Food Security, Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability

DEVELOPMENT AGENDA PRIORITY M:  Environmental sustainability, Climate and environmental change.

About priority M

  1. Environmental sustainability is directly influenced by both climatic and non-climatic drivers of environmental change, and climate change is caused by greenhouse gas emissions, GHGs.
  2. "Environmental sustainability refers to the responsible and balanced use of natural resources to meet the present needs without adversely compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
  3. “Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas” that emit greenhouses gases, GHG into the atmosphere.
  4. Greenhouse gas emissions, GHGs, influence environmental sustainability because GHGs affect ecological systems that provide resources to support social and economic systems.
  5. Therefore, priority M will focus on how GHG emissions—whether at a local, regional, or global scale—directly impact natural aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as agroecological systems, and how these effects adversely affect individuals, households, communities, and larger socio-economic systems in Tobago.
  6. Responding to these negative impacts will require mainstreaming environmental sustainability across decision-making processes related to social, economic, and environmental issues across all levels of government and civil society.
  7. This approach will help Tobago work toward achieving its climate mitigation and adaptation targets.

Primary performance benchmark: Priority M

  1. Benchmark: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 45% by 2030, 50% by 2035 and 70% by 2045.

  2. Indicator of progress/success: Percent of greenhouse gas emissions year-over-year.

  3. Benchmark country: No benchmark

Major concerns: Priority M.

Concerns Problem Statements
Declining ecological systems a. Decline in important terrestrial and aquatic systems and species caused by the cumulative impacts of climate and human-induced environmental change.
Sea level rise and rising sea surface temperatures b. Increasing susceptibility of important shorelines to erosion due to sea level rise, SLR and decline in coral reefs due to rising sea surface temperatures, RSST.
Fossil-based fuels c. Unsustainable dependence on fossil fuel-based energy systems.
Energy conversion d. Low levels of adoption and conversion to clean energy systems.
Household vulnerability e. Increasing vulnerability among households to persistent catastrophic weather-related disaster events.
Disaster management f. Capacity of local agencies for resilient disaster management.
Decarbonization g. Difficulties in financing decarbonization.
Biodegradable waste h. Management of non-biodegradable waste.

1.0 Selected Focus Areas Priority M?

The Department of Environment, Climate Change, and Energy (DECCE) is a newly established THA department tasked with addressing the existential threat that climate and environmental change pose to social, economic and natural systems in Tobago.

The DECCE will prioritize climate change adaptation and mitigation and clean energy transition by focusing on the following areas:

  1. Renewable Energy Development:
    1. Renewable Energy Infrastructure: Promote renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
    2. Promote Energy Efficiency: Promote energy-efficient policies to reduce energy consumption and emissions.
  2. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation:
    1. Climate Change Policy (CCP): Develop and implement a Tobago Climate Change Policy, which includes strategies for reducing carbon emissions.
    2. Carbon Reduction Strategy (CRS): Promote carbon emission reduction through the adoption of cleaner production technologies and the use of low-emission fuels and zero-emission energy sources.
    3. Tobago Adaptation Plan: Develop and implement the Tobago Adaptation Plan to enhance resilience in agriculture, tourism, coastal areas, and other relevant sectors.
  3. Conservation of Natural Resources:
    1. Protect Coastal Ecosystems: Promote the conservation of natural carbon sinks, e.g., coastal and terrestrial ecosystems to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
    2. Sustainable Land Use: Promote sustainable land use practices to prevent deforestation, land degradation, and biodiversity loss.
  4. Waste Management and Recycling:
    1. Sustainable Waste Management: Implement comprehensive waste management strategies, including recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy projects, to reduce landfill use and minimize environmental impact.
    2. Reduce Plastic Pollution: Encourage decreasing single-use plastics and promote the use of biodegradable materials to decrease plastic pollution in marine environments.
  5. Water Resource Management:
    1. Long-term Water Strategy: Develop a long-term strategy to ensure sustainable water management, incorporating cutting-edge technology to future-proof the water sector against climate-related risks.
    2. Water Conservation: Promote water conservation practices and the efficient use of water resources to mitigate potential water shortages resulting from climate change.
  6. Community Engagement and Education:
    1. Public Awareness Campaigns: Conduct public awareness campaigns to educate communities about climate change, environmental sustainability, and the importance of adopting sustainable environmental practices.
    2. Environmental Education: Integrate environmental education into school curricula to raise awareness about climate change among the younger generation to foster a culture of sustainability.
  7. Disaster Resilience and Preparedness:
    1. Disaster Vulnerability Assessment: Enhance preparedness and response capabilities of government and other agencies to disasters by conducting island-wide disaster risk assessments of buildings and infrastructure.
    2. Resilience Planning: Develop and implement resilience strategies to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters and climate-related hazards.
  8. International Cooperation and Funding:
    1. Access International Funding: Leverage international funding and partnerships to support climate action and sustainability projects. This includes accessing funds from organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
    2. Participate in Global Initiatives: Engage in global climate initiatives and agreements, such as the Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change and biodiversity, to align mitigation and adaptation efforts with international climate goals and to secure technical and financial support for climate adaptation and mitigation.

MAIN REFERENCE INFORMATION

  1. Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY July 2011
  2. CLIMATE CHANGE mitigation initiatives in Trinidad and Tobago
  3. Green Buildings Are Essential for Trinidad and Tobago's Sustainable Development
  4. RESILIENT ACTION PLAN TOBAGO
  5. Trinidad & Tobago's Country Statement: High-Level Segment COP 27
  6. Optimizing Grid Performance in Trinidad and Tobago: The Role of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology
  7. A small island coping with climate change: Trinidad and Tobago
  8. CAF approves USD 2.478 billion for sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean
  9. What is the difference between adaptation and mitigation?
  10. Overview of Greenhouse Gases
  11. Effective Strategies for Sustainable Waste Management
  12. Water and Climate Change
  13. Climate Change 2007: Working Group II: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability

Targets and Indicators of Progress/Success

Target-M-1
Achieve at least a 50% reduction in carbon emissions from key sectors below 2025 levels by 2035.
Indicator-M-1
Reduction in carbon emissions in key sectors year-over-year.
Target-M-2
Achieve net-zero carbon emissions in key sectors by 2045.
Indicator-M-2
Total reduction of carbon emissions from all sectors year-over-year.
Target-M-3
Reduce the loss of important biological and ecosystems by at least 20% below the 2025 level by 2030 and at least 30% below 2030 levels by 2045.
Indicator-M-3
Reduction in biodiversity loss in important biological and ecological systems year-over-year.
Target-M-4
Achieve at least 50% uptake of Environmental and Social Governance, ESG reporting in businesses, NGOs, FBOs, and CBOs by 2030.
Indicator-M-4
Number of businesses, NGOs, FBOs, and CBOs using Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) reporting year-on-year.
Target-M-5
Achieve at least 50% uptake of International Financial Reporting Standards, IFRS, by businesses by 2030.
Indicator-M-5
Number of businesses using International Financial Reporting Standards, IFRS, year-over-year.
Target-M-6
Protect at least two kilometres of coastal shorelines by 2035 and at least five kilometres by 2045.
Indicator-M-6
Kilometres of coastlines protected year-over-year.
Target-M-7
Invest an appropriate % equivalent of GDP on climate change mitigation and adaptation, and environmental sustainability by 2035, and an appropriate % equivalent of GDP by 2045.
Indicator-M-7
Percentage of GDP equivalent invested in climate change mitigation, adaptation, and environmental sustainability year-over-year.

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