The Ministry of Housing and the Environment has taken a lead role in addressing climate change issues in Trinidad and Tobago, Minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal has said.Moonilal said Wednesday the ministry has prepared a comprehensive climate change policy on mitigation as well as adaptation.
He added that the ministry has also collaborated with international organisations to develop a carbon reduction strategy that would involve addressing the major emitting factors, such as transportation, industry and power generation.
He told a conference in New York that the ministry is also addressing the matter through the preparation of Trinidad and Tobago’s second national communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This communication “will examine emission trends, vulnerability, mitigation options and adaptation options,” he said.
The UNFCCC is an agreement on climate change, signed in 1992 by 54 nations, including Trinidad and Tobago.
The minister said: “Trinidad and Tobago already generates all of its power using natural gas, the most carbon-lean fuel.”
He said there is a challenge in going to the next tier, “which is renewable energy, which will not provide the base load required for development.”
Moonilal stated: “Finding the right energy mix will, therefore, prove very challenging for Trinidad and Tobago.” A renewable energy policy is being formulated by a Cabinet-appointed committee under the chairmanship of Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.
Moonilal said that Trinidad and Tobago supports the concept that carbon mitigation action by developing countries should be voluntary “for the moment.”
Under provisions of UNFCCC, developed countries have a legal commitment to provide financial and technological assistance for developing countries in implementing provisions of the agreement.
Ken Ali | New York
No comments:
Post a Comment