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