LECB Technical Working Group Sessions

The Low Emission Capacity Building (LECB) Programme, Trinidad and Tobago convened technical working groups for the development of Low Carbon Action Plans and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) on November 5 and 6, 2015 at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Mt. Hope. 

The Consultant for these activities, Dr. Axel Michaelowa chaired these sessions. On November 5^th, the first session comprised presentations on NAMAs and Low Carbon Action Plans; the audience included a broad cross section of government, private and civil society groups.In the afternoon of November 5^th, two technical working groups convened for the transportation sector and the power generation sector.  On November 6, a technical working group for the industry sector was convened. This group was further subdivided into the upstream and downstream groups. 

Mr. Hans Schultz, Project Manger, introduces the LECB project  to the participants.

Cross-section of participants at the LECB Technical Working Group Sessions.

All technical working groups held discussions on potential NAMAs in their particular sectors, ranked NAMA options based on feasibility and costs, etc and advised on other related matters such as impediments to implementation or data gaps. 

LECB Technical Group Sessions

The Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit of the Ministry of Planning and Development hosted technical workshops  for the development of Low Carbon Action Plans and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) under the Low Emission Capacity Building (LECB) Programme, Trinidad and Tobago.

These working groups took place on November 5th and 6th, 2015 at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Mount Hope. The Consultant for these activities, Dr. Axel Michaelowa chaired these sessions.

On November 5th, the first session comprised presentations on NAMAs and Low Carbon Action Plans. The audience included a broad cross section of representatives from government, the private sector and civil society groups. In the afternoon of November 5th, two (2) technical working groups convened for the transportation sector and power generation sector.

A technical working group for the industry sector was held on November 6th. This group was further subdivided into the upstream and downstream groups. All technical working groups held discussions on potential NAMAs in their particular sectors, then ranked NAMA options based on feasibility and costs, etc. as well as advised on other related matters such as impediments to implementation or data gaps. 

Mr. Hans Schultz, Project Manger, introduces the LECB project  to the participants.

 

Cross-section of participants at the LECB Technical Working Group Sessions.

LECB Project Launch and Inception Workshop

On February 26th, 2015 the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) joined with key stakeholders to launch the “Low Emissions Capacity Building Programme (LECB) Project.” The event was hosted at the Rudranath Capildeo Learning Resource Centre, Couva by the Multilateral Environment Agreements Unit (MEAU) of the MEWR, the designated coordinating entity to implement the National Climate Change Policy.

The LECB project is a global programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is being implemented through the UNDP office in Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago is the only participating country in the Caribbean. The Project seeks to:

• support and complement the activities and outputs of ongoing projects being executed to implement the National Climate Change Policy including the Carbon Reduction Strategy
• support and develop a framework for strategy implementation to identify and select the most feasible alternatives and options for low carbon development in the sectors assessed
• support key public and private stakeholders for its implementation, particularly in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventorying, reporting and verification through relevant capacity building activities

In her remarks, Ms. Vidiah Ramkhelawan, Permanent Secretary of the Environment and Water Resources highlighted the Ministry's efforts in advancing the national climate change agenda through various initiatives and studies and the LECB project is one such initiative.

Ms. Vidiah Ramkhelewan  (Permanent Secretary, MEWR) giving her remarks at the start of the LECB Project launch

During the launch, Technical Specialist, LECB Programme, Environment and Energy Group Bureau for Development Policy of UNDP in New York, Mr. James Vener provided an overview of the global programme and the expected benefits of the programme on the ground including the promotion of strategic planning, mainstreaming of climate change into national/sectoral development planning, improved data management, use of public finance to attract private investments, among others.

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the MEAU emphasised the improtance and timeliness of the project as it will culminate in the development of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), provide input into the formulation of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (iNDCs) as well as develop capacity to conduct Biennial Update Reports (BURs) of national GHG emissions. These outputs are also part of Trinidad and Tobago's obligations as a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

L-R: , Mr. Hans Eric Schulz (LECB Project Manager), Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (Head of MEAU, MEWR), Ms. Rosemary Lall (UNDP, Trinidad and Tobago), Mr. James Vener (LECB Programme, UNDP) and Ms.Tanya Staskiewicz  (Technical Project Assistant, LECB Project)

The formal launch was proceeded by an Inception Workshop which provided participants from the private sector, business support organisations, government agencies, regional organisation and academia and key stakeholders with the opportunity to ask questions and offer recommendations to inform policy making on climate change in Trinidad and Tobago.

 

Cross-Section of participants at the LECB Project Launch and Inception Workshop

Presentations and the Report from the LECB Launch and Inception Workshop can be accessed below:

• Climate Change Implementation in Trinidad and Tobago
• Carbon Reduction Strategy for Trinidad and Tobago
• LECB Programme in Trinidad and Tobago
• Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (iNDCs) 
• Inception Workshop Report