Caribbean Network

The creation of the Ozone Officers Network for English-Speaking Caribbean and Haiti was approved at the 21st Executive Committee Meeting in 1997. This network comprises 14 members: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago.

With the establishment of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) in 2002, the mandate of the three Latin America and the Caribbean Networks was modified.  They were channelled toward the development of national capacities to meet and sustain compliance with the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).  Additionally, with the adoption of the Kigali Amendment (KA) to the Montreal Protocol in 2016, the Caribbean Network will not only seek to strengthen and enhance the capacities of Governments to achieve and sustain the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) phase-out commitments under the Montreal Protocol but, will also ensure that countries have the adequate suite of policy and legislative frameworks to meet requirements under the Kigali Amendment as they seek to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

Achievements

As a result of collaboration between UNEP, Implementing Agencies and national initiatives, the following was achieved for the Caribbean and Haiti Network between 2022 and 2023:

• Support provided to countries in potential non-compliance carried out for Suriname and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
• Approval of HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage I and Stage II Tranches, Kigali HFC Phase Down Projects (KIPs) including their Tranches, Institutional Strengthening Project (ISP) Renewals and Verification Reports as follows:
  • ExCom  90: The Bahamas HPMP II Tranche 1 and ISP VII; Barbados ISP VII, Grenada HPMP II Tranche 1 and HPMP I Tranche 3; Jamaica ISP XI and Saint Kitts and Nevis ISP VIII.
  • ExCom 91: Barbados HPMP II Tranche 1 and HPMP I Tranche 4; Belize ISP XI; and Saint Lucia KIP Preparation.
  • ExCom 92: Guyana HPMP II Tranche 3; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Verification Report; and Suriname HPMP I Tranche 4.
  • ExCom 93: Antigua and Barbuda ISP V; Dominica ISP VIII; Grenada KIP Stage I and Tranche 1; Guyana ISP XI; Saint Kitts and Nevis HPMP I Tranche 3; Saint Lucia ISP VII; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines KIP Preparation; and Suriname HPMP II Tranche 1.
• Following the Region’s established approach of holding virtual meetings during the 2020 COVID-19 Global Pandemic, whose effects spanned 2020 through to 2022, virtual informal Network Meetings were held in June, March, September and November 2022.
• The first in-person meeting, post-COVID-19 - the Training for New National Ozone Officers;, Joint Network Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean; and, Caribbean Thematic Network Meetingwas held 20 - 27 March 2023 in Panama City, Panama. The Caribbean Thematic Network Meeting and Workshop for Women in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) was held on 13 - 15 November 2023 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Highlights

During the last two years, several achievements were attained in addition to addressing some unusual global challenges, some of which are highlighted. UNEP continued to provide support to countries for strengthening their policy and legislative frameworks for the HFC phase-down and support those countries who had not yet ratified the Kigali Amendment to do so.  As a result, Belize, The Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ratified during the period.  

In response to promoting the Multilateral Fund’s (MLF’s) policy on gender mainstreaming, UNEP organized a Workshop for Women in RAC in Trinidad and Tobago in December 2023.  Female technicians from Caribbean Countries with the exception of Haiti and Barbados.  The workshop was supported by UNEP’s Gender Mainstreaming Focal Point and the International Network of Women in Cooling (INWIC).  The workshop also resulted in initial steps taken towards the formalization of the Caribbean Women in RAC and the identification of key action points to be undertaken by this grouping with support from UNEP and the NOUs.

UNEP, in October 2022 and July 2023, completed its recruitment process for the positions of Programme Management Officer and Programme Management Assistant respectively, ensuring that OzonAction’s Caribbean Team was fully staffed and positioned to provide full CAP services to the Caribbean Region.

Future Objectives

Considering CAP’s 2024-2026 Three Year Rolling Strategy, the work yet to be done under the HCFC phase-out schedule, implementation of the KIPs by countries with approved KIPs and preparation of KIPs for eligible Countries, promotion of the ratification of the Kigali Amendment by remaining countries in the region, the main objectives include:

• Supporting NOUs with effectively managing and sustaining their HPMP I and HPMP IIs, whilst effectively developing and implementing their KIPs.
• Providing support with strengthening and enforcing HCFC and HFC licensing and quota systems, and accurately reporting data in a timely manner.
• Supporting effective policy and legal frameworks.
• Assisting countries with achieving the HCFC 67.5% target in 2025 and supporting one country with the total phase-out in 2025.
• Strengthening national capacity for effective customs and trade control.
• Developing, delivering and coordinating capacity building and sustainable technicians’ training in RSS with a focus on transitioning to low GWP, more energy efficient alternatives.
• Supporting Countries with developing projects under the additional activities window for the introduction of Low or zero GWP alternatives and energy efficiency and for Inventories of ODS Banks and National Plans.
• Facilitating and supporting ratification of the Kigali Amendment.
• Facilitating country-to-country cooperation.
• Promoting gender mainstreaming.

REGIONAL CONTACTS

Mrs. Donnalyn Charles
Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator, Caribbean Network

OzonAction CAP team for Latin America and the Caribbean