G. Workshops & meetings

Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. BACKGROUND

2. DISCUSSIONS
2.1 PARTICIPANTS
2.2 AGENDA
2.3 WORKSHOP MATERIAL
2.4 WORKSHOP SUMMARY
2.5 RECOMMENDATIONS

3. CLOSING


1 BACKGROUND
This report summarizes the main issues raised out and discussed during the climate change “Second National Workshop” held in St. Joseph University, Campus des Sciences Humaines, on 29th of October 2002.

This workshop, which is the last in a series that were held to meet the objectives of the climate change –phase II project, was financed by the UNDP/GEF

Following the initiation meeting of Climate Change Enabling Activity–Phase II, which was held on 12/12/01 at the Ministry of Environment, and as per the discussed project action plan and program, the Second National Workshop was held titled “Capacity Building and Technology Transfer”.

The main objectives were to present the results of work undertaken in technology needs assessment and systematic observation networks, and share concept proposals with several donor agencies.

The following sections describe briefly the issues raised during the one-day workshop as described in the agenda.

2 DISCUSSIONS
2.1 PARTICIPANTS
Fifty participants attended the workshop among whom were the Austrian, Australian, Swiss and Dutch ambassadors, while the Italian Embassy was represented by its commercial attaché. A complete list of invitees and participants with relevant addresses is included in Annex I.

The Climate Change project manager introduced the workshop, followed by the speech of the hosting university Director of the department of geography and environment, Mrs. Jocelyne Gerard, then the Deputy Resident Representative, Ms. Nada Al-Nashif gave the speech of UNDP followed by the speech of Ministry of Environment (MoE) by H.E. Dr. Michel Moussa.

2.2 AGENDA
The agenda of the workshop presented in Annex II, is divided into two general headings: “Overview and Task Briefing Session” and “Parallel Discussion Groups”.

2.3 WORKSHOP MATERIAL
A folder containing all the presentations (4 in number), two executive summaries, and concept proposals were distributed to the participants.

2.4 WORKSHOP SUMMARY
As mentioned previously, the workshop was divided into two sessions. The first session included several presentations, dealing with a range of topics from an overview of CCEAPII project, GHG Inventory and Emission Factors, Training Manual adapted for Lebanon, results of studies conducted in Technology Needs Assessment/Technology Transfer, to Systematic Observation Networks.
In this session, interventions from the participants were mainly regarding the following:

a. GHG Inventory comparison between 1994 and 1999, specifically the increase in the CO2 emissions around 17.2% due mainly to the increase in consumption of energy including transport, a slight decrease in N2O (-0.2%) due to a slight decrease in flock number, and an decrease of 16% of CH4 emission due to flaring.
b. The participants recommended that further work should be done to reduce uncertainty in methodology, activity data and emission factors.
c. The participants raised issues in relation to technology transfer mainly the need for concentrating on preparing the enabling environment before the transfer of any technology. This enabling environment constitute of relevant or necessary laws/enforcements, market potential, resources and sustainability.
d. Participants raised the importance proper archiving of national data of all meteorological data, and the establishment of an institution that handles them on a national basis (administrative and technical), which could be under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or the National Council of Scientific Research (NSCR).
e. The important role of the private sector in taking the initiative in technology transfer, coupled with the necessary role of the government for preparing an enabling environment.

During the afternoon session, a prototype of the private sector role was presented by Mr. Mouin El-Khatib, Technical Director of UNICERAMIC s.a.l., mainly about energy efficiency and GHG emission reduction (presentation in Annex III).

After this, several concept proposals in technology transfer and observation networks were presented and discussed in the working session. The participants developed a couple of other new concept proposals and recommended follow-up on these proposals with the donor agencies and different stakeholders. The presentations and concept proposals are included in Annex III.

2.5 RECOMMENDATIONS
Participants agreed to follow-up on the concept proposals that were developed in the workshop. The need for an insuring a sustainable follow-up mechanism was emphasized specially that the climate change project is about to end; however, the climate change project manager noted that in view of a possible project extension for a couple of months, this follow-up shall be achieved, specifically with the interested donor agencies and relevant stakeholders.

The project manager noted that in one week time a website for the project will be accomplished, which will be a very useful tool for access and dissemination of information regarding all the tasks covered undertaken in this project.

3 CLOSING
After about a long day of interesting discussions the manager of the Climate Change project announced the closing of the workshop, thanking everyone for their participation and hoping to be able to build on this workshop further and move into implementation projects.