AMEP QUARTERLY. Assessment. Management of Environmental Pollution. JANUARY MARCH Issue 26

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1 AMEP Assessment QUARTERLY and Management of Environmental Pollution Working to control, prevent and reduce pollution of the coastal and marine environment from land and marine-based sources and activities thereby enabling countries of the Wider Caribbean to meet their obligations under the Land-based Sources of Marine Pollution and Oil Spills Protocols of the Cartagena Convention. JANUARY MARCH Issue 26 In this issue: Programme Coordination GEF Project Updates:CReW, IWEco, CLME+ RAC REMPEITC Caribe-Highlights What's happening at UNEP CEP?

2 Programme Coordination Global Partnership for Nutrient Management: Caribbean Platform (GPNM) Participants in the Caribbean Node for Global Partnership on Marine Litter Meeting held in Jamaica Ms. Lorna Inniss, recently appointed Coordinator of UNEP CAR/ RCU and Mr. Christopher Corbin, Programme Officer for the Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution Subprogramme attended the Second Regional Planning Meeting of the Caribbean Platform for Nutrient Management held in Trinidad and Tobago from February The meeting focused on the current priorities in respect to nutrient management for the region, the operationalization of a plan of action, and mechanisms for mainstreaming and building sustainability for the Caribbean Platform. Mr. Corbin facilitated a session on building sustainability for the platform and presented on the Contextual relationship of the GPN within the Caribbean Regional Seas Programme with emphasis on the Land-based Sources of Marine Pollution Protocol and the development of the first State of Convention Area Report (SOCAR). The Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (GPNM) a consortium of governments, scientists, policy makers, private sector, NGOs and international organizations was developed under the aegis of UNEP s Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) to enhance the capacity of stakeholders to design and implement effective nutrient management policies. Controlling nutrient runoff is essential to the successful implementation of the Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol) which is the main framework through which the GPA operates within the region. UNEP CAR/RCU will play an integral role in the coordination of the Caribbean Platform partnership. Please visit the UNEP GPA or CEP website for further information. Caribbean Node for the Global Partnership on Marine Litter The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (UNEP CAR/RCU), and the GPA organized the Caribbean Node for Marine Litter Meeting held in Kingston, Jamaica on 3 February, The priority areas of marine litter management were discussed as well as the ways to increase capacity and mobilize support to address the challenges of marine litter within the region. During the meeting, Mr. Corbin outlined some of the initiatives being implemented in the region by UNEP, in collaboration with the EPA, Peace Corps, UNEP and the Government of Jamaica Trash Free Partnerships and other opportunities to address Solid Waste and Marine Litter at local, national and regional levels. The UNEP CEP Secretariat is also in the process of developing a new Marine Litter project proposal which will be shared with LBS Focal Points in the coming weeks. Infographic from Think Beyond Plastics - measuring the triple bottom line shows benefits for the sea of product design solutions The Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) is a voluntary open-ended partnership for international agencies, Governments, businesses, academia, local authorities, nongovernmental organizations and individuals. The Marine Page 2 Litter Network has been designed to facilitate collaboration among supporting partners.

3 GEF IWEco The GEF Regional and Multi-focal area Project Integrating Water, Land & Ecosystems Management in Caribbean SIDS (IWEco) aims to contribute to the preservation of Caribbean ecosystems that are of global significance and the sustainability of livelihoods. This is through the application of existing proven technologies and approaches that are appropriate for Small Island Developing States through improved fresh and coastal water resources management, sustainable land management and sustainable forest management. These will further seek to enhance resilience of socio-ecological systems to the impacts of climate change. The GEF IWEco project was approved in April 2015 and is currently in its inception phase which is projected to end by July UNEP, as one of the two co-implementing agencies along with UNDP, is now actively working with its regional partner agencies on the establishment of the Regional Project Management Unit to be based in Jamaica with technical support at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Saint Lucia. The Project Management Unit will provide direct technical support and oversight of all of the National Project Activities as well as coordinate the regional activities. It will also help with the coordination between the Regional Components and the Small Grants Programme (SGP) activities implemented at national level. To assist in the start up process, an Interim Project Manager is being recruited to assist in initial preparations for the first Project Steering Committee Meeting and Inception Workshop to be convened by July The Secretariat continues to work on the development and finalization of contracts and agreements with Governments and partner agencies for execution of project activities. More updates will be provided in the next quarterly for execution of project activities. Page 3

4 GEF CReW The Global Environment Facility-funded Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management (GEF CReW) Project convened its Final Regional Capacity Building Workshop from February 2016 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The GEF CReW Regional Policy and Enforcement Workshop focused on the sharing of experiences related to the development and implementation of policies, laws and regulations concerning wastewater management. It was attended by twelve of the Project s 13 participating countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. The final workshop involved sessions on Wastewater as a Resource, including a discussion by a panel of regional experts on treated wastewater reuse and the many benefits from wastewater management for both local communities and Governments. The experiences and lessons learned in developing and implementing sustainable financing mechanisms in the four pilot countries Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago were also discussed. As this was GEF CReW s last regional meeting, there was also a reflection on the project s challenges and achievements. These included: An improved understanding of the need to consider a wider range of financing options, depending upon different country situations and realities; an increase in awareness amongst decision makers, the media and the wider public of the importance of good wastewater management; increasing stakeholder consultation at national level for countries to improve their policy, legislative and institutional frameworks and enable better wastewater management; training of more than 600 technicians, government officials, and other stakeholders in various aspects of wastewater management, e.g, wastewater treatment technologies, operator assessments, management of revolving funds, and facilitation and, ultimately, an increase in regional and national level partnerships, as countries seek to maximize efficiency and effectiveness, and to learn from each other. Participants in the GEF CReW Regional, Policy and Enforcement Workshop held in Trinidad and Tobago Page 4

5 GEF CReW+ UNEP CEP and the GEF CReW Project Coordinating Group are currently working on a full-sized follow-on project to the GEF CReW Project titled CReW +. The main objective is to identify context-specific solutions which address the challenges of wastewater management in a holistic manner using integrated approaches. It will also aim to create value out of used water, based upon the protection of water sources through wastewater treatment. Efforts are on-going to submit the Project identification document to the GEF Secretariat for consideration. G ( EF CReW attends First Caribbean Waste-2-Energy (WtE) Technology Expo and Conference Alfredo Coello Vazquez, GEF CReW Project Coordinator presenting on the overview of CReW+ Mr. Christopher Corbin, Programme Officer of the Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution (AMEP) and Mr. Pedro Moreo, Technical Specialist of the GEF CReW Project, participated in the First Caribbean Wasteto-Energy (WtE) Technology Expo and Conference held from 20 to 23 January 2016 in St. Georges, Grenada. The 4-day event, titled, Energy Services from Waste: The Development of a Regional Integrated Organic Waste Management Sector showcased the technologies that are likely to play an integral role in addressing t h e growing waste management challenges faced by Small Island Developing States ( S I D S ) in the Caribbean, with the potential to be deployed in the waste- to-energy projects currently under preparation in the region. Donna Sue Spencer, Communication Specialist, GEF CReW Project, presenting on the communication component of CReW+ Caribbean Ministers and high level officials with responsibility for water resources management and energy decision makers from approximately 15 Caribbean nations, as well as partners and donors participated in this important meeting which allowed them an opportunity to discuss opportunities for providing assistance in the area of waste-to-energy with an emphasis on SIDS-Appropriate Technologies. Pedro Moreo, GEF CReW Technical Specialist enjoys a lighter moment during Waste to Energy Workshop Participants at the Waste-to-Energy (W2E) Conference Page 5

6 GEF CLME+ Ms. Lorna Inniss and Mrs. Karen McDonald-Gayle, Temporary Programme Officer for the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) sub-programme attended the First CLME Project Steering Committee Meeting and Inception Work shop held in Cartagena, Colombia from 26 to 28 January, The Inception workshop was coordinated by the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) of the UNDP/ GEF co-funded Project Catalysing Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of shared Living Marine Resources in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large MarineEcosystems (the CLME+ Project). The Inception Workshop was centred on the review and adoption of the Project Document, the Project Work Plan and Budget for the period and the proposed TORs for CLME + Project National Focal Points and Steering Committee, including the proposed Rules and Procedures for the PSC meetings. It also involved the review of activities implemented during CLME+ Project Inception Phase and the adoption of the proposed coordination and management arrangements for the CLME+ Project and the 10-year CLME+ Strategic Action Programme (SAP). UNEP CEP will serve as the administrative and coordination executive agency in order to support the joint implementation of actions under the protocols of the Cartagena Convention (LBS and SPAW Protocols). The CLME+ Project Steering Committee (PSC) is expected to provide overall strategic policy and management direction for the project and play a critical role in reviewing and approving overall project planning and execution. More specifically, the CLME+ PSC will review project progress and results, make recommendations and adopt the (biennial) project work plans and budget. The project is a follow up of the CLME project and is expected to be a five year project co-financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). GEF CLME+ aims at supporting countries in two of the World s 64 Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs): the Caribbean LME (CLME) and the North Brazil Shelf LME (NBSLME) to coordinate their marine environmental policy resulting in sustainable use of shared marine living resources and essential ecosystem services. Page 6

7 Oil Spills Response/ RAC REMPEITC - Caribe Highlights Pollution Prevention Response RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe consultants participated in the third meeting of the Pollution Prevention & Response (PPR) Sub-Committee of the International Maritime Organization s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) held in London from February Commander (CDR) Paul Lattanzi, USCG Seconded Officer to IMO led the correspondence group for the revision of the Section II of the Manual on Oil Pollution - Contingency Planning and presented the results of the working group at the Sub-Committee. The new Manual will include updated information related to contingency planning for offshore units, seaports, and oil handling facilities, and aims to provide guidance to governments in establishing a national response system and preparing a national contingency plan. It is scheduled to be presented for approval at MEPC 70 in October. Orsec Polmar Terre Training Vassilis Tsigourakos, RAC REMPEITC Consultant at the 3rd PPR MEPC held in London Mr. Vassilis Tsigourakos, RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe consultant participated in the OPRC training on Oil Pollution preparedness and response from 23 to 25 February, 2016 in Guadeloupe. The training was hosted by the Maritime Authority of Guadeloupe in collaboration with the CEDRE and CEREMA. During the training, a field exercise was executed based on an incident at an on-land storage facility, resulting in a slick of heavy oil threatening the Pointe-à-Pitre marina. The field exercise served as an opportunity to deploy response equipment and validate the boom laying plan for protecting the marina. Mr. Tsigourakos presented on the regional OPRC plan for the Caribbean and assisted the French authorities during the training and exercise. The French West Indies Regional MaritimeConference in Martinique RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe participated at the Regional Maritime Conference organized by the Prefecture of Martinique in Fort de France on 8 March The conference provided critical information on maritime issues for the French Antilles area for the adoption of an action plan to address challenges in the future. During the round table sessions titled Enhance international cooperation to meet future challenges, Mr. Tsigourakos presented on the regional oil spills response framework and REMPEITC s work to prevent and respond to pollution in the marine environment of the Wider Caribbean. Field exercise conducted at the Pointe-à-Pitre marina in Guadeloupe The Conference included the participation of the French Secretary General for the Sea, Mr. Michel Aymeric, and several other senior governmental staff. try. Page 7

8 GEF-UNDP-IMO Globallast Partnerships Programme R&D Forum and Exhibition on Ballast Water Management From March, Mr. Vassilis Tsigourakos, IMO Consultant participated in the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast Partnerships Programme R&D Forum and Exhibition on Ballast Water Management held in Montreal, Canada. The meeting focused on the BWM Convention: Moving towards implementation and shared the latest developments and practical answers for ballast water management among global participants. The event also included the IMO-IMarEST Shipping Industry Forum which allowed the industries to discuss the experiences and expectations form shipbuilders, shipping companies and class societies. Mr. Tsigourakos participated with the Ballast Water focal points from The Bahamas and Jamaica, and presented on the Regional cooperation in the Wider Caribbean for reducing the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ship s ballast water. RAC REMPEITC Consultant, Vassilis Tsigourakos presenting at the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast R & D Forum Participants in the GEF-UNEP-IMO GloBallast R & D Forum National Workshop on contingency planning - Dominica RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe presented an IMO Oil Spill Response Awareness in coordination with Dominica s Ministry of Public Works and Ports and hosted by the Department of Disaster Management during the National Workshop on Contingency Planning held in Dominica from 29 to 31 March This workshop was funded by the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme of IMO and involved the participation of 16 members of Dominica s government and petroleum industry. CDR Paul Lattanzi and Dr. Elliott Taylor of Polaris Applied Sciences assisted Dominica to improve their national oil spill contingency plan which will incorporate Environmental Sensitivity Maps developed in 2012 with IMO Technical Cooperation assistance. CDR Paul Lattanzi makes a presentation to the representatives on the National Contingency Planning Workshop in Dominica Participants in the National Workshop on Contingency Planning in Dominica Page 8

9 Trash Free Waters in the Wider Caribbean Region Teleconferences were held among representatives from the Government of Jamaica and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Peace Corps, UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme and the Government of Panama to advance the development of the Trash Free Initiative launched in Chile in The Initiative is a partnership involving countries of the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) to significantly reduce solid waste and marine litter through national policy initiatives. Country visits to Panama and Jamaica are being planned in the next quarter to discuss initiatives on the ground to prevent litter from reaching the Caribbean sea. State of the Convention Area Report (SOCAR) The Consultant has been selected to assist in the further development of the State of the Convention Area Report (SOCAR) and is expected to begin work within April The Secretariat continues to collaborate with the Regional Seas programmes to develop a harmonized set of regional indicators for monitoring the state of the marine environment. The development of this report will mark the start of the reporting process that will occur in four-year cycles. The goal of SOCAR is to capture and present in an accurate and practicable way, key information on the state of coastal and marine ecosystems within the WCR in terms of its current condition; the pressures and the drivers of those pressures and an assessment of the current environmental management initiatives. This report is expected to serve as an operational tool that the Parties and other partner organizations can use to determine baseline conditions and priorities to be addressed in the region and to set targets for region-wide action. Its development is being supported by the GEF IWEco and CLME+projects. See our Facebook page for links to different cleanup Page 9

10 What s happening? UNEP s presence in the Wider Caribbean Region has been strengthened by the establishment of a Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean Small Island Developing States here in Kingston, Jamaica since February While this office will functionally report to our Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean (ROLAC) based in Panama, it will enable greater synergies and coordination between the work of UNEP in the Wider Caribbean and the implementation of our Work Plan in support of the Cartagena Conven tion and its Protocols. *** On November 5, 2015, the Government of Jamaica officially ratified the LBS Protocol. *** RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe with the support of IMO s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme will coordinate a national workshop on Environmental Sensitivity Index maps in Saint Lucia. The first Phase of the ESI mapping development will consist of meetings, interviews and site-visits to gather data on biological and human-use resources, to be included and/ or transferred to the ESI maps. More precisely, it will include meetings with representatives from Saint Lucia, industry members, associations, academics and other stakeholders. The results will be taken back and assembled for the development of the ESI maps. Changes in Secretariat Umoja This has been a challenging time for UNEP CEP as we transition to a new internal administrative and financial system - UMOJA- the enterprise resource planning system which has affected the smooth implementation of many of our projects and activities, including travel and meeting arrangements, contracts and payments. The Secretariat sincerely apologizes for these challenges and continues to work closely with our Headquarters in Nairobi to have the outstanding issues rectified as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience as we endeavour to better serve our partners and member states. The Coordinator of UNEP CAR/RCU, Ms. Lorna Inniss wishes to thank all Parties for their understanding and continued financial, technical and moral support during this period. Staff and Interns Please note that the recruitment of Programme Assistants and Team Assistants is ongoing and will be finalized in the next quarter. Annie Muchai has relocated to Nairobi to take up a new post as Head of Operations in the Division of Communications and Public Information (DCPI). She has provided valuable assistance to UNEP CAR/RCU for four years in the area of Administration and Financial Management. We wish her all the very best in her new endeavours. CAR/RCU also says farewell to Interns: Charlotte Mondoux-Fournier (far left) who provided assistance to the CETA sub-programme, Lowine Hill (left) who worked with the AMEP sub-programme, Helene Hoffmann (right) and Andrew Hollander (far right) who assisted the SPAW sub-programme. We wish them well for the future.. Page 10

11 Social Media We re on a roll! Help us have 4000 likes on our CEP Facebook page and 3000 followers on Twitter. Continue to like and share our stories today! Visit the new RAC REMPEITC-Caribe Facebook page and help them reach 200 likes! Get connected to their Twitter feed too! Let s get the GEF CReW Facebook page to 500 likes. Like it today! CEP also has a YouTube page! Watch our videos and share them with family and friends. Focal Point Updates Governments should submit to the Secretariat any updates on contact details for their national and technical focal points. Keep updated on upcoming meetings and events by checking out the CEP online calendar. Governments should also submit focal points news items, pictures and/or stories for inclusion on CEP s website and/or Facebook page. We also encourage countries to submit stories and photos for the period April-June for inclusion in the next AMEP Quarterly. The Secretariat can provide technical support to Governments wishing to ratify the Cartagena Convention and any of its three Protocols. Is your government meeting all the obligations of the Cartagena Convention and its Protocols? Look out for National Country Reports coming soon to our CEP Website. Looking for a specialized laboratory to conduct monitoring and analysis? Check out the CEP lab capacity database. Focal points are requested to provide the Secretariat with any updates to this database. Check out the latest GEF CReW Lines Newsletter available for interesting information on the project. Keep on the lookout for the new design for our UNEP CEP website, which will go live by July *** Page 11

12 Upcoming Events April 4. Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting (virtual) May Eighth (8th) GEF Biennial International Waters Conference-Negombo, Sri Lanka April 4-8. RAC REMPEITC National Workshop on ESI maps-saint Lucia April 5-8. Third (3rd) meeting of the Negotiating Committee of the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters -Montevideo, Uruguay April 7. World Health Day April 7-8. Fourteenth (14th) CRFM Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum- Georgetown, Guyana April EBM Nature Serve Caribbean Basis Tool Workshop-Dominican Republic April CATHALAC Final Regional Meeting aned Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting-santo Domingo, Dominican Republic April IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)- London, United Kingdom April 22. International Mother Earth Day April Coastal-Marine EBM Tools Training Workshop -San Juan, Puerto Rico April ECLAC Regional Fourth (4th) Meeting of the Caribbean Development Roundtable- Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis April 22. Twenty Sixth (26th) Session Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC)-Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis April First (1st) World Environmental Law Congress-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil May Blue Growth Investment Conference -Grenada May Capacity Development to Improve the Management of Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ): Needs, Experiences, Options and Opportunities-Grenada May RAC REMPTEIC Steering Committee Meeting-Curacao May 22-. International Day for Biological Diversity May Second (2nd) United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) -Nairobi, Kenya May 30-June 2. Tenth Meeting of Open-ended Working Group of Basel Convention (OEWG 10)-Nairobi, Kenya June Brazilian Congress on Environmental Law and Congress of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries of the Institute Law for a Green Planet-Sao Paulo, Brazil June 5. World Environment Day June 6-9. UNEP Caribbean Border Control and Invasive Alien Species Management Workshop- Panama June 8. World Oceans Day June Seventh (7th) Session of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Information and Knowledge Management (MEA-IKM) Initiative Steering Committee -Geneva, Switzerland June Cartagena Convention Workshop on management of invasive alien species for Caribbean SIDS- (exact dates tbc) July -GEF IWEco Inception Workshop and 1st PSC Meeting-(TBD) May NOAA in the Caribbean Partner Meeting-San Juan, Puerto Rico Page 12