Trinidad and Tobago continues to play a leadership role globally regarding climate change related matters. An announcement today, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) held in Madrid Spain, named Trinidad and Tobago as the Co-chair of negotiations on the important issue of climate-linked loss and damage. Today is Day 1 of COP25, which lasts from December 2-13, 2019. These negotiations hope to review the ‘Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage Associated with Climate Change Impacts’ (WIM), with a view to making recommendations.
Agreed to in Warsaw, Poland in 2013 (COP19), the WIM aims to address climate-linked loss and damage by building knowledge and understanding, strengthening dialogue and coordination and enhancing action and support.
Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit (MEAU) of the Planning Ministry, is part of the delegation representing T&T at COP25, and has been appointed by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary body for Implementation to be the Co-chair on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago. These bodies are advisory bodies to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Mr. Kumarsingh was selected due to his vast experience and success in contributing to climate change matters at the global level.
Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis states that Trinidad and Tobago also has the key role of negotiating on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and as a Small Island Developing State, T&T must continue to ensure that its interests are well represented and elucidated at this fora along with other like-minded Parties such as Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Group of 77 and China (G77 and China).
The delegation from the Ministry of Planning and Development representing Trinidad and Tobago comprises Mr. Ric Javed Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) of the Planning Ministry, Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head Multi-Lateral Environmental Agreements Unit and Ms. Sindy Singh, Climate Change Specialist of the Ministry of Planning. Trinidad and Tobago, through Mr. Kumarsingh, played a key role in drafting and securing support for the Paris Agreement in its preparatory stages.