The Convention on Biological Diversity's Meetings of its Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, August-September, 2021

After more than a year of postponements the third meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-3) on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was convened virtually, to discuss the first draft of the GBF. This plan is intended to be the Convention’s latest strategic plan, on the heels of the expired 2011- 2020 Strategic Plan, and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity; it includes a new set of goals and targets to curb global biodiversity loss.

The two (2) weeks of discussions amongst Parties and the CBD Secretariat (though not formal negotiations) allowed the Working Group to conduct a text-based review of the first draft of the GBF, and produced a first draft report, which includes important statements from the discussions held in contact groups. The first draft report will form the basis of in-person discussions of the

WG, that are tentatively scheduled for January 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Delegates met over four plenary sessions and across several contact groups to hold discussions which mainly centred on:

• Goals, Milestones and the Overall Structure of the Strategy;
• Reducing Threats for Biodiversity;
• Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Biodiversity Mainstreaming;
• Nature’s Contributions to People; and
• Digital Sequency Information on genetic resources.

The Government of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was represented at the OEWG-3 on the Post-2020 GBF, from August 23rd to September 3rd, 2021, by the following members of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division:

• Ms. Lena Dempewolf, Biodiversity Specialist
• Ms. Candace Amoroso, Biodiversity Specialist
• Mr. Julius Smith, Environmental Biologist
• Mr. Kevin Bhajan Environmental Policy Analyst

There were over 1600 delegates registered for the WG, coming from 141 parties, one non-party, and more than 200 observer organisations.

Biodiversity Pre-Conference of the Parties (Pre-COP)

On the 30th August, a Biodiversity Pre-COP was held, to promote the high-level political commitment for the adoption of the GBF. The event, was hosted by the Government of Colombia, convened in a hybrid format featuring a physical meeting in Colombia, and online. This event gathered heads of state and government, ministers, heads of international organisations, and representatives of multilateral banks, women, youth, and indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs). Participants discussed priorities and expectations for an ambitious and effective GBF. Discussions focused on sustainable consumption and production patterns, mainstreaming, and means of implementation in the context of the GBF.

During the sessions climate change, alongside biodiversity loss was pointed to as being the greatest threats to the planet. It was highlighted that there is a need for specific GBF targets, additional financial resources to fund the implementation of the GBF and debt alleviation.

The meeting also received support from three political coalitions, namely the Leaders Pledge for Nature, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, and the Global Ocean Alliance (the latter two, of which Trinidad and Tobago has recently become a member), which jointly reaffirmed their role in reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

GGCA Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Survey, Trinidad and Tobago

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, through the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD), in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), and the National Red Cross, has embarked on a nationwide survey to capture citizens’ knowledge, attitude and practises towards climate change and its impacts on their country.

The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey is a key output of the communications component of the project, “Enhancing Climate Resilience in CARIFOURM Countries”, which is funded by the European Union (EU) under the Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+). The project is part of a global programme seeking to support the climate compatible development of the CARIFOURM countries to combat the negative impacts of climate change and disasters.

While predictions are that Caribbean countries are expected to face more adverse extreme weather events, many citizens have not connected extreme weather events to climate change. Awareness of how climate change can and will intersect every aspect of daily life is also lacking. The findings from Trinidad and Tobago’s KAP towards climate change and its subsequent use in developing a National Climate Change Public Education and Outreach Strategy will assist in making these connections and narrow knowledge gaps.

The Ministry of Planning and Development, which serves as the National Focal Point to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change encourages citizens to welcome the Red Cross team and have their voices heard.

It is important to hear from our citizens so that their specific information needs and recommendations concerning climate change is obtained. It’s the only way we can enhance our awareness and tailor capacity-building strategies to inform and empower citizens, decision-makers, and all layers of society to make changes that will build climate resilience and reduce their carbon footprint.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the National Red Cross team commenced the administration of this survey on September 1, 2021 and will conclude in October 2021.

Inception Meeting for “Phasing out of Mercury Added Products in Trinidad and Tobago” Project

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), in coordination with the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG), has offered assistance to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT), primarily in the development, implementation and execution of a project to phase out mercury-added products (MAPs) in line with the Minamata Convention on mercury. This project is part of the third phase of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Multilateral Environmental Agreement Programme (ACP MEA III) and the EEB having received a UNEP grant will be assisting amongst others, a few countries in the Caribbean region to work on several mercury-related activities. For Trinidad and Tobago this project is natural progression following national participation in the Project “Development of Minamata Initial Assessments (MIA) in the Caribbean” that ended in 2019 which facilitated key studies such as national mercury inventory, institutional framework assessment as well as, contaminated sites assessment.

The key areas of interest that this project will be addressing are the development of a road map for phasing out MAPs; conducting a market study of mercury free alternative; assessment and focalizing of existing institutional capacity to support mercury-added product phase-out activities; development of a mercury-free product procurement strategy; development of plan for a single stream product management pilot project for the environmentally sound management of single stream(s) high mercury products (e.g. thermometers, thermostats); development of a National Implementation Plan for addressing mercury-added products.

The Ministry of Planning and Development being the focal point for this project is also the Chair to a multi-stakeholder project National Working Group (NWG) with members from governmental, non-governmental organizations and even private sector associations, that will be engaged throughout the project’s implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases.

On Thursday 23 September, 2021 the Inception Meeting for the “Phasing out of Mercury Added Products in Trinidad and Tobago” Project was held virtually, to mark the official kick-off of project activities. The project is expected to have a lifespan of 18-24 months culminating with a regional (Caribbean) information sharing session in 2023.

Although not yet party to the Minamata Convention, initiatives such as these are necessary for Trinidad and Tobago to address the many of the areas of concern identified and in defining a clearer path towards improved management of mercury.