Green Days by the EPPD: sustainable management

Showing posts with label sustainable management. Show all posts

Friday, 18 September 2015

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)

Thursday, 30 July 2015

IFPAM Project - Stakeholder Interaction!

As implementation of the Improving Forest and Protected Area Management (IFPAM) in Trinidad and Tobago begins, it is important that key stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities to assist in achieving the Project's objectives and deliverables.

One such key institutional partner is the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The THA is empowered to formulate and implement policy, propose and adopt Bills, and lead on developing the skills needed for the sustainable management of natural resources on the island.

In this regard, on Monday 27th July, 2015, a meeting was arranged to formally introduce the Project Coordinating Unit to representatives of the THA as well as to share the final approved project and to devise plans for implementing the project in Tobago.

Ms. Neila Bobb-Prescott (Chief Technical Advisor, IFPAM Project) handing over the IFPAM Project Brief to representatives of the THA after the meeting.

>> For background information, project and other key documentation, and progress updates on the IFPAM Project, go to the "GEF Forests and PAs Project" Page located next to the Home tab at the top of the Green days by the EPPD blog >>

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

World Wildlife Day 2015!

Today, March 3^rd, 2015 is Wold Wildlife Day (WWD)! It is dedicated to celebrating the diversity of wildlife and raising the awareness of threats to the world’s fauna and flora. March 3^rd was assigned as World Wildlife Day on December 20^th, 2013 at the 68^th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). It was put forward by the Convention on the Convention on International Trade of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) after its 16^th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP-16) in Bangkok, Thailand, signifying the day of the adoption of the CITES.

Trinidad and Tobago comprises of a myriad of ecosystems and this enables it to possess the highest biodiversity level in the Caribbean. It contains over 420 species of birds, no less than 600 different butterfly species, more than 95 types of mammals, 85 varying reptiles, 30 amphibians and 54 freshwater fish species. Furthermore, there are more than 2,100 flowering plants with 2% of these being endemic (native to Trinidad and Tobago).

In light of the importance of our local wildlife, the first National Wildlife Policy for Trinidad and Tobago was approved in December, 2013. The Policy recognises that wild species contribute significantly to national development, livelihoods and human well-being. It focuses on issues related to endangerment, and provides guidance on the management of threatened species. Key policy issues on the management of game species, wildlife habitat and the engagement of civil society in the management of wildlife are also addressed.

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago will continue to do its part in the preservation and sustainable management of the country's wildlife resources!