AOSIS website goes live!

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is a coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges and concerns about the environment, especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change. The group functions primarily as an a lobby and negotiating voice for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) within the United Nations (UN) system. 

A meeting of 20 UN ambassadors from small island states at Port of Spain, Trinidad

AOSIS has a membership of 42 States and observers, drawn from all oceans and regions of the world: Africa, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Pacific and South China Sea. Thirty-seven are members of the UN, close to 28% of developing countries, and 20% of the UN’s total membership. Together, SIDS communities constitute some 5% of the global population.

The AOSIS group functions on the basis of consultation and consensus, and work together primarily through their New York diplomatic Missions to the United Nations. The Alliance does not have a formal charter, nor do they have a regular budget and a secretariat. The current chairman of the AOSIS group is the Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia.

“One point five to stay alive" - AOSIS' slogan

These island states, aka  “the conscience of the UN climate change convention” are calling upon the international community to limit greenhouse gases to well below 350 parts per million, to limit temperature rises to below 1.5 degrees Celsius and to enter into a legally binding agreement in order to achieve these targets. The impacts of climate change, they assert, are already being felt and therefore even a two degree target is too high.

For example, the future of one of the low-lying Pacific islands called Kiribati is currently being threatened by rising seas, and the situation is so dire that the government is contemplating relocating the entire population to man-made islands resembling giant oil rigs, at a cost of US$2 billion. Beachside villages in Kiribati have already had to move to escape the encroaching waves. Water supplies have been contaminated by salt water, and crops destroyed. Erosion, caused partly by storms and flooding, is increasingly serious.

Climate change impacts are already being felt in some islands like the Pacific island of Kiribati

The world therefore desperately needs to act to reduce carbon emissions, and the engagement of multilateral agencies with the smallest and most vulnerable nations sends a powerful message regarding commitment to the global climate challenge. In order to enhance communication among the islands, as well to inform and involve stakeholders, the AOSIS website has been recently revitalised. Visit the AOSIS website to follow all the latest happenings in negotiations.

Building capacity on climate change mitigation

The second in its series of training workshops for National Communications, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recently held a training workshop on mitigation assessment for developing countries, as a follow up to the first workshop on vulnerability and adaptation assessment. 

Wind, sun and biomass are renewable energy sources that can be used to switch away from fossil fuels as a means to mitigate climate change.

Trinidad and Tobago attended the UNFCCC Hands on Training for Latin America and the Caribbean Region on Mitigation Assessment, held in Antigua and Barbuda during July 16-20, 2012. The workshop was organized by the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention, and was attended by Ms Jewel Batchasingh, Climate Change/Ozone Specialist, MEAU. 

The CGE exists to provide technical assistance to Non-Annex I Parties (basically, developing countries) to undertake vulnerability and adaptation assessments with a view to improving the accuracy, consistency and transparency of information reported in their national communications (basically, national reports). The meeting sought to examine:

1.            Mitigating Climate Change

2.            Mitigation in the Context of National Communications and Biennial Update Reports

3.            Experiences in Mitigation Assessment and National Communications

4.            Mitigation Options, Issues and Barriers by Sector

5.            Screening Mitigation Options

6.            Mitigation Analysis, Methods and Tools

7.            Reporting Mitigation in National Communications

8.            Building National Arrangements for the Mitigation Assessment

Participation by Trinidad and Tobago at this particular workshop augured well with the current mitigation initiatives being pursued by the country, such as providing an overview of the various technologies and options that might be appropriate for mitigating greenhouse gases, as well as the types of policies and measures that can promote the implementation of those options, including examining energy supply, transportation, buildings, industry, agriculture, forestry, waste management, and cross-cutting mitigation options. It will also supplement our work in the preparation of National Communications to the UNFCCC.

Building capacity in climate change adaptation

Trinidad and Tobago attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Hands on Training for Latin America and the Caribbean Region on Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment, held in Antigua and Barbuda during the period July 09-13, 2012.  

The workshop was organized by the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention, and was attended by Ms Denise Hakim, Research Analyst, MEAU.

The CGE is mandated to provide technical assistance to Non-Annex I Parties to undertake vulnerability and adaptation assessments with a view to improving the accuracy, consistency and transparency of information reported in their national communications. 

The Hands-on Training for Latin America and the Caribbean Region on Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Workshop examined the following key matters:

1. Experiences and Challenges in conducting Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments by Sector
2. Vulnerability and Adaptation Component of a Future Comprehensive National System
3. Vulnerability and Adaptation Framework
4. Baseline Socioeconomic and Climate Change Scenarios
5. Water Resources – Methods, Tools and Data Requirements for Integrated Water Resource Management and Adaptation Planning in the Water Sector
6. Agriculture – Methods, Tools and Data Requirements for Agricultural Impact Assessment  and Adaptation  Planning in the Agriculture Sector

      
      Cross-sectoral and Multi-sectoral Integration and Communication

Participation by Trinidad and Tobago at this workshop supports the current national initiatives being pursued with regards to addressing climate change impacts including sectoral vulnerability in major sectors and aids in the achievement of the objectives of the National Climate Change Policy, including:
 

1. Conserving and building resilience of human and natural systems to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change;
2. Enhanced agricultural production and food security;
3. Educating the wider public on the potential impacts of climate change and the recommended adaptation strategies; and
4. Conserving and guaranteeing a sustainable supply of potable water.

It will also supplement the Ministry’s work in the preparation of National Communications to the UNFCCC.

Bonn Climate Change Conference

The international climate change treaty (UNFCCC) held a conference during May 14 - 25, 2012 in Bonn, Germany to discuss key issues on climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

Trinidad and Tobago, as a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), attended the conference with a delegation consisting of Mr Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the MEAU and Ms Jewel Batchasingh, the MEAU's Climate Change/Ozone Specialist, along with the Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, New York, Ms Rueanna Haynes.

Bonn's Climate Change Conference comprised five meetings, taking place simultaneously:

1. 36th Session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 36)
2. 36th Session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 36)
3. 17th Session of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP 17)
4. 15th Session of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 15)
5. 1st Meeting of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Durham Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 1)

Notably, Trinidad and Tobago represented by Mr. Kumarsingh, was nominated as Co-chair of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) for the period June 2013 to December 2014, through the Group of Latin America and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC). The first ADP meeting was considered contentious because countries believed that debating antagonistic issues such as election of officers of the ADP and the agenda was not the best start to negotiations of this new group.

Progress was made at Bonn for Trinidad and Tobago in the areas of carbon capture and storage (CCS), registry, measurement, reporting and verification of domestically supported Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), technical experts for International Consultation and Analysis (ICA), Technology Executive Committee (TEC), Climate Technology Climate Network (CTCN), loss and damage and response measures.

Mr Kishan Kumarsingh (left), Head of the MEAU, is to serve as the Co-Chair of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) during 2013-2014.

The ADP is a subsidiary body to the UNFCC Convention, charged with developing a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force, which will be applicable to all Parties under UNFCCC. Its work is expected to be completed in 2015.