Twenty-Fifth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP 25)

The Twenty-Fifth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP 25) took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 21-25 October 2013. Over 500 participants attended the joint meeting, representing governments, UN agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academia, industry, and the agricultural sector.

MOP 25 opened with a preparatory segment from Monday to Wednesday that addressed the COP’s substantive agenda items and related draft decisions. This was followed by a high-level segment, which opened on Wednesday evening and continued Thursday and Friday and adopted the decisions forwarded to it by the preparatory segment. As the preparatory segment did not conclude its work on a number of contentious issues by Wednesday, it reconvened several times during the high-level segment to address outstanding issues, including the replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (MLF).

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was represented at the Twenty Fifth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol by Dr. Marissa Gowrie Deputy Manager, Environmental Policy and Planning Division / National Ozone Officer, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

Dr. Gowrie successfully co-chaired the Contact Group on the Terms of Replenishment of the Multi Lateral Fund. Below is a photo of Dr. Gowrie participating in the Meeting.

The National Ozone Unit – Cancer Awareness Month Edufest at National Academy for the Performing Arts

The National Ozone Unit booth at the Cancer Awareness Edufest focused on raising awareness about the effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on the skin and Skin Cancer.  There were a number of primary and secondary school students and their teachers for the two day event.  Here are some pictures from the Edufest! 

Can skin cancer be prevented?

The best ways to lower the risk of skin cancer is to reduce exposure to intense sunlight.  In the Caribbean the outdoors is the place for work, exercise and relaxation.  Here are some ways to be sun safe when heading outdoors:

 

ü  Avoid direct exposure to the sun between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m when the sun is highest in the sky.

ü  Seek shade, especially in the middle of the day when the sun’s rays are strongest.

ü  Cover up with protective clothing to guard as much skin as possible when you are out in the sun. Choose comfortable clothes made of tightly woven fabrics that you cannot see through when held up to a light.

ü  Use sunscreen and lip balm with broad spectrum protection and a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher even on hazy or overcast days.  Apply a generous amount of sunscreen  to unprotected skin at least 30 minutes before outdoor activities and reapply every 2 hours and after swimming, toweling dry, or sweating.

ü  Cover your head with a wide-brimmed hat, shading your face, ears, and neck. If you choose a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.

ü  Wear sunglasses with100% UVA and UVB absorption to provide optimal protection for the eyes and the surrounding skin.

ü  Sunscreen doesn’t protect from all UV rays, so don’t use sunscreen as a way to stay out in the sun longer

ü  Follow these practices to protect your skin even on cloudy or overcast days. UV rays travel through clouds.

ü  Avoid other sources of UV light.  UV lights/lamps are dangerous. They also damage your skin.

 

 

Train the Trainer in Hydrocarbons Sucessfully Completed

The train the trainers session for selected agencies and academia was successfully completed in October 2013. Dr. Daniel Colbourne a well known international expert in hydrocarbons conducted the training to 15 local participants from the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Association, School of Business and Computer Science, Metal Industries Limited, Flavorite Foods Ltd., and the School of Practical Air Conditioning . Participants underwent a week of rigorous training including exposure to the science and properties of hydrocarbons, safe handling, worldwide trends in usage, and manipulation strategies. The training included a practical component. The pictures below show the participants in the training session, the practical component and a site visit to Flavorite Foods Ltd. to view their HC systems, the only found locally to date.