Friday 28 March 2014

Stakeholder Consultation and Training for the Carbon Reduction Strategy Project


A stakeholder consultation for the Carbon Reduction Strategy Project was held on Thursday March 20th, 2014 at the University of the West Indies (UWI),  St. Augustine. Key stakeholders from the power generation, transportation and industrial sectors of Trinidad and Tobago were invited to this consultation to discuss  proposed carbon mitigation actions for the country.

Some key stakeholders from the power generation, transportation and industrial sectors of Trinidad and Tobago in attendance.
Mr. Kepa Solaun from Factor CO2, the project consultant firm reiterated that the intention of the consultation was to get ideas and feedback about the mitigation actions for the country and for further cost benefit/effectiveness analysis.

Three working groups were formed and participants retreated to various places across campus to discuss the proposed carbon reduction actions for the three sectors. The consultation concluded with a plenary where each group presented their recommendations. 
 
On Friday March 21st, 2014, Factor CO2 conducted a training exercise among a small group comprising of  persons from the three key sectors on the development and the use of the model which was utilised for the development of business as usual (BAU) emission scenarios for the three sectors locally. It was practical  experience in model use allowing key stakeholders to understand how the scenarios were generated given the data available and assumptions made.  

 

Mr. Kumarsingh (Head, Multilateral Environmental Unit of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)   addressing the small group from key   sectors before the start of  training on the model used for the BAU emission scenarios for the three sectors

 

Tuesday 18 March 2014

IUCN/TNC Scientific Forum on the BIOPAMA Programme


From 10 - 14 March, 2014 the fourth meeting of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2 – 4) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Bonn, Germany. 

There were over one thousand and seventy-one (1071) participants from government, civil society, academia, intergovernmental   agencies and the private sector. Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, His Excellency Rodney Charles and Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations.

 Excellency Rodney Charles and Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations.

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 at the ADP 2 - 4.

Mr. Kumarsingh (left) and Mr. Runge-Metzger (right) co-chars of the ADP,  ADP 2- 4 March 2014

 The ADP 2 - 4 focused on:
  •  adaptation and mitigation
  •  nationally determined contributions and finance
  •  technology and capacity building (means of implementation)
  • ambition and equity,          
  •  transparency of action and support among other related issues through open-ended consultations.
Technical expert meetings on renewable energy and energy efficiency were also held. These technical meetings included sessions on policies, practices and technology, implementation of actions, finance, capacity building, and discussions on the way forward.