Report of the Second Meeting of the Project Advisory Committee

Report of the Second Meeting of the Project Advisory Committee

Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change (CPACC)

The Accra Beach Hotel

Barbados

4-5 May 1998

Welcome

The Chairman, Mr. Mustafa Toure of the CARICOM Secretariat, welcomed all members of the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to the Second Meeting of the body. Introduction of Participants followed (Annex 1). It was noted that one person was absent: Ambassador John Ashe (Caribbean representative to the GEF Council). Mr. John Wilson, Ministry of Health and Environment, Barbados, extended a welcome to all the participants on behalf of the Government of Barbados.

The first of order of business was to approve the agenda. After a few changes to the agenda, the agenda was approved (Annex 2).

2.0 Report of the first meeting of the PAC was presented and discussed. (Annex 3)

The following clarifications were made:

With regards to Section 2.1. "Institutional Arrangements," the GEF Secretariat approved St. Vincent and the Grenadines proposal to join CPACC. St Vincent and the Grenadines’s full incorporation into CPACC is pending signature of a cooperative agreement with said country and the OAS.

With regards to the "RPIU Staffing" (Section 2.2) the Coastal Zone Management Officer, Mr. Leslie Walling, was contracted and the position of Deputy Project Manager has been filled by Dr. Floyd Homer but he is negotiating the contract with UWI.

With regards to the "RPIU Facilities" (Section 2.3) it was noted that there has been some improvements. All systems should be functional by the end of May. An additional room for the RPIU in CERMES was successfully negotiated. As far as communications, installation of the phone lines is being completed. An increase in communications among the NICUs is expected as well as increased dissemination of information through the CPACC Web Site.

Two specific changes to the Minutes of the First Meeting of the PAC were suggested:

1. Page 38, item #7: "Coordination among regional institutions", 1^st paragraph, Judy Davidson should be changed to Judy Dennison

2. Page 8, item #13, "1.36 million IDB funded…" should read "1 million IDB funded and UNEP 360,000 funded..."

Minutes of the First Meeting of the PAC were accepted.

Review of the "Terms of Reference for Project Advisory Committee"

It was noted that a revised version of the PAC Terms of Reference reflecting comments made at the First PAC meeting was available in the meeting’s documents (Annex 4).

A list of potential observers to future PAC meetings was discussed and approved:

1. Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) (Jeffery Dellimore)

2. OESC-NRMU

3. Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)

4. Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO)

5. CAIC (private sector)

6. FAO (agriculture)

7. CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organization) (Mercedes Silva, Sustainable Tourism Officer)

8. The Regional Insurance Industry through the Insurance Association of the Caribbean (IAC)

CFRAMP

It was noted that it is important to target specific persons to represent these organizations in the PAC.

With regards to the "selection of NICU representatives to the PAC". The NICUs held a consultation prior to the PAC, and decided representation would be according to alphabetical order, from two lists, one representing OECS countries and the other one with the rest. Barbados would have a permanent seat on the PAC given that it is the host country of the RPIU. Therefore, Belize and Dominica would represent the NICUs at the 3^rd Meeting of the PAC. It was recommended that the NICU’s should hold a meeting prior to the next PAC meeting (probably May or June 1999).

Matters arising

It was recommended that the PAC extend a formal invitation to the OECS to participate as an observer of the PAC.
IMA Memorandum of Understanding remains unsigned; Dr. Trotz to follow up.
Suriname recently approached the World Bank with a similar request to join CPACC. The PAC participants and the CARICOM Secretariat welcomed this initiative on the part of Suriname. A decision on how to incorporate it is still pending. (see annex. 5)

4.0 Institutional Arrangements

RPIU Staffing (Annex 6)

Negotiations continue between the Human Resources/Deputy Project Manager elected and UWI about his contract. All issues have been resolved with the exception of the currency of payments; the person filling the position is not a national of Barbados and would like part of the payment in foreign currency. The PAC’s Vice Chair, Dr. Binger, informed that paying a consultant in US Dollars is acceptable, and that there are precedents in the University. At the suggestion of Dr. Trotz, the group formed a small committee comprised of one representative from the Government of Barbados, UWICED, CARICOM, OAS and the CPACC/RPIU to consider this issue.

RPIU Facilities at UWI, Cave Hill (Annex 6)

There is a question as to CERMES office space provided to the RPIU. The CERMES Director pointed out that the space was provided for a period of two years so there is a need to consider what action to take to ensure permanent space for the CPACC/RPIU into the University. A solution that was discussed is to enlist support from the Government of Barbados to encourage UWI to create additional office space in the CERMES building by enclosing presently open space. In addition, negotiations should proceed for including climate change as part of the University programe. Action: the Chair of the PAC will write a letter addressed to UWI and Government of Barbados requesting assistance in extending the CERMES Building.

Progress Reports

5.1 July 1997 – May 1998 Project Activities

5.1.1 Lee Chapin, Acting Regional Network Coordinator, made a presentation on the status of the implementation of Component 1 (Annex 7). With regards to the Satellite Ground Earth Station, it is operating in the site of the monitoring system’s vendor (state of Virginia, USA) and will remain there until the system has been fully tested. The next step is to transfer it to CMI. Data from the monitoring stations are being transmitted through the GOES satellite. One of the challenges to be faced in the near future is how to offer the information through the Internet. The information has to be within a server that can provide fast connectivity to users. This is a problem in Barbados because of the high cost of dedicated fast Internet lines. A short-term solution is to offer the information through the Star4 system, which is available to every meteorological office in the Caribbean. This arrangement is already in place at the level of NOAA. In-country arrangements would have to be made between NICUs and MeT Offices to ensure regular access to the data by national agencies other that the MeT offices.

CMI management and Mr. Chapin need to discuss the feasibility and the logistics of generating revenue from the data collected by the monitoring systems (price set on data, what data to sell, the logistics of payment). Mr. Chapin described how the Government of Belize paid for a solar radiation panel to be attached to the monitoring system. It was agreed that data on solar radiation is important for the CPACC and the region. The cost of installing solar panel is of US$400 per site; and the installation is relatively simple and could be completed by the local experts that received the training.

Action: Mr. Chapin to prepare a report on Interim Arrangements for Data Access and Distribution and to prepare an analysis and cost estimate.

Action: Mr. Chapin to prepare an analysis and cost estimate to the long term cost for MeT Office to assume periodic maintenance and calibration.

Presentation on Component 2 – Ian King (Annex 8)

Issues:

GIS report for OESC-NRMU is still not available.
Cooperation with CERMES and Center for Geospatial Studies (St. Augustine) regarding shared facilities and training in GIS.
Cooperation to assist in the establishment of a GIS certificate program in Cave Hill.
Training needs at the country levels: software specific generalized training looking at GIS applications and what it can do. CPACC can not afford to develop GIS capacities from scratch.
OECS/NRMU Report on GIS capacity in the OECS countries: need for access to reports from OECS/NRMU.
UNEP is invited to participate more closely with the design of the GIS training and implementation program.
Regarding the CPACC Webpage it was felt that every effort should be made to utilize regional expertise and consultants
CPACC should explore the possibility of utilizing SIDSNet to reduce the cost of maintaining the CAPCC Website when responsibility for its management reverts to the RPIU
CPACC should take advantage of the CEPNET training programme on Webpage and Metadata development starting in Jamaica and to be repeated in other CPACC member countries
CAPCC should collaborate with CCA on the preparation of a concept paper on training for information management and networking as part of the Caribbean SIDSNet process

Presentation of Component III – Ian King & Leslie Walling. (Annex 8)

Issues:

Workshop on coastal inventories May 18-20, 1998 to establish a baseline knowledge on coastal zone inventories. Several regional resources will be invited to present their programs and activities related to this topic: OECS/NRMU, CEPNET, Barbados’ CZMU, the UWI Geospatial Center, NOAA and EROS.
The process of C3 should be a process driven by country demands. How is the information collected?, where is the information?, access?
Who were the participates in the meeting? Is there a mechanism to select the right people to come to the workshops? The NICUs should play a strong role influencing the selection of the participants.
The dates of the workshop were changed because of lack of the accommodations in Barbados (for participants and for computers).
The coastal resource inventory will be done at a low level resolution (national level) and then high resolution (for pilot areas).
How to incorporate the non-CPACC countries in the Caribbean and relevant experiences of other countries in the region? Arrangements are being negotiated and discussions are underway.
How have NGOs been involved? They are not at this point.
Training beyond the component specific activities is an issue that should be addressed by the HRS from a strategic point of view.

5.1.4. Presentation on Component 5 (Annex 8)

Workshop in Belize, March 10-12, 1998. Very good mixture of people related to coral reef: NGOs, user, scientist, experts, and managers.
A simple monitoring approach was developed (list of parameters, methodologies to monitor parameters, implementation, action plans and time lines; working proceedings).
The document out of the workshop has been made available for comments and will be ready soon.
(UNEP has a mandate to follow-up on the Year of the Reef regional coordination, keep UNEP informed)

5.1.5. Presentation on Component 6 (Annex 8)

5.1.6. Presentation on Components 7 and 8

Issues:

Representatives of countries participating in these two components participated in a workshop in Trinidad and Tobago, March 1998. The workshop was sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
There must be a very good coordination between these two pilot components given that they should feed into each other.

5.1.7. Other activities supported by CPACC

The OAS, with the assistance of a World Bank consultant and the national focal point of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, developed the program of activities for St. Vincent’s participation in CPACC and its Enabling Activity (Annex 9)
The RPIU Project Manager has been discussing with the Commonwealth Secretariat and UWI the possibility of developing a climate change graduate program at UWI

5.2. National Implementation Coordination Units (NICUs); report presented by Phillip Weech

The three NICUs represented received feedback from the other NICUs about project implementation. Below is a summary of the main points:

There is a need for improving the information flow from RPIU to NICUs
There are some problems with downloading information from the web
Need more training on Component 1; compatibility of equipment under regional environmental conditions; sustainability of the component (current costs for maintaining, operationalization of C1 beyond the end of the project)
Need more information and follow-up from C2 workshop #1
There has to be more advance notice on announcing workshops and activities
Official communications: all communications need to go through NICU
There is a need for better information on targets and outputs of project activities in order to request government support
More frequent progress reports from the RPIU to the NICUs
Need for greater effort towards public relations (regular releases to the press, information packages, professional inputs)
Linkages between C7 and C8. Maybe the two should be joined.
Public awareness, PR: use the UWI (distance extension training), the public awareness component under UNDP National Communications Enabling Activities Projects, local NGOs

Report of World Bank Evaluation Mission

Jan Vermeiren presented a summary of the report of the World Bank Mission to Barbados (Annex 10) The World Bank mission will be on Jun 10-12, 1998 in Barbados. The Director of UWICED is invited to participate.

Presentation of Work Program (Annex 11)

7.1 Ian King and Leslie Walling presented the June - December , 1998 Work Program.

Issues:

In future presentations, the components should have their full name and there should a glossary of acronyms.
Inventories. There should be a set of well thought-out criteria to select the repository institutions. There is a concern that data sent and stored will never be used. There should be a link with the biodiversity enabling activities that the countries are conducting. Linkages with SIDSNet were again underscored.
CCA can support Component 5 starting in July with a new project financed by FIELD (British NGO) on coral reefs education (for schools). There will be some pilot countries that are CPACC members.

PAC supported the Operating Plan for the June – December Work Programme.

Coordination among Regional Institutions and Programmes’ Discussion

The Kyoto Protocol

Mr. Toure provided written material on the Kyoto Protocol (Annex 12), and gave a brief presentation on the issue. The Kyoto protocol has not been completed therefore, there is a lot of work until Buenos Aires, mainly related to the clean development mechanism. Energy has become a link between industry, commerce and climate change. The region needs to prepare to adapt to climate change in order to properly represent it’s interests as a SIDS. For the forthcoming COP in Argentina we need to understand what we want to get out of it and have a prepared negotiating position when we participate in that meeting. The region needs to participate in most preparatory activities. PAC has resources that may be used to support these types of activities. PAC should send a letter to all the countries to encourage their participation.

The Rockefeller Foundation, represented by Dr. Binger, could support some of these preparatory meetings, possibly to be held in their facility in Italy. CARICOM needs to organize a process to formulate a regional position for the Argentina meeting.

Linkages between Climate Change & Biodiversity (Presentation made by Dr. Carol James)

There are several ongoing regional and national activities related to biodiversity and climate change supported by UNDP (Annex 13). These have common areas with CPACC, such as the type of information collected and produced, pubic awareness, development of inputs into national policy. Thus, there is a strong need to look at direct synergy between CPACC and National Biodiversity SAP by rationalizing the use of infrastructure and resources with the potential for promoting coordinated approaches to implementation.

The proposals of the presentation were endorsed by the PAC and Dr. James was asked to develop a full concept paper for circulation to PAC members, depicting how the Climate Change and Biodiversity conventions interact vis-à-vis CPACC. We should make sure that resources are used to the best possible end and maximize synergy between projects. Need for an integrated approach stressed. Furthermore, the CARICOM Secretariat should be made aware of these overlapping activities and a mechanism to coordinate them should be established. The next CARICOM meeting in July is a good opportunity to promote this concept and the Chair will take the lead on this decision.

The Caribbean Environment Program (CEP). Presentation made by Mr. Ken Korporal

(Annex 14)

One of the outputs of CEPNET is to produce a "State of the Coast" report for each participating country, Internet based. These will be very useful for CPACC. CEPNET and CPACC have agreed to collaborate in several areas: common metadata standard; training representatives of CPACC countries not in CEPNET; sharing workplans once they have been finalized.

There is an opportunity for CEPNET to use some of CPACC’s work when CEPNET’s renewal time comes in October/November.

CEPNET Homepage: www.cep.unep.org

9 Other Matters

9.1 PAC Chairman’s Report

Mr. Toure presented a report on his activities as Chairman of the PAC. He expressed that the Kyoto protocol seems to be a great opportunity to link integrated development: Environment, Energy, Disasters, and Meteorology. He suggested that there is much needed regional representation and inputs from these countries, into the preparation of protocols and conventions. The region should take a similar approach to the one that created the CARICOM task force for Rio conference. Mechanisms are needed to facilitate inter regional consultative process. In addition to Kyoto, the Chairman participated in the 1^st Island States’ Intergovernmental Organizations Secretariats Meeting, sponsored by the South Pacific Forum Secretariat, held in Fiji and the Meeting of the Ministers of Environment, held in Peru. Both meetings endorsed and supported CPACC.

The region needs guidance to develop the concept of "cost recovery" for projects that produce information. This should be addressed by doing training for cost recovery guidelines and procedures

9.2 Other Announcements important to CPACC

Caribbean Sea Forum, Trinidad and Tobago, June, 1998 (Annex 15)
Subsidiary Body Meeting of UNFCCC, June 2^nd-12^th, Bohn, Germany. Need representation from the region however since the estimated cost is of $12,000 it is not feasible.
Climate Institute (CI) Meeting; Nov 30^th – 4^th Dec., 1998.
CCA now focal point for NGO’s for the Caribbean for the GEF. Report will be available via WWW.

Announcements and Scheduling of Next PAC

Next meeting of the PAC will be scheduled for about the same time next year. (May 99)

9.4 Establishment of Special Working Groups

Finance and Sustainability of the Project

(cost recovery, incorporation into UWI)

Members:

Jan C. Vermeiren, OAS (Focal Person)

Lee Chapin, CPACC-OAS

Government of Barbados

CMI

Objectives

Incorporation into UWI and CMI; UWIDITE; Cost of Maintenance of Sites; Revenue generation from data collected by CPACC (shipping and hotel industry); policy paper on finance and sustainablility

Long term training program (distance education at UWI) and public awareness and information

Members:

Al Binger, UWI (Focal Person)

Ken Korporal, UNEP-CAR-CESNET

Glenda Medina, CCA

UNDP (SIDSNET)

Cheryl Jeffery, OECS – NICU/Antigua & Barbuda

Objectives

Incorporation into UWI and CMI; need to look into CCA FIELD Project on Education for Coral Reefs and UNESCO’s education program on CZ

3. Technical Capacity. The representative of The Bahamas, Mr. Phil Weech, put forward a recommendation that was approved by other PAC members:

PAC notes that the IPCC’s Third Assessment Report (see annex 16) will present the current state of knowledge on climate variability, climate change and adaptation. CPACC could become a major contributor to this knowledge but IPCC only considers published literature that has been peer reviewed. Furthermore, one of the main objectives of CPACC is to foster the development of regional and national technical capacities. Thus, the NICUs requests that PAC investigates means of developing collaborative efforts so that peer review literature can be produced on the process of implementing CPACC components and that the Chairman provides regular updates on this effort. The following areas should be considered since they form part of the TOR:

Economic valuation of coastal systems
Coastal vulnerability in CARICOM member states
Risk assessment of natural systems to climate change and variability
Human health and infrastructure
Economic and social aspects of mitigation of climate change and climate variability

Additionally, the PAC agreed that the UNDP proposals for linking climate change and biodiversity activities in the region should be considered as part of the work programme of this committee.

Members:

Neville Trotz, CPACC/RPIU

Phillip Weech, Bahamas NICU

Leonard Nurse, Coastal Conservation Unit

Colin Depradine, CMI

Carol James, UNDP (Focal Person)

* Each working group is to define a one page terms of reference explaining what they will do. Communications among members of the special groups will be done via e-mail. The Focal Person in each group will report progress on a periodical basis to the Chair of the PAC. If technical or financial resources are needed, the request should be forwarded to the Chair.

Executive committee comprised of one representative from the Government of Barbados, UWICED, CARICOM, OAS and the CPACC/RPIU was formed to resolve the matter of contracting Dr. Floyd Homer for the position to the Human Resource/Deputy Project Manager.

10 Closing

The Permanent Secretary, Environment Division, Ministry of Health and Environment of the Government of Barbados, Ms. Atheline Haynes, delivered the closing remarks and thanked the participants. Ms. Haynes expressed the on-going commitment of the government of Barbados to the CPACC Project and noted that she would look forward to reviewing the report of the meeting.

Final act of the meeting was the closing.