Minister of Planning and Development Pennelope Beckles, is currently attending the CARICOM Regional Heads of Government Meeting in the Bahamas. The meeting is being hosted in Nassau, with the support of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, in preparation for the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27). The Meeting was held from 16to 18 August, 2022.
The Meeting is designed to bring together international finance partners and relevant stakeholders to discuss matters pertaining to mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation provided for under the Paris Agreement, with a view to supporting people and livelihoods of ocean states in the Caribbean Region. It aims to create a forum to encourage and foster bilateral and multilateral dialogue and networking, and advance meaningful partnerships to address the concerns of climate change in a more sustainable manner. Additionally, the Meeting is expected to determine the value of such a Regional gathering and the call for it to be placed on the UNFCCC annual calendar as a regional climate meeting.
The general objective of the High-level Dialogue, which is to take place during August 16-18, 2022, is to promote understanding and awareness of key issues and concerns within the Region in order to forge a path forward that nurtures continued cooperation, reflects national perspectives, addresses regional priorities and generates climate solutions on the ground. The Dialogue will be encapsulated in sessions under four thematic areas:
· Mitigation: Advancing energy security and sustainability, building carbon markets, and enabling the blue economy;
• Adaptation and loss & damage: Climate impacts: increasing resilience to extreme weather events and slow onset climatic processes;
• Support: Support for achieving goals: Climate finance, capacity building and technology transfer; and
• Cross-cutting: Transparency & Reporting: Highlighting progress, being accountable, building capacity and attracting support.
The Ministry of Planning and Development has responsibility for the Environment, and, led by the Honourable Pennelope Beckles, Minister of Planning and Development, plays a significant role in the regional and international climate change agenda. Participating in the meeting through the moderation of discussions will not only enhance Trinidad and Tobago’s reputation as a respected voice in the international climate change negotiations and discussions, but also guide the discussions to contribute to, and achieve regional climate goals, and by extension the climate objectives of Trinidad and Tobago.