Climate Action” sets in motion the negotiations in the coming year towards a 2015 agreement, the process for submitting and reviewing INDCs, and enhancing the pre-2020 ambition. Parties also adopted 19 decisions, 17 under the COP and two under the CMP that, inter alia: operationalized the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage; established the Lima work programme on gender; and adopted the Lima Declaration on Education and Awareness Raising.

The Lima Climate Change Conference was able to lay the groundwork for COP-21 Paris 2015, by capturing progress made in elaborating the elements of a draft negotiating text for the 2015 agreement and adopting a decision on INDCs, including their scope, upfront information, and steps to be taken by the Secretariat after their submission.

Caribbean Sub-Regional Workshop on the Updating of NIPs and POPs Wastes under the Stockholm Convention

On December 8 - 10th, 2014 the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer (BCRC-Caribbean) hosted the Caribbean Sub-Regional Workshop on the Updating of National Implementation Plans (NIPs) and Persistent Organic  Pollutants (POPS) at the Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain. 

The Training Workshop was facilitated by representatives from the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions; Ms. Jacqueline Alvarez and Ms. Tatiana Terekhova and the International POPs Consultant, Dr. Roland Weber.

Eight (8) English speaking Caribbean countries who are signatory to the Stockholm Convention participated including representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis,   St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner (Environmental Engineering Specialist) and Ms. Amrita Bhagan (On-the-Job Trainee) from the Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

The Workshop involved:

• a preparatory webinar session prior to the commencement of the workshop
• presentations that facilitated discussions amongst participants on case studies and group exercises
• awareness building of the available support tools that can be acquired for reviewing and updating of their NIPs and inventories as well as toolkits for use particularly with consideration of the POPs newly added to the Convention and the implications of utilizing these chemicals, and strategies for developing appropriate management actions for their sound use.
• a site visit to Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) in Claxton Bay
  
  

Participants of the Caribbean Sub-regional Workshop including Ms. Bhagan and Ms. Gardiner (front row, from L-R)

 

 

NOU Public Awareness Activities and Training

School Programmes:

 Ms. Krysten Harris of the NOU (back row),  Ministry of the  Environment

 and Water  Resources with students of  Lambeau A.C  Primary 

School after a sensitization  session.

With the aim of increasing public awareness, the National Ozone Unit (NOU) began conducting sensitization programmes in schools across the country during the month of November. Students were educated on the Montreal Protocol, the Ozone Layer and its depletion, and current initiatives being undertaken by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The NOU has presented to classes ranging from lower primary school to Form Six and plans to continue doing so in the new 2015 school term. Schools visited include:

• Holy Name Convent, Port of Spain 
• St. Francois Girls’ College 
•  Bishop Centenary College 
•  Lambeau A.C. Primary School 
•  Bon Accord Government Primary

 

Customs Brokers Training:

Dr. Marissa Gowrie, the NOU’s Ozone Officer, 

speaking with participants of the Customs Brokers Training

On 25th November, 2014 the NOU held its first training session for customs brokers at Premier Quality Services Limited, Macoya. This training was done in an effort to strengthen the relationship between the NOU and stakeholders in the trade of ozone depleting substances (ODS), and to increase understanding of the requirements for importation of refrigeration and air conditioning gases.

The workshop was a collaborative effort between the NOU, Trade Licensing Unit, Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS), Customs and Excise Division and the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Association. It was well attended by 22 customs brokers from various companies.

Presentations made to the participants included:

• The Montreal Protocol and the science of the Ozone Layer and its depletion by Dr. Marissa Gowrie (NOU)
• HS Tariff Codes for Refrigerants (Customs Quick Tool) by Ms. Neera Singh (NOU) 
• Role of TTBS in monitoring imports and identifying refrigerants by Mr. Urvyn Boochoon (TTBS) 
•  TT Biz Link and ASYCUDA by Ms. Kerry Ann Alexander (Customs Academy).

Mr. Urvyn Boochoon of TTBS having a practical session with customs brokers on the use of refrigerant identifiers

This training session also encompassed the information gained from a regional training workshop held in Grenada in 2013 which focused on “Protecting Caribbean Borders from Illegal Trade in Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).” The collaborative efforts were well received and the NOU intends to continue further training with custom brokerage firms in 2015.

Second Stakeholder Workshop under the CRS

The Second Stakeholder Consultation Workshop under the Carbon Reduction Strategy Project:

 

The Second Stakeholder Consultation Workshop under the Carbon Reduction Strategy (CRS) Project was held at the Cara Suites  Hotel and Conference Centre, Claxton Bay on the 11th November, 2014. Seventy-four (74) persons including participants and organisers attended the stakeholder consultation.

The agenda comprised various elements, namely Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and group discussion on the implementation, coordination and financing about the future of the Climate Change Strategy of Trinidad and Tobago.

In general, the stakeholders contributed with improvements to the Strategy giving specific feedback on how to improve the  coordination, the financing and the data retrieval process. The feedback received would enhance the definition of those  sections, facilitating the implementation of the Strategy and strengthening it. 

Workshops were also held during the month of November, 2014:

 

Module 1:  November 13^th 2014 - Cara Suites Hotel

This module provided a first introduction to climate change for the attendees who may not be familiarized with it. The module aided persons to understand the concept, its consequences and the  evolution of the international action to tackle it.

Module 2: November 14^th 2014 - Cara Suites Hotel

This module focused on existing mechanisms and tools that can be used by the government to tackle climate change including detailed descriptions of the mechanisms. Through an interactive activity, attendees were better able to understand their functioning.

Module 3: 18^th- 19^th November 2014 - UTT Chaguanas Campus

This technical module contained knowledge that is necessary in order to develop any greenhouse gas (GHG) related calculations. It provided the tools to calculate emissions and analyze GHG emissions reduction actions. Participants were able to use the Excel models and perform calculations.

Module 4: 20^th - 21^st November 2014 -UTT Chaguanas Campus

This technical module comprised knowledge that is necessary in order to develop any risk and vulnerability analysis to evaluate GHG adaptation options. Again, participants were able to use the Excel models and so execute calculations.

Module 0: 27^th November 2014 - Hilton Hotel and Conference  Centre, Trinidad

This module focused on raising awareness among Permanent Secretaries and high level technocrats about basic climate change concepts and the necessity to consider climate change and its consequences when making high-level national decisions This was done by exposing them to two types of valuable information including threats caused by climate change and opportunities it may present.  In addition, the module informed participants about the initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.