Pollution Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution QUARTERLY 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. OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2016 - Issue 28 In this issue: Programme Coordination GEF Project Updates: CReW, CLME+, IWEco RAC REMPEITC Caribe-Highlights State of the Convention Area Report STAC Meetings Upcoming Intergovernmental Meetings
Programme Coordination 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.
Programme Coordination s Page 3
GEF CReW ~ Under the GEF Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management (CReW Project), support was provided to the 25th Annual Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association s Conference (CWWA) Exhibition held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago from October 24-28, 2016. ~ The Secretariat and the GEF CReW Project partnered with UN Environment s Global Programme of Action (GPA) to launch the first ever Caribbean Node for Wastewater Management at a workshop during the Conference. CWWA will serve as the Caribbean platform to improve coordination on wastewater management projects in the Caribbean and build upon the many lessons of the CReW. ~ The Conference and Exhibition brought together high level speakers, policy makers, development partners, experts, practitioners, academia and the corporate sector to address the waste and wastewater challenges facing the Caribbean using a multi-sectoral approach. For further information on the conference, please see the website: www.gefcrew.org Mrs. Donna Sue Spencer, Communication Specialist & Mr. Alfredo Coello, Project Coordinator for the GEF CReW Project share a light moment during the Caribbean Water & Wastewateer Association Workshop. t ). Page 4
GEF CLME+ ~ Under the GEF funded Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems Project ( the UNDP/ GEF CLME+ Project ), the communication strategy developed during the two communications workshops during 2017 is being reviewed by the Project Executive Group. Activities for 2017 were agreed which will support the sustainable management and use of living marine resources in the region. Project Executing Partners participate in the Communications Workshop of the UNDP/GEF CLME+ Project held in July 2016 (Miami, Florida) Off the Shelf: Resources Technical Fact Sheets on the work of the Caribbean Environment Programme are now available in Spanish and French. These include information on Solid Waste, Marine Litter, Wastewater and Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution. They can be downloaded at: <http:// www.cep.unep.org/factsheets/>. Page 5
GEF IWEco ~ The positions of Programme Management Assistant (G5 Programme Assistant) and P2 Associate Programme Management Officer were advertised in November 2016. The selection process will be completed by the first quarter of 2017. Christopher Corbin, Programme Officer for the Pollution & Communications sub-pro-gramme makes a point at the GEF IWEco Inception Project Steering Committee Meeting during September 2016 (Kingston, Jamaica) Partiners participating at the GEF IWEco Inception Workshop from September 20-21, 2016 (Kingston, Jamaica) ~ The remaining posts of Public Information Officer (P3 Communication Specialist), Regional Project Coordinator (Senior Programme Management Officer) and Programme Management Assistant (G6 Administrative Assistant) will be advertised during the first quarter of 2017. Participants at the GEF IWEco Inception Workshop held in Kingston, Jamaica September 20-21, 2016 Page 6
State of the Convention Area Report (SOCAR) ~ The Regional Workshop of Technical Experts which focused on the development of the region s first State of Marine Environment Report for the Caribbean Sea was held in Kingston, Jamaica from 15-17 August 2016. ~ The workshop was attended by over 30 experts from Governments, Research Institutions and Specialized Agencies across the Wider Caribbean region. ~ The draft documents were discussed at the recent Scien-tifiic & Technical Advisory Committee Meetings of the Protocol concerning Land-Based Sources and Activities (3rd LBS) & Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (7th SPAW). ~ The Outline, Methodology and Indicators for the State of Marine Environment Report has now been finalized. ~Government focal points in all countries of the Wider Caribbean Region were requested to provide pollution data to the Secretariat no later than 31 January 2017. Meeting participants at the SOCAR Meeting in Kingston Jamaica held August 15-17, 2016 ~ An update of the progress of the report will be provided to the LBS COP3/IGM17/SPAW COP9 scheduled from 13-17 March 2017. See our Facebook page for links to different cleanup Page 7
Oil Spills Response/RAC REMPEITC-Caribe Highlights Regional Port Reception Facilities & Waste Management Workshop ~ The Secretariat in collaboration with its Regional Activity Centre (RAC) for the Oil Spills Protocol RAC REMPEITC Caribe and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) convened a Regional Workshop on Port Reception Facilities and Waste Management from 5-7 October, 2016 in Trinidad and Tobago. ~ The main objective of the workshop was to examine levels of compliance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). ~ Several recommendations were made including follow-on steps to be undertaken in order to assist the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Wider Caribbean Region to develop a detailed proposal for implementing regional arrangements for the management of waste at ports. Representatives at the Port Reception Facilities Workshop in Trinidad and Tobago held from 5-7 October, 2016 Page 8
3rd LBS & 7th SPAW Scientific, Technical & Advisory Committee Meetings ~ Governments were encouraged to intensify efforts to prevent pollution and reduce marine biodiversity loss in the Wider Caribbean Region at the recently held Third Meeting of the Scientific Committee to the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-based Sources (LBS) and the Seventh Meeting of the Scientific Committee to the Protocol concerning Protected Areas and Wildlife from 30 October to 4 November 2016 in Miami, Florida. ~ Several recommendations were made including that Governments intensify efforts to reduce pollution in particular from marine Litter, sewage and agrochemicals run-off which were identified as the major pollutants impacting human health and the environment. Countries were also urged to submit proposals of new marine protected areas and species for inclusion in future marine conservation efforts. A single coral head, inside a protected areas in USA, provides essential habitat for many species (Photo Credit: PMaurin/Marine Photobank) ~ The meeting recommendations will be presented to the next Conference of Parties to the Cartagena Convention and the Pollution and Biodiversity Protocols from 13-17 March, 2017. in French Guiana for approval.. Page 9
IGM/ COP Meetings of the Secretariat to the Cartagena Convention & the Caribbean Environment Programme ~The UN Environment CEP Secretariat with the generous support of the Government of France will be convening the three Intergovernmental Meetings from 13-17 March 2017 in Cayenne, French Guiana as follows: * Sixteenth Intergovernmental Meeting on the Action Plan of the Caribbean Environment Programmme and Fourteenth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection & Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, 15-17 March 2017 *Fourth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land Based Sources and Activities (LBS), 13 March 2017 *Ninth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region, 14 March 2017 ~ This Intergovernmental Meeting seeks to review the projects, activities and achievements of the Caribbean Environment Programme during 2015-2016 and to approve the Workplan for the next biennium. It will also adopt the decisions from the Meetings of the Contracting Parties to the SPAW & LBS. ~ In addition, the meeting recommendations of the Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee Meetings will be presented at the IGM/17/ LBS COP3/SPAW COP9 for approval. Page 10
What s happening? Pae 5 The UN Environment will launch a global campaign on marine litter. It will focus on non-recoverable plastics by working towards a ban on microbeads in cosmetics and a drastic reduction in the use of single-use plastics. In the last 20 years, the proliferation of microbeads and single-use plastics has made the problem even more serious, and unless we act now, our seas will be hit with a plastic-tide caused by human consumption. ********* To reach these ambitious goals, strong government action is required. This means both enacting robust legislation and other relevant policies, as well as supporting on-going efforts from private and civil sector actors to combat marine litter. ********** Page 11
Social Media We have increased our CEP Facebook Likes by over 280 during the last three months t o 4 2 9 1 and our Twitter followers have grown from 2300 to 2591. Continue to like, follow and share our posts on both of these platforms. CEP also has a out our videos. Youtube page so please check Visit the new RAC REMPEITC-Caribe website and boost likes on the Facebook page. Help them reach 300 likes! Show your support on their Twitter feed too! Continue to support efforts to share information on Wastewater and sewage through the GEF CReW Facebook page. Help us to get to 600 likes. Focal Point Updates Government Focal Points 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. ******** Government Focal Points should also submit focal points news items, pictures and/or stories for inclusion on CEP s website and/or Facebook page. We also encourage 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. Please contact the Secretariat for more details at rcu@cep.unep.org. ******** Government Focal Points are being reminded to submit the Country Reports using the Cartagena Reporting Template no later than 17 February, 2017. Additionally, countries are also being urged to submit the status of LBS ratification process before 15 February, 2017. All countries who have not yet provided their input for the Global Partnership of Action survey, are being encouraged to send before 28 February, 2017. Page 12
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