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* Happy 2000 to one and all * Happy 2000 also to our various readers, experts, and writers who provided articles or material for CEPnews editions. |
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Wider Caribbean Governments Set Environmental Agenda From 14 - 18 February 2000, over 90 officials from around the Caribbean gathered in Kingston for the Ninth Intergovernmental Meeting (9th IGM) on the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme and the Sixth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention). The five-day meeting made several advancements for the protection and development of the marine environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, including the endorsement of an ambitious Workplan to implement the Cartagena Convention and the Action Plan. The meeting brought together the 36 States and Territories of the Wider Caribbean Region that participate in the Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP). A record number of Observers from other regional environmental organisations, non-governmental and other governmental and international organisations also attended, indicating a serious regional interest in the outcome of the proceedings. Mr. Jorge Illueca, Director of UNEP’s Division of Environmental Conventions, represented the Executive Director of UNEP at the meeting. Klaus Toepfer, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, noted through a press release that, "this week’s meeting will set the stage for regional co-operation on environment and sustainable development for the Caribbean in the 21st century." |
Dr. Toepfer added further, "The concerns - environmental and economic - of the Caribbean States are a microcosm of the challenges facing all nations. As such, their sustainable development is of global importance. The sustainable development of these States is about much more than beaches and coral reefs, climate change and natural disasters. It requires the forging of effective partnerships between peoples and governments and with developed and developing countries." The 9th IGM noted the increased momentum of the Cartagena Convention through the addition of two new Contracting Parties, the adoption of the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities, and, the soon to enter into force, Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW). The implementation of the Cartagena Convention and its Protocols guided the development and endorsement of the Workplan and Budget for the 2000-2001 biennium, which through a combination of training courses, pilot projects, and institutional capacity building, will keep the Secretariat to the CEP extremely busy. The need for continued and increased funding for the UNEP Regional Co-ordinating Unit for the CEP (CAR/RCU) was hotly discussed, as all present understand the critical role the UNEP Secretariat plays towards the implementation of the Cartagena Convention and the Action Plan. Governments renewed their commitments to meet the financial needs of the CEP through timely contributions to the Caribbean Trust Fund. |
In addition to the discussions of the Workplan and Budget, delegates applauded the establishment, on 1 January 2000, of the Regional Activity Centre (RAC) for the SPAW Sub-programme. The SPAW/RAC is now operating in Guadeloupe with funding from the Government of France. More details are available under the SPAW Update below. In addition, following an offer from the Government of the Netherlands Antilles and institutional support from the International Maritime Organisation, the 9th IGM agreed to institutionalise the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre (REMPEITC-Carib) in Curaçao as a RAC for the Oil Spill Protocol to the Cartagena Convention. The current institutional arrangements for REMPEITC-Carib will expire in June 2001 at which time the Centre will be converted to a RAC for CEP. Another offer was made by the Government of Cuba to host a RAC for land-based pollution and will be further negotiated and developed by the Secretariat and the Government of Cuba prior to the next meeting of the Monitoring Committee for CEP.The 2000-2001 Workplan as endorsed by the 9th IGM is already off and running. For additional details see the CEP Programme Updates in this edition of CEPNews. CAR/RCU looks forward to its continued service as Secretariat to the CEP in the 21st century.
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