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'

Public Awareness Campaign for the NIP begins!

In fulfillment of the obligations under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), in 2013 the Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD), through funding from the United Nations Development Programme, completed and submitted Trinidad and Tobago’s National Implementation Plan (NIP). The NIP is a five (5) year road map that identifies mechanisms to measure, manage, reduce or eliminate the threat of POPs in the country.

A critical component of the NIP is the roll out of a public awareness campaign, with the aim of sensitizing the nation on the adverse effects of POPs, the mechanisms to reduce their exposure to such toxins, and to provide information on the recommended activities outlined in NIP.  As such, a limited but comprehensive public awareness campaign has been developed to target policy makers, the industrial sector and the general public. 

The main elements of the public awareness package include:

• Distribution of the NIP (hard copy and electronically).
• Dissemination of informational material including brochures, flip cards,and posters.
• Publication of articles on POPs in industry magazines and newsletters such as the Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce's (TTCIC) "Contact" Magazine and the Energy Chamber's "Energy Now" Newsletter.
• Publicizing of a 45 second advertisment on POPs on local TV stations and MovieTowne, Port of Spain and Caribbean Cinemas Southpark and on various social media platforms.
• Showcasing of information on POPs and the NIP on the EPPD's Blogspot: http://eppd-tt.blogspot.com/ 

Promotional material will be distributed to key actors in the waste and chemicals field, schools across the nation as part of an education campaign and the general public during the EPPD's public awareness. 

Be on the look out for information like the promotional material below, on 'what are' and 'how to protect yourself and the environment against' POPs!

GEF Ecpanded Facility Workshop - Caribbean

During the period of March 1-4, 2016 the Global Environment Facility - Expanded Constituency Workshop (GEF-GCW) was conducted at the Radisson Hotel, Port-of-Spain. There were over 130 registered participants and facilitators at the Workshop. Its intention was to enrich the GEF focal points and other key stakeholders, including civil society, through information sharing and training as well as discussions that will contribute to the shaping of GEF-7 (seventh replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund).

Day 1 (March 1st) concentrated on CSO consultations in the morning while the afternoon period focused on consultations with GEF Small Grants Programme (Trinidad and Tobago) as well as CSOs, the operational focal (Environmental Management Authority) and the Political Focal Point (Ministry of Planning and Development). Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (Head, Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit) and Mr. Javed Lakhan (Environmental Policy Analyst) represented the Ministry of Planning and Development at these sessions.

 

On March 2nd and 3rd (Day 2), GEF focal points, focal points from the main Conventions (Biodiversity, Land Degradation, Climate Change and Persistent Organic Pollutants), representatives from civil society and representatives from the GEF Secretariat and the GEF Agencies met with colleagues from other countries in the region, and other GEF partners to discuss and review policies and procedures, to share lessons and experiences from the development and implementation of GEF projects and their  integration within national policy frameworks. Staff of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division who follow MEA matters represented the Ministry of Planning and Development at these sessions.

Staff of the EPPD and other delegates from Trinidad and Tobago.

The Workshop included an insightful day of training from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) on Project Management; as well as providing information on Knowledge Management, and how GEF projects support the Sustainable Development Goals, Monitoring and Evaluation and Results-based management.

Day 3 Team including Ms. Amoroso (EPPD) after completing their Project Management exercise from UNOPS.

The final day of the Workshop consisted of a site visit to a past recipient of the GEF-Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) in Trinidad, the Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC). The day’s activities included welcome remarks and a presentation of the AWNC GEF-SGP’s project, along with an interactive Nature Walk with participatory activities highlighting key ideas and concepts in Knowledge Management and Project Management.  

Opening remarks from GEF at the start of Day 4 at the AWNC

Participatory activities based on the principles of Project Management as delegates tour GEF SGP grant recepient AWNC.

 

Inception Meeting on the Sustainable Management Mechanism for POPs in the Caribbean Project

The Project Inception Technical Meeting for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded full-sized project 'Development and Implementation of a Sustainable Management Mechanism for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the Caribbean' took place from the 15th to 17th September, 2015 at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

It was hosted by the regional project executing agency, the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer (BCRC-Caribbean) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the GEF Project Implementing Agency.

Representatives from the 8 participating project countries across the region were in attendance alongside local attendees from key government ministries and agencies. Ms. Keima Gardiner, Environmental Engineering Specialist represented the Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning and Development at the meeting. There was also representation and presentations from the CARICOM Secretariat, the African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) Group of States/Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) Unit as well as the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Secretariat and the GEF.

At the Project Inception Technical Meeting, the critical elements of the project were discussed, inclusive of project component elements, execution schedules, the proposed organisational structure, division of finances, implementation timelines, monitoring, evaluation, auditing and the other facets of the project management system. The key actors in the project were also identified.

Participants at the meeting including Ms. Gardiner, Ministry of Planning and Development (front row, centre) and    Dr. Ahmad Khan, Director, BCRC-Caribbean (front row, first on the right)

It’s official! The NIP has been submitted

As a signatory of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the Government of Trinidad and Tobago submitted its National Implementation Plan (NIP) as required under Article 7 of the Convention on January 22nd, 2015.

 

The National Implementation Plan for Trinidad and Tobago can be found via the following link:

• Trinidad and Tobago NIP

For more information on the Stockholm Convention on POPs and to view Country Parties' NIP submissions including Trinidad and Tobago's NIP, visit the Stockholm Convention's website.

 

Caribbean Sub-Regional Workshop on the Updating of NIPs and POPs Wastes under the Stockholm Convention

On December 8 - 10th, 2014 the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer (BCRC-Caribbean) hosted the Caribbean Sub-Regional Workshop on the Updating of National Implementation Plans (NIPs) and Persistent Organic  Pollutants (POPS) at the Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain. 

The Training Workshop was facilitated by representatives from the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions; Ms. Jacqueline Alvarez and Ms. Tatiana Terekhova and the International POPs Consultant, Dr. Roland Weber.

Eight (8) English speaking Caribbean countries who are signatory to the Stockholm Convention participated including representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis,   St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ms. Keima Gardiner (Environmental Engineering Specialist) and Ms. Amrita Bhagan (On-the-Job Trainee) from the Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

The Workshop involved:

• a preparatory webinar session prior to the commencement of the workshop
• presentations that facilitated discussions amongst participants on case studies and group exercises
• awareness building of the available support tools that can be acquired for reviewing and updating of their NIPs and inventories as well as toolkits for use particularly with consideration of the POPs newly added to the Convention and the implications of utilizing these chemicals, and strategies for developing appropriate management actions for their sound use.
• a site visit to Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) in Claxton Bay
  
  

Participants of the Caribbean Sub-regional Workshop including Ms. Bhagan and Ms. Gardiner (front row, from L-R)

 

 

Official Hand-over of the NIP on POPs

With an aim to further enhance the management of toxic and harmful chemicals affecting human health and the environment, Trinidad and Tobago fulfilled one of its obligations as a signatory to the Stockholm Convention through the development of a National Implementation Plan (NIP) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The completion of the NIP was commemorated through an official handover ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Friday 23 May, 2014.

  

The official handover of the NIP between the UNDP  represented by Ms. Rosemary Lal (left) and the MEWR  represented by the Honourable Minister Ganga Singh, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (right).

This NIP was developed with grant funding provided through the United Nations Development Programme – Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF) and with technical support from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

 As part of completing the NIP, an assessment of the major types and sources of POPs in the country was conducted. Some of the main findings arising from the study include:

• there is no production of POPs pesticides or  chemicals in the country; 
• importation of POPs is effectively prohibited; 
•  there are no POPs chemicals presently on the market apart from some PCB transformers that are reaching the end of their useful life and; 
•  Trinidad and Tobago’s main concerns relate to the unintentional release of POPs (uPOPs) primarily through flaring in the petrochemical industry and open burning  of waste and agricultural residue. 

To minimize the risks posed not only by the original “dirty dozen” (an initial twelve chemicals or chemical groups identified by the Stockholm Convention needing priority action) but also the latter additions of POPs, the NIP recommends a series of actions to be implemented over a five (5) year period.  These measures outline the main actors involved in each process, estimated budgetary requirements, as well as a metric for evaluating  implementation success.