Tuesday 31st January – Friday 3rd February, 2012
Quito, Ecuador

The Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is the principal regional forum for Latin America and the Caribbean in the field of the environment.

The Forum provides an opportunity for regional dialogue on items on the global environmental agenda and to strengthen cooperation in environmental management among countries of the region. The 18th Meeting of the Forum (FME18) took place in Ecuador from January 31 to February 3, 2012. Trinidad and Tobago was represented by the following delegation:

• Mr Antony Ramnarine, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Ag), Ministry of Housing and the Environment (Head of Delegation)
• Mr Asgar Ali, Advisor to the Minister of Housing and the Environment
• Dr David Persaud, Environmental Manager, EPPD, Ministry of Housing and the Environment
• Mr Kishan Kumarsingh, Head, MEAU, Ministry of Housing and Environment

In addition to the FME18, delegates took the opportunity of the presence of Ministers of Environment from across the region to convene the First Meeting of the Environment Ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which agreed to form a working group to define a regional environment strategy.

The Forum adopted a high-level Political Statement – “the Quito Declaration” and 10 decisions related to governance; sustainable consumption and production; environmental indicators; a regional financial strategy; air pollution; chemicals, and hazardous and other wastes; landlocked countries; Small Island Developing States (SIDS); environmental education; and the Central American and Caribbean countries.