EMA chair on climate change: 'We need to wake up'

CHAIRMAN of the Environmental Management Authority Nadra Nathai-Gyan is calling on people to “wake up” to the issues facing the Caribbean and Latin America resulting from climate change.

She made the call as the EMA launched Trinidad and Tobago’s National Transparency System (NTS), which aims to track the progress of the country’s climate-change mitigation and adaptation actions.

To ensure TT meets its commitments under the Paris Agreement – an international climate-change treaty that seeks to limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius – the government, through its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), has committed to achieving a 15 per cent reduction in cumulative emissions for the power-generation industry and transport sectors by 2030.

It also committed to reducing public-transport emissions by 30 per cent compared to 2013 levels by December 2030.

As part of that commitment, TT is obligated to report regularly on its greenhouse-gas emissions and its progress in implementing and achieving mitigation measures in its NDC.

The NTS supports the effective reporting of this data through targeted indicators to track the progress.

Speaking at the launch at the Trinidad Hilton on July 30, Nathai-Gyan said she had seen unverified data which showed the Caribbean and Latin America was warming 1.5 times faster than the rest of the planet except Antarctica.

“As we look around us, we see the devastating impacts of climate change, and as a small island developing state, Trinidad and Tobago is particularly vulnerable… If we are not already alarmed, we need to wake up to what is before us, what is befalling us.”

Nathai-Gyan said government officials and stakeholders can now use the reported data to incorporate climate analysis into their decision-making processes.

Minister of Planning Pennelope Beckles described the launch of the NTS as pivotal.

“Today marks a significant milestone in Trinidad and Tobago's journey towards a sustainable and climate-resilient future.”

She said the plan to inventory and report greenhouse-gas emissions is a good start to meeting the NDCs, but more still has to be done.

She said although TT has made significant progress in designing and implementing its measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) system, there are still challenges and barriers to fully implementing national responsibilities under the Paris Agreement.

“Challenges such as limited technical capacities, inadequate tools and methods, and collecting and managing of climate information remain some of the pressing issues confronting us in compliance with these requirements.

“These challenges are further compounded by the lack of adequate institutional arrangements to enable the systematic collection of data and information needed to fully comply with the biennial transparency requirements.”

Beckles said the NTS is “more than just a tool,” and added the value of the system is in its usage.

She said she expects climate considerations will now be taken into account when making national decisions, as there is data to guide any actions being taken.

“It is a testament to our dedication to environmental stewardship and global responsibility. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and comprehensive data management and reporting, we aim to provide a clear and accurate account of our greenhouse-gas emissions mitigation and adaptation actions and the support we receive.”