GRULAC Preparatory Meeting for the 2019 Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, Conference of the Parties

The Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 2019 Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Conference of the Parties (COPs) was held in Montevideo, Uruguay from March 27^th-30^th, 2019. Trinidad and Tobago participated as a Party to the three (3) multilateral environmental agreements in the chemicals and waste cluster: the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, which are commonly referred to as the BRS Conventions. The country was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist, Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of Planning and Development. The Ministry of Planning and Development serves as the Focal Point to these Conventions.

The aim of the regional preparatory meeting was to provide the GRULAC Parties with an opportunity to consult with each other in advance of the meetings of the triple BRS COPs, identify regional priorities and challenges, consider meeting documents and discuss substantive matters with an aim of arriving at regional positions in advance of the COPs.

The meeting was attended by a total of ninety-one (91) participants, including sixty (60) representatives from twenty-six (26) Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) countries. The agenda of the Preparatory Meeting comprised of a three (3) day session on a range of topics, inclusive of a small ceremony to commemorate the thirtieth (30^th) anniversary of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal.

Under the joint BRS session, the main topics of discussion were on technical assistance and the Basel and Stockholm Convention Regional Centres, of which Trinidad and Tobago is the host country for the Basel Convention Regional Centre for the Caribbean region. Discussions also centred on the two (2) chemicals under consideration for listing to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); PFOA, its salts and PFOA-related compounds, and dicofol, and those proposed for listing under the Rotterdam Convention, namely: acetochlor, hexabromocyclododecane, phorate, carbosulfan, chrysotile asbestos, fenthion and paraquat formulations. Under the Basel Convention, the key issues related to marine litter and plastic waste, household waste, the technical guidelines on POPs, e-wastes, mercury wastes and landfills, and the Ban Amendment which was established to prevent disposal of hazardous wastes in specified territories.

There was a also a Gender Training Workshop and an Information Session on the Minamata Convention on Mercury, held in conjunction with the preparatory meeting. The objective of the interactive Gender Training Workshop was to improve understanding of gender, promote mainstreaming and describe how it contributes to the sound management of chemicals and waste, as well as to catalyse implementation of the BRS Gender Action Plan. During the information session on the Minamata Convention on Mercury participants were apprised about the emerging technical, policy and financial issues under the Minamata Convention. 

Ms. Keima Gardiner - T&T's representative at the 2019 GRULAC Preparatory Meeting

GRULAC Delegates at the Regional Preparatory Meeting

The Caribbean Contingent at the GRULAC Preparotory Meeting - Ms Keima Gardiner (2nd from right)

7th Session of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-7)

Launch of the Global Assessment Report in Paris 

(Photo courtesy: http://enb.iisd.org/ipbes/7-plenary/)

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) ended its one-week 7^th Plenary meeting in Paris on Saturday 4^th May, 2019. The major outcome of this session was the launch of the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. This report was prepared by about 150 scientists from 50 countries, who took about three years to research existing scientific studies and reports. The Assessment Report painted a relatively disappointing picture of human’s stewardship of nature…which appears inconsistent with many of the National Reports on Biodiversity submitted by Governments periodically, to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Two interesting summaries done by the BBC can be read here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48133143   and

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48169783

The IPBES official, advanced, unedited Summary for Policy Makers can be found here:

https://www.ipbes.net/system/tdf/spm_global_unedited_advance.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=35245

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago was represented at the 7^th Plenary by Dr Rahanna Juman, Deputy Director of the Institute of Marine Affairs. Another outcome of that meeting was the election of two members to the IPBES Bureau from the Latin America and Caribbean group of countries (GRULAC). The two members are Mrs. Anna Maria Hernandez of Colombia who was also voted in as the new Chair of IPBES, and Dr Floyd Homer of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr Juman was also elected to serve as the alternate to Dr Homer.

Dr Juman (extreme left) and fellow representatives from the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC)

(Photo courtesy: Dr R Juman)

Tenth Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention

The tenth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-10) of the Basel Convention on Controlling transboundary movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was held from 30^th May to June 2^nd, 2016 at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. 

As a Party to the Basel Convention, Trinidad and Tobago participated and was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Engineering Specialist of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division. Also in attendance were Dominica who represented the CARICOM Sub-Region along with Trinidad and Tobago as well as observers from Non-Party states, representatives from Basel Convention Regional Centres, academia, industry, IGOs and NGOs. 

Ms. Gardiner (second from the left) participating at the OEWG-10 in Kenya on May 20th—June 2nd, 2016.

Matters discussed included:

• technical guidelines on environmentally sound management of waste
• guidelines for the national reporting on e-waste, used lead batteries and waste oil
• the Cartagena Declaration  with emphasis on technology transfer as proffered by the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC)
• the proposed partnership on household waste, and the developments with the World Customs Organisation (*This was important as Trinidad and Tobago has embarked on an exercise to establish an Import and Export Licensing System)

The proceedings at OEWG-10 was a useful platform to monitor the progress of implementation of the decisions adopted at the twelfth meeting of the COP (COP-12), while setting the framework for prioritizing action in preparation for the upcoming COP. As an active participant at this forum, Trinidad and Tobago is in an advantageous position to build on the momentum created and have more profound engagements at upcoming COP in 2017.

Regional Preparation for the BRS COPs 2015

The Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Convention Conference of the Parties (COPs) was held in Montevideo, Uruguay from 14-15 April, 2015. 

As a Party to these three (3) multilateral environmental agreements, otherwise  referred to as the BRS Conventions, Trinidad and Tobago participated in this Regional Preparatory Meeting. The country was represented by  Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Engineering Specialist, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

The Meeting was also attended by representatives from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) who were Party to at least one of the three aforementioned chemical and waste Conventions. In addition, there were observers from regional Basel and Stockholm Regional Centres and Coordinating Centres, a range of Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), representatives from the BRS Secretariat, as well as, the President of the Bureau of the COP to the Stockholm Convention and a representative from the donor country, Switzerland.

The aim of the regional preparatory meeting was to provide parties with an opportunity to consult each other, in advance of the Meetings of the COP, in order to identify regional priorities and challenges, consider meeting documents and discuss substantive joint BRS matters.  Ms. Gardiner chaired one of the sessions of this meeting, in her capacity as one of the Vice Presidents to the Bureau of the COP to the Stockholm Convention. 

Key recommendations that would be presented, as a region, at the COPs of the BRS Conventions in May, 2015 included proposals related to regional initiatives, strategic issues, financial and technical support, fostering partnerships for ensuring that hazardous wastes are managed and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner and discussing matters as it relates to guidance on the operations of the Basel Regional Centre for the Caribbean.