Meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Conferences of the Parties, 2019

The protection of human health and the environment, through the environmentally sound management (ESM) of hazardous materials is the common objective of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, commonly known as the BRS Conventions. The 2019 Meetings of the COPs to the BRS Conventions were held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 29^th - May 10^th, 2019. Trinidad and Tobago participated as a Party to these three (3) multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) in the chemicals and waste cluster and was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist, Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD), Ministry of Planning and Development; Head of Delegation, Mr Hasmath Ali, Ministry of Health; and Mr. Wayne Rajkumar, of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).

Approximately 1,400 delegates from 180 countries spent two (2) tedious weeks negotiating towards the adoption of several decisions. These decisions included the topical issue of plastic pollution as exhibited through the landmark decision to increase the cross-border control of low-quality plastic waste, and the establishment of a global Partnership on Plastic Waste under the Basel Convention, the global treaty that deals with the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal. Locally, this decision would be effected through the EMA, the National Competent Authority under the Basel Convention.

There was also the listing of two (2) new toxic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under Annex A of the Stockholm Convention: Dicofol, a pesticide (production of which is primarily in India and is expected to cease soon) and perflorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related compounds. PFOA is used for non-stick kitchenware, surface treatments in textiles, paper and paints and in fire-fighting foams. Annex A listing means that all Parties are to take all measures to eliminate the production and use of these POPs. Once endorsed, Trinidad and Tobago's National Implementation Plan on POPs will work towards achieving this.

Under the Rotterdam Convention, there was the historic adoption of a Compliance Mechanism, 15 years after the Convention's entry into force, via a majority vote of 120-6. Trinidad and Tobago was one (1) of twenty (20) countries in the ‘Friends of the President’ group established to initially resolve this issue by consensus. There was also the listing of two (2) new chemicals: phorate, a toxic pesticide and the industrial chemical hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), which means these would now be subject to the prior informed consent (PIC) procedure to promote information exchange between countries engaged in its trade. Locally, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Inspectorate and the Environmental Policy and Planning Division would be responsible for this process.

On the invitation of the BCRC Caribbean, Ms. Keima Gardiner presented on behalf of the Caribbean SIDS at a side event on ‘Bringing the Benefits of BRS Conventions to SIDS’. The delegation also took the opportunity to pay a visit to Her Excellency, Permanent Representative, Ambassador Makeda Antoine-Cambridge at the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, Geneva.

T&T Representative (L-R) - Mr. Wayne Rajkumar, Ms. Keima Gardiner and Mr. Hasmath Ali

Ms. Keima Gardiner (front, centre) representing T&T in the 'Friends of the President Group'

Ms. Keima Gardiner presenting on 'Bringing the Benefits of BRS Conventions to SIDS'

MEDIA LAUNCH: SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY OF SELECTED PROTECTED AREAS IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

On Monday August 12^th, 2019 the Central Statistical Office (CSO) in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Organisation Food of the United Nations (FAO/UN) held a media launch of the Socio-Economic Survey of the communities surrounding the six (6) pilot protected areas (PPAs) under the project. These PPAs are the Main Ridge Forest Reserve in Tobago, the proposed North-East Tobago Marine Protected Area, Matura Forest and coastal zone, Trinity Hills and eastern extension, Nariva Swamp and coastal zone and Caroni Swamp.

The socio-economic assessment is part FAO-GEF Project “Improving Forest and Protected Areas Management in Trinidad and Tobago” and seeks to examine the interactions between the PPAs and the members of communities who live in and around six pilot PPAs.  The study will examine their socioeconomic attributes, reliance on PPAs for various needs (if any) and opportunities for sustaining and enhancing income opportunities through biodiversity-related ecosystem services.  Earlier in the project, an Information Needs Assessment was conducted to identify available information to contribute to the conduct of the socioeconomic assessment, to propose a methodology for data gathering and evaluation and prepare a detailed work plan for the implementation of the assessment.

The CSO will perform the field surveys, aided by a team of technical experts who will provide support to the CSO to execute the field work (using the methodology and work plan referenced above) and to draft a narrative socioeconomic report based on the information identified in the Information Needs Assessment and the field work of the CSO.

The launch of the event featured addresses by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Development, Ms. Ayleen Ovid; FAO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname Mr Reuben Robertson, Director of the CSO Mr Sean O'Brien and Senior Statistician of the CSO, Ms Ava Mahabir-Dass.

Training also began on Monday 12^th, August for the enumerators who will soon be engaged in the Socio-Economic Survey of selected communities near protected areas in Trinidad and Tobago". This 2-week training exercise is being held at the CSO, Training Room, Port-of-Spain.

Director of CSO , Mr Sean O'Brien addresses the audience

(L-R) Director of CSO Mr Sean O'Brien; Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Planning and Development, Ms. Ayleen Ovid; FAO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, Mr Reuben Robertson and Senior Statistician of the CSO, Ms Ava Mahabir-Dass

Survey enumerators undergoing training

Vacancies for Consultants- BIOREACH: Biodiversity Conservation and Agroecological Land Restoration in Productive Landscapes of Trinidad and Tobago

Vacancies for Consultants: 

• National Project Coordinator - GEF 7 PPG 
• Gender Consultant
• Socio-environmental Risk Analyst

The Global Environment Facility (GEF 7) project, titled “Integration of Protected Areas Management and Mainstreaming Biodiversity and Agroecology Management in the Rural Landscape of Trinidad and Tobago”, also known as BIOREACH, is now in the Project Preparation Grant Phase. 

The BIOREACH project’s objective is to protect the environment by deterring land degradation and safeguarding the biodiversity required for sustainable agriculture, forestry and other land uses . The Full-Scale Project has four components: 

1. Biodiversity-supportive land use planning 
2. Forest and Agricultural landscape restoration and biodiversity protection through agroecology 
3. Enabling environment for green, biodiversity-friendly value chain development 
4. Knowledge management and monitoring 

The national consultants will work with FAO technical officers to prepare the full-scale project. This should be completed, and the project presented to Government and the FAO GEF Secretariat by 10 March 2020. The Ministry of Planning and Development /Environmental Policy and Planning Division is responsible for the project with FAO designated as the GEF implementing agency.

For more information on the vacancies: 

The vacancies are posted on FAO recruitment website (jobs.fao.org) .Please use the Explorer browser to access the links to vacancies and information on the application process ;

National Project Coordinator - GEF 7 -PPG (1901882):

https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=1901882&tz=GMT%2B02%3A00&tzname

Socio-Environmental Risk Analyst (1901881):
https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=1901881&tz=GMT%2B02%3A00&tzname

Gender Consultant (1901883): 

https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=1901883&tz=GMT%2B02%3A00&tzname

Note: Professional project staff and Consultants are employed, usually on a short-term basis, to provide expertise to temporary FAO needs or projects outside of the FAO regular programme of work. For this project the vacancies are for locally hired professionals on short term assignments.

Application Deadline: 13 August 2019 4.00 PM

Inaugural Meeting of the BIOREACH Steering Committee

Trinidad and Tobago has received approval for a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project entitled “BIOREACH: Biodiversity Conservation and Agroecological Land Restoration in Productive Landscapes of Trinidad and Tobago”. Under this project Trinidad and Tobago would have access to US$4.27 million grant funding from the GEF to implement the project over four (4) years. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the GEF Implementation Agency that has been selected to assist Trinidad and Tobago with the Project.

In order to access this funding, a detailed project document will have to be developed within the next eighteen months and submitted by the FAO to the GEF Secretariat for approval. The deadline for submission of this detailed project document is December 2020. The preparation of the project document is being guided by a multi-stakeholder steering committee consisting of representatives from the Environmental Management Authority, Ministry of Planning and Development (Environmental Policy and Planning Division; Town and Country Planning Division), Tobago House of Assembly (Division of Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries; Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment), Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries (Forestry Division; Agriculture Planning Division), Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Cocoa Development Co. of Trinidad and Tobago, Green Market Santa Cruz, Environment Tobago and FAO.

The inaugural meeting of the Committee was held on July 24, 2019 at the Ministry of Planning and Development. 

Further details on the project can be found in the Project Identification Form (PIF) document that is available for download here.

Discussions during the Inaugural Steering Committee of the BIOREACH Project