Counter Pollution Workshop

Mr. Christopher Corbin, Coordinator of the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat participated in a Counter Pollution Workshop organized by the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency of the United Kingdom from 27-29th November in Miami, Florida.  The workshop, while targeting primarily UK Overseas Territories also afforded an opportunity for sharing of experiences and best practices of neighboring countries in the Wider Caribbean Region.  

Presentations covered a wider range of topics including Stakeholder Engagement, responses to incidents involving Hazardous Noxious Substances (HNS), Training of Volunteers, Waste Management including disposal of oil once ashore and the risk associated with new new/alternative fuels as part of the ongoing decarbonization effort in the shipping industry.  Other topics of relevance to the participants included policy requirements for establishing places and refuge. 

The third day of the workshop was dedicated to regional collaboration where Mr. Corbin provided an overview of the relevance of the work of the Cartagena Convention and its Protocols and the capacity building that had been done through its Regional Activity Centres including the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre – Caribe (RAC REMPEITC Caribe).  The workshop offered an opportunity for identifying strategic priorities for future collaboration as the UK OTs in the Caribbean are also Contracting Parties to the Cartagena Convention.