Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis says T&T is seeking to reduce emissions from power generation, transportation and energy by 15 per cent over the next 14 years.
She said that during a signing ceremony for the Preparation of T&T’s Third National Communication and First Biennial Update Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Robinson-Regis and Resident Coordinator of the UN in T&T Richard Blewitt were the signatories. It will provide grant funds to enable T&T to meet its reporting requirements to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
There is also a Biennial Update Report (BUR) component which will also enhance understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and the domestic mitigation actions required.
She added that it was government’s intention “to reduce cumulative emissions in the three sectors by 15 per cent by 2030,” adding that “an implementation plan will be finalised by January 2017.”
Robinson-Regis said: “There is a recognition that climate change is also very much a developmental issue and so integrating climate change into national development is critical if we are to build the requisite climate resilience to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change.”
She added: “A policy and legislative analysis has been completed and the next steps would be to rationalise gaps through amendment and the development of policy and legislation across all sectors.”
According to Robinson-Regis, the signing of the agreement “signals our deep commitment to discharge our obligations under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), to ensure reporting of emissions in a transparent manner that would contribute to the global effort of reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a level that will avoid dangerous interference with the climate system.”
It will also enable the necessary domestic data and information to be compiled and analysed in order to inform domestic policy to address climate change with a deep understanding of the importance of these requirements, the environmental policy and planning division of the ministry has been collaborating with the UNDP to develop a project seeking grant funding from the global environmental facility to prepare T&T’s third national communication and its first biennial update report to the UNFCCC.
Under this project T&T is expected to receive the sum of US$952,000 in grant funding over three years in addition to grant funds from the UNDP, which has been pledged in the order of US$50,000 to support work in the form of technical cooperation.
T&T will have no direct financial contribution in this project but will, however, have to provide in-kind contributions associated with project management and logistical and administrative support through the environmental policy and planning division of this ministry.
Through the national development strategy, the Vision 2030 strategy, the Government has placed valuing and enhancing our environment as a key theme with an understanding of the link between sustainable economic development and the environment.. This is an increasingly important issue nationally and internationally .
Among the initiatives implemented by the ministry includes the training of more than 500 air-conditioning and refrigeration technicians in good refrigeration practices in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industry and the training of Customs officers in the monitoring and controlling of Ozone-depleting substances.
She said citizens should “switch off lights when not in use and demand energy saving technology in our stores and more.”