On 24 May 2023 (16:00-17:00 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, AST) (GMT-4), 22:00-23:00 Geneva time, CEST (GMT+2), 25 May 8:00-9:00 Suva, Fiji time (GMT+12)), the GEF ISLANDS Programme is hosting a webinar on SIDS-to-SIDS best practice sharing on end-of-life vehicle (ELV) management. 

Used vehicle import in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has increased in the last decades, due to the growing vehicle ownership and lack of domestic manufacture. The increase has been steep; for instance, imports in Mauritius doubled during 2006-2016. Jointly, the United States, Japan and the European Union exported 14 million used passenger cars between 2015 and 2018 with around 70% ending up in developing countries. This underregulated import of used vehicles led to increased end-of-life vehicle (ELV) generation in developing countries, including in SIDS.

ELVs pose a threat to human health and the environment and require careful management. Unless recycled and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, ELVs pose significant risks – releasing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including tetraBDE, PentaBDE and DecaBDE – to ecosystems and human health. POPs are found in the plastic components in cars – including the dashboard and steering wheel, as well as in seats, treated with flame retardants.

ELVs are one of the key thematic issues being addressed by GEF ISLANDS in activities across the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian Ocean and Atlantic regions. On top of the regional ELV activities - such as a study tour in the in the Caribbean and economic feasibility assessment of ELV recycling in the Pacific region - ISLANDS identifies and shares ELV management best practices in ISLANDS SIDS. 

Based on the initial two case studies from Mauritius and Saint Lucia, overarching findings were presented at the GEF ISLANDS ELV Working Group Meeting. 

Common challenges identified in the working group meeting included:

• Expense of managing ELVs;
• Need and incentives for private sector involvement (including small and medium recyclers who dismantle vehicles and sell scrap abroad);
• Lack of de-pollution process and knowledge of POPs among ELV recyclers.

A key takeaway from the working group meeting is ELV management can begin with either the public or private sector, but both sectors are required to effectively and sustainably manage ELVs long-term. 

GEF ISLANDS is convening a follow-up webinar on ELV management to facilitate in-depth SIDS-to-SIDS experience-sharing and learning. During the webinar, ELV stakeholders will share their specific approaches to ELV management. This includes legislation, fiscal measures, private-public sector collaboration, and operationalizing facilities. Participants will have an opportunity to share questions and thoughts during the interactive Q&A session.

Objectives

1. Learn from specific achievements in management of ELV in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions from and beyond the GEF ISLANDS best practice case studies.
2. Bring interested stakeholders together from both the public and private sectors to share approaches and practical entry points to ELV management.
3. Understand the challenges facing SIDS in managing ELV by building on the takeaways from the ELV Working Group meeting, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
4. Launch the ISLANDS community of practice on ELV and encourage webinar participants to engage in community discussions.