Trinidad and Tobago has taken another significant step toward net zero.
Achieving net zero in Trinidad and Tobago means cutting greenhouse gas emissions as close to zero as possible.
Under the Paris Agreement, T&T has formal nationally determined contributions. One of these is reducing public greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2030.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, the Environmental Management Authority and the British High Commission launched the Pathways to Net Zero for Waste and Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use Sectors Report to guide T&T towards that goal.
Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Sanjay Singh, noted that the push towards net zero presents an opportunity.
“The transition to a low-carbon economy should not be viewed as an obstacle to development, rather a catalyst for economic transformation, innovation, competitiveness and resilience. This presents opportunities to create new industries to generate sustainable employment, strengthen food security and improve resources efficiencies to enhance the quality of life for all citizens.”
Britain’s High Commissioner to T&T, Jon Dean, shared a significant finding from the report: “These reports in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and the EMA is part of that wider partnership. What makes the reports particularly valuable is that they start from a position of opportunity, as they outline, Trinidad and Tobago already has significant natural assets in its forests, wetlands and ecosystems which remove more carbon from the atmosphere than the sector emits.”
Chief Executive Officer of Consulting Engineers Associates Limited, Ryan Roper, whose organisation compiled the report and made recommendations, noted that there is a recommendation for a Mission Commander to lead the thrust.
“His or her role is to ensure that the entrepreneurs are guided by the policy, not just policy, by the Mission Board’s priorities so that they get a level of certainty that when they go into this business, Trinidad and Tobago is in it for the long haul, and that gives the commercial venture scalability and sustainability.”
The report is expected to help shape policies and strategies aimed at reducing emissions, strengthening environmental sustainability and advancing the country’s climate goals.