1.0 Selected Focus Areas Priority K?

The THA will reestablish the Division of Planning and Development (DPD) as the lead agency for spatial planning in Tobago. The DPD will collaborate with other divisions in the THA to integrate planning across Tobago’s three development planning regions by focusing on the following areas:

1. Integrated Land Use and Planning:
   1. Mixed-Use Development: Promote mixed-use urban and suburban development to reduce the need for long commutes and to promote walkability. This will include residential areas with integrated commercial and recreational spaces.
   2. Medium-Density Development: Promote medium-density development to preserve natural areas. This will be achieved through zoning regulations and incentives for developers
   3. Green Infrastructure: Incorporate green infrastructure such as parks, green roofs, and permeable surfaces into environmental designs to manage stormwater, reduce heat islands, and enhance biodiversity.
2. Environmental Sustainability:
   1. Climate Resilience: Integrate climate adaptation and mitigation measures into flood management systems, green space planning, and the design of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) to enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change.
   2. Renewable Energy: Promote LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for public buildings to ensure they are environmentally friendly.
   3. Waste Management: Incorporate design approaches into community planning with a focus on efficient waste management practices, including recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy conversion, to minimize landfill use and promote a circular economy.
3. Community Planning:
   1. Participatory Planning: Involve local communities in the planning process to ensure their needs and priorities are taken into account. This will be achieved through public consultations, community workshops, and participatory budgeting.
   2. Capacity Building: Provide training and capacity-building programs for local authorities, planners, and community members to enhance their sustainable urban planning and management skills.
   3. Integration of Community Plans: Integrate community plans and budgets into urban and suburban planning.
4. Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction:
   1. Blue Agenda: Integrate blue agenda initiatives into planning principles to promote adaptation to climate change in coastal areas. This includes coastal protection, sustainable water management, and the development of climate-resilient coastal infrastructure.
   2. Disaster Risk Reduction: Integrate disaster risk reduction strategies into planning principles to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters. This includes early warning systems, emergency response plans, and the construction of resilient public infrastructure.

MAIN REFERENCE INFORMATION

1. Sustainable Development Goal 11 and a New Urban Agenda for Caribbean Small Island Developing States: Policy, Practice, and Action
2. Integrated peri-urban areas in the transition towards climate neutrality
3. Sustainable Planning for Peri-urban Landscapes
4. Sustainable Planning of Peri-Urban Areas: Introduction to the Special Issue
5. A Caribbean New Urban Agenda Post-Habitat III: Closing the gaps
6. A Caribbean Model for Resilient, Inclusive, Smart, and Safe (RISS) Cities
7. Staying Small and Beautiful: Enhancing Sustainability in the Small Island Developing States
8. CDB's urban sector policy to assist with coordinated approach to planning
9. IDB Details a Blue Urban Agenda for Coastal Cities in SIDS
10. UN-Habitat and UNDP partnership to build urban resilience in Small Island Developing States
11. The global standard in green building

OTHER INFORMATION

1. Guidelines on urban and peri-urban forestry in Jamaica.
2. Village-level planning in Guyana within NDCs
3. Subregional Action Plan for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in the Caribbean Prioritizing subregional challenges and opportunities 2016-2036