The United
Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for Latin America and the
Caribbean (UNEP ROLAC) along with the Government of Grenada hosted the Network Meeting of Ozone Officers of the English Speaking Caribbean and Haiti held
during the period May 17-19, 2017 in Grenada.
The meeting
focused on general issues and updates as well as discussions on the issues
related to the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The status of refrigeration and air
conditioning in the tourism sector, south south cooperation, standards for
equipment in particular flammable refrigerants, disposal of recovered
refrigerant, Informal Prior Informed Consent (ipic), hydrocarbon production, leapfrogging
of technology to climate friendly alternatives, refrigeration training, licensing
and quota systems, and policy instruments were discussed. An overview of the Professional Certification Scheme from Trinidad and Tobago was also presented.
A detailed
breakdown of the Kigali Amendment was presented together with legal and
institutional frameworks necessary to take the Kigali Amendment forward at the
national level. In addition actions that countries could undertake to achieve
the targets established by the Kigali Amendment were presented.
Issues of
importance to Trinidad and Tobago included information on implementation of
Kigali Amendment and the phasedown of HFCs, leapfrogging of technology to
climate friendly alternatives, Hydrocarbon production, execution of the HPMP,
destruction technologies, illegal trade, and the disposal/waste management of
obsolete and unwanted Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).
The meeting
embraced a participatory approach, allowing the exchange of experiences,
discussions and co-operation with UNEP ROLAC, the Ozone Secretariat, and the
Caribbean region.
The Government
of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was represented at the Network Meeting of Ozone Officers of the English Speaking Caribbean and Haiti by
Dr.
Marissa Gowrie
Deputy Environmental Manager/National
Ozone Officer
Environmental Policy and Planning
Division
Ministry of the Planning and
Development
