Capacity Development for improved management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for global environmental benefits Project

The Trinidad and Tobago Government through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) has initiated the preparation of a Global Environmental Facility (GEF) medium sized project entitled "Capacity Development for improved management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) for global environmental benefits" in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

It's objective 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 MEAs in Trinidad and Tobago.

To achieve this, the project's strategy incorporates:

• training for civil society and key members of national institutions and coordinating bodies with responsibility for environmental matters on environmental obligations, rules and regulations, monitoring and evaluation, and national reporting guidelines and requirements under the Conventions
• creating cross institutional alliances, strengthening management capacities for implementing Convention requirements and developing coordination mechanisms to disseminate information and replicate approaches 
• developing a communication strategy to raise awareness of MEA obligations and requirements and disseminate project results 

Stakeholder consultations were convened with a wide range of stakeholders including community groups, civil society, the private sector, academic and research institutions, NGOs, governmental agencies and local authorities to solicit input in the project design and validation of the final project document. 

Validation workshops were held in Scarborough Tobago on May 27, 2015 and in Port-of-Spain on May 28, 2015. The feedback from these sessions were very informative and contributed to a successful endorsement of the draft project document leading to the eventual approval by GEF for funding to implement the Project  in July, 2015.

SNAPSHOTS FROM THE VALIDATION WORKSHOPS

Tobago (May 27, 2015)

Trinidad (May 28th, 2015

 

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. 

4th National CDM Workshop and MEA Sensitisation Session

The Fourth National Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Workshop was held on November 27th, 2013 at Paria Suites Hotel and Conference Centre. This workshop sought to bring closure to the CDM Project. It was also done in conjunction with the  Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) Sensitisation Session which was focused on engendering an understanding of, and support for, the successful implementation for the MEAs to which  Trinidad and Tobago are signatory, through increasing stakeholder awareness of the Conventions and their organisations roles in implementation.

In addition, to conclude the CDM project activities, the findings of the Reports for the project “Mainstreaming Climate Change into National Development and Capacity Building for the participation in carbon markets” were presented to raise awareness among stakeholders and identify nexuses.All the participants from former workshops were invited, as well as other important stakeholders from the energy and fiduciary sectors. All of the major MEAs to which Trinidad and Tobago are signatory were highlighted and briefly explained.

Participants at the 4th CDM Workshop 

and MEA Sensitisation Session

The major nexus between these conventions and the roles that CDM and the participants play were also identified and  explained so that participants could understand the long term vision of the MEA focal point network database. Additionally, it was also highlighted the importance of their continued participation and cooperation to work with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in rolling out what was also pinpointed as national initiatives and the goal of the National Climate Change Policy.

A summary of the UNEP Gap Report 2013 was also provided and a short history of the CDM and the future of carbon markets were also explained. Due to increasing challenges in CDM such as the uncertainty in the market carbon process, and the complexity of the CDM process leading to low levels of CDM activities in the Caribbean Region, the UNFCCC Regional Collaborative Centre in Grenada was established amongst other regional centres.

This Centre was formed to further aid in the growth of potential CDM projects by providing technical support and other related expert services to expand the regions carbon market potential. Potential benefits and projects were highlighted to the  stakeholders to express the level of support that would be provided for future CDM projects.

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (Head,  MEAU) giving remarks

 at the 4th CDM Workshop and MEA Sensitisation Session

A presentation was made by Petrotrin explaining their CDM  project, and the process it took them to reach the stage of registration. They also explained the lessons learnt going through all the steps and the potential benefits to other organisations in partnering with them under their Programme of Activity (PoA). 

To close the workshop, the way forward and the next steps for Trinidad and Tobago were outlined by identifying the national initiatives and projects such as carbon and capture and storage, the mainstreaming of climate change into national development, and the elaboration of a strategy for reducing  carbon emissions.

 

 

The Caribbean Regional Workshops on MEAs

At the end of January, 2013 The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat hosted two workshops in St.Lucia during the period January 23 - 30th, 2013.

The workshops addressed the harmonisation of reporting by Caribbean Countries and the usage of Integrated Environment Assessment tools (IEA) tools to mainstream four (4) biodiversity related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) into national policy:

• The Convention on Biological Diversity 
• The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
• The Convention Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)
• The Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (the SPAW Protocol) of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention)  

These workshops were executed by the Caribbean Hub of the Project for Capacity Building Related to MEAs in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, in collaboration with the Government of St. Lucia. The Caribbean Hub is a partnership between CARICOM Secretariat and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).   

Attendees included representatives of the CARICOM Member States including Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, the African Commission, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and other regional and international organisations.

Ms Candace Amoroso Biodiversity Specialist in the Multilateral Environment Agreements Unit (MEAU); Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources represented Trinidad and Tobago at the first workshop on the Development and Use of a Proposed Caribbean Harmonised Reporting Template (CHART). This workshop took place during the period January 23-25, 2013. 

The goal of the workshop was to promote awareness and adoption of the CHART which was designed to make obligatory reporting on biodiversity related MEA activities efficient and easier to undertake. Discussions included the challenges facing synchronised reporting and concluded on the "Next Steps"  for the CHART.

Ms. Candace Amoroso (right) receiving a certificate of participation from the CARICOM-Secretariat 

The second workshop on MEA mainstreaming occurred from January 28-30, 2013. Ms. Denise Hakim, Research Analyst of the MEAU; Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources represented Trinidad and Tobago at this session. This workshop addressed the importance of mainstreaming MEAs into national policy to ensure their effective implementation and fulfilment of their objectives. Further application of IEA tools was recommended for action particularly regionally developed, in the creation of national development plans, policies and strategies with regards to MEAs.

Ms. Denise Hakim (left) receiving a certificate of participaton from the CARICOM-Secretariat

MEA Focal Point Sensitisation Session

The Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit (MEAU) of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources hosted a one day Sensitisation and Capacity Building Session on September 19, 2012 at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya. The purpose of the session was to sensitize all stakeholders from ministries, Government agencies, academic institutions, industry and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the MEAs under its purview.

Cross-section of the sensitisation session

The event was well attended by over 100 Focal Points, who are persons nominated to represent relevant stakeholders from the various sectors. In the Ministry’s endeavour to build a comprehensive Focal Point Network, the initial stage of engagement at this session was focused on raising awareness, sensitising and informing the stakeholders of the current MEAs and its Projects which are currently overseen by the MEAU. The Session also emphasised the importance of each Focal Point’s role in the success of environmental management from a holistic view to fulfil Trinidad and Tobago’s mandates and responsibilities under the Conventions it is signatory. 

The session commenced with introductory remarks by the Minister of the Environment and Water Resources, Senator the Honourable Mr Ganga Singh and opening remarks by Head of the MEAU, Mr Kishan Kumarsingh, as well as the official launching of the MEA booklet for stakeholders. The day was then focused on an introduction to the various MEAs under the purview of the MEAU and several of the ongoing specialised projects which contribute toward the fulfilment of our national obligations. 

Senator the Honourable Minister of the Environment and Water Resources Mr Ganga Singh emphasises the importance of the focal point network and collaboration in achieving national results

Climate Change was first on the agenda with an introduction to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol, followed by a brief overview of two projects: Mainstreaming Climate Change into National Development and Capacity Building for Participation in Carbon Markets; and the Elaboration of a Strategy for the Reduction of Carbon Emissions in Trinidad and Tobago.

The National Ozone Unit also provided an overview on the Montreal Protocol and the projects currently being executed with its stakeholders. Subsequent to this, the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and its Cartagena Protocol and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) were introduced, highlighting their national relevance and importance. Conventions that fall within the Waste and Chemicals cluster were also addressed, including the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions. An outline of the national project entitled Initial Assistance to Enable Trinidad and Tobago to fulfil its Obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was then presented, followed by the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean Region, providing information on their responsibility and mandates as a Regional Centre.

A focus group sharing their views on the role of the focal points during the thematic discussions

Proceedings were then focused on interaction and feedback from the participants, with a working session that highlighted the MEAs within the national context for Sustainable Development. The participants were then separated into constituencies along the respective Convention themes that seemed to be a best fit for their organisation, and were allowed to express their views on the day’s events, provide feedback on a previously distributed survey and discuss any matters arising out of the Sensitisation Session. 

Focal point from the Tobago House of Assembly airing her concerns during one of the question and answer sessions throughout the day

The event proved very useful and will be followed up with engagement opportunities for the Focal Points. Further to this, the MEAU continues to increase and improve on the Focal Point Database and examine different methods for continued communication and capacity building. This is to ensure the success of this network and information exchange to foster comprehensive national communication at the Conventions to which Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory.

Below are the presentations and information from the MEA Focal Point Sensitisation Session:

• MEAs Booklet
• Introduction to UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol
• Project: Mainstreaming Climate Change into National Development and Capacity Building for Participation in Carbon Markets
• Project: Elaboration of a Strategy for the Reduction of Carbon Emissions in Trinidad and Tobago
• Introduction to the Montreal Protocol and the National Ozone Unit
• Introduction to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
• Introduction to the Convention on Biological Diversity
• Introduction to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
• Project: Development of a National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
• Introduction to the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean
• MEAs and Sustainable Development
• MEA Questionnaire Feedback