Monday, 14 October 2013

THE JOINT MEETING OF THE OZONACTION NETWORKS OF MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN HELD IN JAMAICA OCTOBER 1-4, 2013


The United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNEP ROLAC) along with the Government of Jamaica hosted the Joint Meeting of the OzonAction Networks of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, during the period October 1-4 in Kingston Jamaica.  Delegations from Antigua, Bahamas, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela were in attendance. The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ms. Neera Singh, Ozone Assistant, Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

The Meeting focused on, among other things, the issues relating to the 33rd Meeting of the Open Ended Working Group and Montreal Protocol 24th Meeting of Parties (MOP), the proposal for the amendment to the Montreal Protocol to include Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as a controlled substance and the review of the decisions of the 70th Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund (MLF).
The status of online reporting of the Country Programme data to the Multilateral Fund and recommendations were given to countries on the impact of the control measures in order to continue the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and meet the targets for reduction in consumption by 2015.


Discussions were centered on the challenges faced by countries in the region in starting their freeze on imports and implementing their legislation for the HPMPs including HCFC and Methyl Bromide phase out in particular.  Presentations highlighted the issue of Energy Efficiency Co-benefits and non-ODS alternatives, Energy Service companies and their roles, resource mobilization, climate benefits and lessons learnt in the phase out of Methyl Bromide in the region. 

Issues of importance to Trinidad and Tobago included licensing and certification of technicians, legislation, destruction technologies, illegal trade of ODS, climate co-benefits, energy efficiency and methyl bromide alternatives.

Ms. Neera Singh, National Ozone Assistant Trinidad and Tobago at the Meeting


The Caribbean Ozone Officers Network

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