CARICOM REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE – Towards an effective, equitable and sustainable treaty on plastic pollution

The Caricom regional roundtable meeting was organized and sponsored by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Norwegian Academy of International Law (NAIL). This forum of highly qualified technicians met and deliberated in a two-days session from 18th to 19th January in Antigua.

The welcome and opening speech were delivered by Minister Sir Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation and the Environment. In his remarks the Minister reminded the participants to be adamant, clear and precise about what needs required for the region. Additionally, he impressed upon them to be concise on ways forward, the approach/strategies and hopeful tangible outcomes/solutions in regards to PLASTIC POLLUTION and the associated problems such as environmental and detrimental/fatal health issues.

Finally, Minister Joseph advised the participants to be steadfast and assertive as the region prepares to participate in the upcoming Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee meetings (INC). The next meeting, INC4 is scheduled to be held in Ottawa, Canada during April 2024.

Participants attended included:

NAME                                                                             AFFILIATION

Anama Solofa                                                                Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Samoa

Anthony Mai                                                                 Department of the Environment, Belize

Daniela Garcia                                                              Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ecuador

Jonopia Fernander                                                      Department of Environmental Planning & Protection, Bahamas

Kareem Sabir                                                                CARICOM Secretariat, Guyana

Kemraj Parsram                                                           Environmental Protection Department, Guyana

Marise Warner                                                              International Law Consultant, Trinidad & Tobago

Philip Pile                                                                      Environmental Protection Department, Barbados

Safiya Sawney                                                               Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment Renewable Energy, Grenada

Taylor Clayton                                                              Cartagena Convention Secretariat & Caribbean Environment Program – UNEP, Jamaica

Tushara Maharaj                                                         Ministry of Planning and Development, Trinidad & Tobago

Asha Challenger                                                           Permanent Mission of Antigua & Barbuda to the UN, New York

Jasiel Murphy                                                               Ministry of Health, Environment and Climate Change, Antigua

Indira James-Henry                                                    Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Antigua

Linroy Christian                                                           Department of Analytical Services, Antigua

Kiara Ireland                                                                 Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Antigua

Maria Alejandra Gonzalez                                          World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Nadia Balducci                                                              World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Torbjorn Graff Hugo                                                    Norwegian Academy of International Law (NAIL)

 

Topics that were presented and discussed included:

· Nuts and bolts of treaty negotiations

· The present status after INC 3 on plastic pollution treaty development

· INC 4 & 5

· Revised Zero Draft

· Ensuring effective treaty-implementation

· Risk and opportunities ahead

· Next steps – the role of the Caribbean countries

· CARICOM INC focal points internal coordination meeting

The CARICOM member states recognized the need for improved cooperation and coordination ahead of the next meeting of the INC and discussed modalities for the development of common positions. The meeting was seen as a timely venture and provided an opportunity for member states to advance the positions of the Caribbean region in the context of the overall negotiations towards the establishment of a new Plastics Treaty.