2026 Caribbean Ozone Officers Thematic Meeting to Support Regulatory and Policy Frameworks

 

As countries in the English-speaking Caribbean and Haiti (Caribbean) Region advance toward complete HCFC phase-out and HFC phase down targets, the role of Customs administrations has become increasingly critical.  Effective border control, risk profiling, correct application of World Customs Organization (WCO) Harmonized System (HS) codes, verification of quota allocations, and inter-agency coordination between Customs authorities and National Ozone Units (NOUs) are central to ensuring compliance with Montreal Protocol obligations.

While some Caribbean Countries have established HFC License and Quota Systems, operational challenges remain.   Small market size, high trade dependency, and regional and international trade flows also increase vulnerability to illegal trade in refrigerants and dependent equipment.

Against this background, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction's CAP team for the Caribbean Region convened the 2026 Caribbean Thematic Meeting from 25 to 27 March 2026.  The meeting will focus on strengthening Customs enforcement mechanisms to support effective implementation of the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment.

Objectives and Expected Outcomes

·         Assist the 13 Governments to maintain their 35% HCFC reduction target and to achieve total HCFC phase out by 2030 as per the Montreal Protocol phase-out schedule and Assist 1 country to maintain total HCFC phase out

·         Assist 14 Governments with attaining their 10% HFC phase down target by 2029 as per the Montreal Protocol phase out schedule

·         Assist 14 Governments with enhancing their Montreal Protocol Monitoring, Reporting, Verification and Enforcement (MRVE) systems

·         Support countries with enhancing their import/export controls and illegal trade prevention measures

Expected Outputs

·         Maintenance of the 35% HCFC reduction target and progress towards the 10% HFC phase down target

·         Strengthened enforcement of HFC LQS including measures at entry ports

·         Strengthened MRVE systems supporting risk identification, enhanced LQS implementation and illegal trade prevention.

·         Enhanced collaboration between Customs and NOUs   

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago virtually participated in the United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office to the 2026 Caribbean Thematic Meeting to Support Regulatory and Policy Frameworks during the period March 25 to 27, 2026 and was represented at the Meeting by Dr. Marissa Gowrie, Deputy Environmental Manager/National Ozone Officer and Mr. Jonathan Bolai, Ozone Specialist, Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development.

Meet the Women Implementing the Montreal Protocol in Trinidad and Tobago

 

Dr. Marissa Gowrie

Deputy Environmental Manager/

National Ozone Officer

Mrs. Lilita Narine-Chattergoon

Customs and Excise Collector

Ms. Renee Abass

Manager Laboratory Services Division

Mrs. Maltee Bedasie

Ag. Deputy Chief Trade Officer 

Ms. Nadita Ramachala

Manager Standardization Division

Ms. Rhonda Sieunarine

Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Inspector

Ms. Carla Smith

Standards Officer III

Implementation Division

Ms. Neera Singh

HCFC Phase out Management Plan

Project Manager

Frontline Champions: Women in Environmental Enforcement

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026, UNEP Law Division’s OzonAction and the Montevideo Environmental Law Programme has launched a global campaign honoring the women safeguarding the integrity of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, its Kigali Amendment, and the broader environmental compliance and enforcement landscape.

Global commitments under multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are translated into concrete national measures. In the case of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment, this means establishing legislation, including licensing and permitting systems, allocating quotas, defining import and export controls, monitoring implementation and addressing non-compliance to ensure effective enforcement.

Across MEAs, enforcement starts at the border, where officers prevent the illegal movement of controlled or hazardous substances or trade in protected species. This frontline work requires a combination of regulatory understanding, technical expertise, and real-time decision-making to protect national compliance and global environmental integrity. In the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment context, customs officers use regulatory knowledge, identification skills, and specialized tools to spot irregular shipments of ozone depleting substances (ODS) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC).

➜ Customs Officers validate licenses, check documentation against national quotas, assess shipment risks, and use refrigerant identifiers to detect undeclared or mislabeled substances before they cross borders. The vigilance of these women helps prevent illegal trade and ensures that licensing and quota systems are upheld.

See some of these officers have been highlight in the link below. Including our own Lilita Narine-Chattergoon from Trinidad and Tobago.

Frontline Champions: Women in Environmental Enforcement | Ozonaction

Pathways to prevent environmental dumping of climate-harming room air conditioners in Latin America and the Caribbean

This study at the link below assesses the extent of environmental dumping of new room air conditioners (room ACs) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and explores this practice’s linkages to cooling access and affordability there. It also examines the current state of the room AC market and energy efficiency policies in the region. Covering 11 countries (Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay), the analysis relies on room AC data from 2023 and 2025.

Pathways to prevent environmental dumping of climate-harming room air conditioners in Latin America and the Caribbean | Climate & Clean Air Coalition

Awareness session and mural at the El Dorado North Hindu School

The National Ozone Unit conducted an awareness session and mural at the El Dorado North Hindu School. Students were educated on the ozone layer, new developments under the Montreal Protocol and ways in which they can become ozone and climate friendly.

Stakeholder Consultation- • PCTTCS 34 – Energy labelling – Refrigerating appliances – Compulsory requirements • PCTTCS 35 – Energy labelling – Air Conditioners – Compulsory Requirements

The National Ozone Unit collaborated with Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards to convene a public comment consultation aimed at strengthening Trinidad and Tobago’s transition toward more energy-efficient refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment by moving from voluntary Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) to compulsory requirements. 

This was facilitated through the GEF-6 project being implemented by the Ministry of Planning Economic Affairs and Development and supported by the UNDP.

The session aimed to provide:

• clarity on the compliance pathway and transition arrangements,
• confidence in acceptable test reports and documentation,
• practical enforcement procedures,
• and clear communication to consumers and the wider market.

 

Validation Workshop for Development of a RAC Disposal Scheme

Under the GEF 6 Energy Efficiency in RAC project , a validation workshop was held with RAC stakeholders to review the findings of the consultant who is developing a RAC disposal scheme. This is coming out of the fact finding workshop which was completed in November 2025.

Green Cooling Webinar Alert from GIZ Proklima (funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) under the International Climate Initiative (IKI)

 Innovation in Cooling: Technologies without refrigerant gases.

 

This Green Cooling Webinar took place on 12 February 2026, 1-2 pm CET (12 – 1pm UTC), virtually (MS Teams).

Presented were two pioneering German companies that are redefining cooling from new perspectives:

Pervormance is providing thermal comfort right where it is needed, close to the human body with cooling textiles.

MAGNOTHERM is shifting the cooling industry towards refrigerant-free alternatives by introducing safe, sustainable, and efficient magnetic cooling technology for commercial refrigeration and beyond.

 The recording of the Webinar and the PDF of the presentations are at the link below

Webinar on Innovation in Cooling - Technologies without refrigeration gases - Green Cooling Initiative

Ozone Awareness through Art at the Tunapuna Presbyterian Primary School

 The National Ozone Unit continued its awareness activities through a mural at the Tunapuna Presbyterian Primary School. This compounds information imparted through a presentation previously done at the school.

Air as a Natural Refrigerant

Air_-_A_Natural_Refrigerant_Information_paper_2026.pdf

Air refrigeration systems use ambient air as the refrigerant, offering a natural and environmentally friendly cooling solution. With growing environmental awareness and regulations such as the EU F-Gas Regulation, air cycle refrigeration technology is gaining increasing relevance. Air neither depletes the ozone layer nor contributes to global warming, making it a future-proof alternative to conventional refrigerants. An additional advantage is its unlimited availability. Air cycle machines present an effective solution for ultra-low-temperature applications from −40 °C to −160 °C. The machines, characterized by their efficient and wear-free turbo technology, demonstrate notable advantages in terms of energy efficiency, reliability, future viability, and safety. Practical applications include freeze-drying processes, which have demonstrated potential energy savings of up to 19% compared to traditional refrigerants like R404A. Air cycle refrigeration has also been successfully employed in cold room applications, providing efficient cooling with-out moisture-related problems due to innovative dehumidification systems. Air refrigeration systems thus offer considerable environmental, operational, and economic benefits for industries requiring low-temperature refrigeration. The versatility of air refrigeration provides advantages such as high operational safety, environ-mental friendliness, and cost efficiency, particularly in highly regulated environments.

Source:Air as a natural refrigerant - Green Cooling Initiative

GCI Webinar: Innovation in Cooling - Technologies without refrigeration gases to be held on February 12 2026

You are cordially invited to an upcoming webinar on: Innovation in Cooling: Technologies without refrigerant gases.

This Green Cooling Webinar is taking place on 12 February 2026, 1-2 pm CET (12 – 1pm UTC), virtually (MS Teams).

They are proud to present two pioneering German companies that are redefining cooling from new perspectives:

Pervormance is providing thermal comfort right where it is needed, close to the human body with cooling textiles.

MAGNOTHERM is shifting the cooling industry towards refrigerant-free alternatives by introducing safe, sustainable, and efficient magnetic cooling technology for commercial refrigeration and beyond.

Curious to learn how these technologies work and what they mean for the future of cooling?

Join this webinar and discover how innovation is transforming the cooling sector — sustainably, efficiently, and without refrigerant gases.

Preliminary agenda:

Time (UTC)	Topic	Speaker
12:00-12:10	Opening Remarks	Ellen Michel GIZ Proklima
12:10-12:40	Presentation Pervormance Presentation Magnotherm	Sabine Stein/ Pervormance Timur Sirman/ Magnotherm
12:40-13:00	Q&A	All participants

The webinar series is organised by GIZ Proklima and funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) under the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

If you would like to share this invitation with your colleagues and network, please use this registration link: GCI Webinar: Innovation in Cooling - Technologies without refrigeration gases - Green Cooling Initiative