Environment TO BAGO new slett er
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n vi r on m e n t TOBAGO (ET) is a nongovernment, non-profit, volunteer organisation , not subsidized by any one group, corporation or government body. Founded in 1995, ET is a proactive advocacy group that campaigns against negative environmental activities throughout Tobago. We achieve this through a variety of community and environmental outreach programmes. Environment TOBAGO is funded mainly through grants and membership fees. These funds go back into implementing our projects. We are grateful to all our sponsors over the years and thank them for their continued support
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hat’s inside
ET’s achievements
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Ecology Notes
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Articles
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Book Review
17
Community Announcements
19
What’s Happening @ ET
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Notes to contributors
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Volume 6 Issue 1
March 2011
Buccoo’s future as an Environmentally Sensitive Area Bertrand Bhikarry Environment TOBAGO In the first week of February this year, an EMA team led by CEO- Mr. Joth Singh paid Tobago a visit to gauge people's views on the boundaries of the proposed Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). Those present at the discussions included the usual band of suspects; the NGO Environment Tobago was there, so too was the Buccoo Reef Trust, the Reef Boats Association, and representatives from the state departments. Absent though were the homeowners, property developers and other users of the broader environment that comprises the Buccoo Marine Park area. They should have come, since their assets lie inside the boundaries of the proposed Buccoo Environmentally Sensitive Area. Mr. Singh met an enlightened group. Everyone in the room was already familiar with the proposed ESA designation, and as such the plans to encompass Southwest Tobago under binding environmental restrictions went along swimmingly well. The EMA boss even hazarded a timeline of one year before the ESA proposition becomes written into law. Not to throw nutrient enriched water on the idea, but it would be indeed amazing, if it were that easy. One potential setback for the exercise which was only summarily discussed that day actually had no representation in the room at all. Those were the 'missing' homeowners who occupy property from Fort Milford in the extreme south to shoreline of Grange Bay just further north of Buccoo. It is hoped they will 'buy in' to the idea of conservation for a resource that sits on their doorstep. Some might. However most of the ordinary citizens suffer a disconnect to matters that fall outside their government supplied pay packet. They may be induced by a tangible addition to that monthly envelope though. The first real hurdle for the EMA proposal, and it's a formidable stumbling block to rapid legalization, is the land developers in the Bon Accord area. At this time they have already accelerated their works as if in defiance or foresight. They may be small in numbers, but they control large Aerial photograph showing the proposed acreages of outlying parkland. They boundaries of the ESA at Buccoo.
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March 2011 Editor: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Assistant Editor: Christopher K. Starr Design & Layout: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Technical Support: Jerome Ramsoondar Enid Nobbee Contributors: Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Christopher K. Starr Patricia Turpin Bertrand Bhikkary William Trim Environment TOBAGO Photographs: Environment TOBAGO
Board of Directors 2010-2012 President:: Patricia Turpin Vice-President: Bertrand Bhikkary Secretary: Wendy Austin Treasurer: Shirley Mc Kenna Committee members: William Trim Fitzherbert Phillips Geoffrey Lewis Rupert McKenna Claudette Allard David Antoine Darren Henry
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
also have the wherewithal to mobilize an effective anti-boundary campaign to safeguard their right to enjoy property as they perceive it. This group will accept no less than remuneration against projected gains. Again the ESA is facing an item of expenditure for all intents and purposes. It does bring to mind the question of what intrinsic value must be placed on these natural assets. To grasp it all, we may need to step back to understand the background. The term ESA or Environmentally Sensitive Area is described as ".an area which contains a natural feature, such as the habitat of a rare or unique species, and which is protected by government regulations." ESA as an intention is clear, it's motive is pure, and no one should pose objection on the face of it. However in the absence of a Parks Authority, various antiquated legal systems create a leaky sieve of enforcement for the initiative. This is a situation that may yet see an ESA created, but old problems which affect the Buccoo reef and its environs may endure as well. An example of this is the current scenario where the THA Fisheries Division is the one charged with responsibility for marine resources or assets to the point it meets the shoreline. The Forestry Division's authority on the other hand, stops at the beachfront. Considering the proposed ESA will span an area which has both sea and land, there exists a situation that requires joint patrols. It is an expensive and cumbersome concept. It has not worked so far, nor will it work under the wished for ESA. The recent discussions led by the EMA have seen the formation of a core group comprised of 'reef and other Buccoo stakeholders' who would deliberate on equitable solutions on matters that will affect all who come under the proposed ESA. This sounds remarkably similar to functions falling to the existing Buccoo Reef Management Committee. As a matter of fact, it may be the same people doing the talking. It's informative also, that in spite of regular meetings the BRMC has not achieved a whole lot since 2004. In fairness they do cite burdensome restrictions under the status quo. As with any progressive society, several ideas emerge. There's been a lot of talk over time about Integrated Coastal Management as the silver bullet to the Buccoo and other similar problems. As suggestions go, it's nothing short of brilliant. As expectations are, it's anybody's guess, but hindsight says it all. The reef may perish before our agencies understand the concept of collaboration. Considering the immediate need for the Buccoo Reef and its surrounding wetlands to be preserved for the common good, EMA's Mr. Singh may want to save some time and direct his efforts at enforcing existing laws as they relate to the Fisheries and the Forestry Divisions. The pressing need to regulate this environmentally sensitive zone can only be served by direct intervention of those existing statutory bodies. While dealing with this, he may want to ask the Health Division to do some work within the communities whose activities affect the mangroves and the reef. Further, if it's not too much to ask, let the NGO's who know the territory run the ESA as a marine park under a co-management deal.
Volume 6 Issue 1
PROJECT BRIEF FOR TOBAGO’S DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN CARBON NEUTRALITY Environment TOBAGO The objective of the project is to achieve carbon neutrality in select small-tomedium sized tourism establishments through the introduction of best environmental practises and the use of renewable energy technologies. To be a carbon neutral operation means to have achieved net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This will be accomplished by using a variety of strategies to reduce the amount of energy consumed by the select tourism accommodations. Best practice waste management and water conservation techniques will also be deployed. The project envisages a carbon neutral tourism product that can meet the demands of niche ‘eco-tourists’ in search of environmentally responsible tourism accommodations. The Project will be implemented over a period of 12 months and engage six (6) tourism operators to participate in ‘pilots’ to demonstrate how they can measure, reduce and offset their carbon footprint. In order to establish the baseline carbon footprint (business-as-usual,) participating operators will first have their establishments audited to provide a GHG inventory of the emissions associated with their operations using internationally accepted protocols that guide the measurement process. These audits will drive interventions to reduce energy consumed and environmental impacts as cost effectively as possible. Once the baseline is established reduction measures will be carried out in 2 ways, through operational changes within the establishment and by the introduction of appropriate renewable energy (RE) technologies. Remaining emissions that cannot be directly reduced are proposed to be “offset”. The capacity of Tobago’s Main Ridge Forest Reserve to act as a potential carbon sink will then be calculated. The purpose is to determine the value of the carbon storing capacity of the Reserve and propose an offset mechanism that ties the residual emissions from the 6 pilot accommodations to a quantifiable forest sequestration capacity. This will be used to advance Tobago’s evolving eco-tourism market strategy. All technical aspects of the project will shared with local stakeholders to build human capacity in the audit process and the installation and maintenance of RE technologies. Meeting the demand for ‘Carbon neutrality’ is a key international marketing and branding opportunity for Tobago as well as a viable means to educate and offer wider choice to the national tourism market. The Project intends to show-case the results of the marketed pilot projects as a means to track and hopefully demonstrate economic benefits accruing to participating accommodations. Local institutions with a mandate for sustainable development tourism initiatives will be invited to facilitate and participate in Project seminars, gain fully from capacity building workshops and collaborate in marketing. This Project is consistent with the National Environmental Policy (revised 2005).
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Cletus calypso for ET For Cletus John of Delaford calypso is music created to carry important ideas and messages out to its listeners. For the 2011 Carnival season Mr. John decided that Tobago's need for environmental awareness and preservation was the message he sought to spread. Travelling to the half dozen communities visited by the Bachannal Calypso Tent in February, Mr. John, the "Brigadier", in his strong, clear, melodic voice, reminded audiences that "to preserve our destiny" requires "biodiversity", and that the sea and reefs, rivers and forests, plants and wildlife are "these things we must preserve/For the future we deserve." In choosing "Biodiversity" as his signature song for the season, "Brigadier" first listened to a collection of songs written by Henson Wright, originally of Betsy's Hope and now of Signal Hill. He recognized the song he wanted. "I chose Biodiversity," said Mr. John, "because I liked the lyrics and because it speaks the truth. It makes sense. I believe in keeping a clean environment, in a natural balance." There was also something balanced about the choice. Henson Wright, the "Calypso Prince," is the brother of Tobago calypsonian Hollis Wright. It was listening appreciatively to Hollis sing some 25 years ago, and admiring his frequent success at the Windward Calypso Monarch competition, that got Cletus John interested in singing and competing. "Brigadier" was twice picked for the Monarch show in the 1990s, placing fourth both times, singing songs his cousin wrote for him. Mr. John's career as a carpenter and as a scuba diver -- working with natural woods and over Tobago's undersea reefs -- have also contributed to his appreciation for nature. "We know when we dive that the beauty there is delicate. We know plastic and pollution kills reefs, and turtles. We always pick up things." He has clearly seen, too, that Tobago reefs and forests in a preserved condition are a source of great appreciation by tourists and thus are important to the island's economy. Mr. John hopes to make a CD of "Biodiversity" to spread its message. But getting air play for calypso, he feels, is hard because soca is more the music of choice on radio. Environment Tobago President Pat Turpin, who heard with delight "Brigadier" sing "Biodiversity" at the Tent show in Charlotteville, hopes his message will be widely heard and heeded. "It's great to find such a message in calypso shows. It is an important message," she said. Biodiversity Ah hear Tobagonian people keep boasting How we clean, green and serene. But environmental disasters are happenin' To the birds, animals and trees. It's endless bush fires in dry season To catch iguana and agouti, But I want to know if that is the cause For the other organisms that lost. *** Chorus: So if we want to preserve our destiny,
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Biodiversity. To maintain a balance ecology, Biodiversity. And then we could boast We boast to the most, 'Cause these things we got to preserve For the future that we deserve. *** This world is in a financial crisis, Global warming take over de place, So biodiversity should be our business With all the challenges that it face. Urbanization of our societies Does not bring real economic gain, 'Cause we destroy the animals, the birds and bees, It's just a skeleton that remains. (chorus) We must protect our flora and fauna Our fisheries and our sea coast. Tourism must not be pushed in one corner Because from it we can gain the most. Our Buccoo Reef and our Nylon Pool With fishes swimming around in schools Should not be taken just for an adventure But as a perfect tourism tool. “ To many people t hes e t all pe aks mak e for a challe ngi ng but sce nic hike. B ut t hey are not j ust anot her t all mount ai n to clim b. �
(chorus) So much'a baby crabs in the market Their population start to extinct. Wiping out a species just to make a profit, De' more we eat is de' more they shrink. If we had a vision just for their future We would not ramp and skin with the past, 'Cause we are the guardians and the protectors Of an extinction that's real vast. (chorus)
Cletus John
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
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ECOLOGY NOTES What is Carbon Flux? Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere may be viewed as a bad thing as it is a greenhouse gas and therefore contributes to global warming. But as of 2009, carbon dioxide formed approximately 0.4% of the Earth’s atmosphere. However, this gas is necessary as it is needed by plants in order to carry out photosynthesis. Carbon flux is simply the transfer of carbon from one carbon pool to another. However, in order to understand carbon flux and what it means to our environment, one first has to understand the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through natural sources and as a result of human activities. Natural sources include volcanic outgasing, respiration by living organisms and by the decay of organic material such as dead plants and animals. While the combustion of fossil fuels, and certain industrial processes like the manufacture of cement are just some of the human activities that contribute to the build up of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Prior to global warming, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been is almost the same amount that is absorbed by natural “sinks” like the vegetation contained in forests for use in photosynthesis and seawater. Therefore it can be seen that the study of the movement of carbon dioxide in our environment is important in order to know how to regulate carbon dioxide concentrations in our atmosphere. Here we can see that through certain actions or the regulation of certain actions like by regulating logging activities, the size and existence of some carbon dioxide sinks is ensured. The use of alternative forms of energy can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, so that the existing sinks can absorb this gas.
The carbon cycle Wikipedia.com
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
ARTICLES The need for Environmental Law and Justice Patricia Turpin and Bertrand Bhikarry Environment Tobago
“ To many people t hes e t all pe aks mak e for a challe ngi ng but sce nic hike. B ut t hey are not j ust anot her t all mount ai n to clim b. ”
Environment TOBAGO is the premier E-NGO in Tobago, commemorating 15 years of advocacy this year. In addition to our function as stewards (watchdogs) of the local environment, ET members are committed to the protection, conservation and restoration of Tobago’s environment. As a proactive group, one which that campaigns vigorously against negative environmental practices, we use education as our main tool to achieve positive changes in behaviour and attitudes throughout all levels of our society. Public Education therefore is high on our agenda. We teach conservation and best practices at the primary and secondary level in schools throughout the island with a variety of tools. We train teachers to infuse environmental education into the curriculum. Environment TOBAGO has a fairly large education centre which houses a growing database of environmental issues and topics and public outreach programs within Tobago communities. We work closely with government ministries, and the EMA for the implementation of laws and policies relating to the conservation of biodiversity. We are consulted by firms and state agencies in the CEC/EIA process for industry and sustainable tourism development. Many of us are game wardens appointed by cabinet and assist the Department of Natural resources to monitor and regulate hunting in the marine and terrestrial areas of the Island. Trinidad & Tobago, a twin island state. One island heavily industrialized and the other a Naturalist and Tourism paradise. We are a tiny country, feeling now the effects of unchecked industrialisation. We too are suffering from climatic changes being experienced world-wide. Increasing sea temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, rising sea levels and extreme weather events are indeed matters of SOME importance. Tackling Coral bleaching and bacterial infestation on our reefs have become issues uppermost in our agenda. As a small island developing state, we face critical challenges in grappling with environmental problems, while pursuing economic goals. The pressure on land space and our natural resources compounds the challenges. It is expected that while accounting for a miniscule fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, this figure will increase with the present industrialization being pursued. We may be committed to the stabilization of these gases effecting climate change, but both national and global accords must occur fast to correct the imbalances of a “planet on overload“. In Tobago, in less than a generation, we have witnessed the burgeoning of population density. So many people live in coastal areas. All striving for a “better way of life” and at the same time, so many private, public and state development activities. As a result of this forward movement, there has been an improved living condition for our residents, but the environment has suffered. We have seen a massive increase in all types of pollution- from solid waste, with the common sight of plastics and Styrofoam adorning our roadsides, clogging our waterways and seas. Sewage pollution, deforestation and bad agricultural practices such as burning; result in habitat loss, and flooding. Biodiversity loss, from over hunting, over fishing and the use of toxic chemicals such as Malathion for vector control. Also,
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Air pollution from industry and development, and a flagrant disregard for the environment and the environmental laws. The same problems are encountered throughout the world, but in our small island, these issues appear magnified. It has become the chore of this generation to cleanup, restore and urgently manage our natural resources. The GOTT, is signatory to many treaties, protocols and conventions in the international arena, and for Biodiversity conservation and preservation- the most notable signed at the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. There are others too, designed to obligate signatory countries to work towards biodiversity conservation, protection of our seas and coastal areas, conservation of our reefs and wetlands, regulate the transport of toxic waste and management of our resources. To accomplish this monumental task, The EMA- Environmental Management Authority was formed with the responsibility for policy, policing and management of our Natural Resources and protected areas. As an NGO, we at Environment Tobago have found this body to be ineffective in policing and upholding the environmental laws of the country. As a stakeholder, we have found that in order to ensure that justice is served in the context of preserving and conserving our environment as is indicated in our mission we have had to resort to aligning ourselves with an environmental lawyer. This alignment has enabled us to access information through the FIO Act and to bring the EMA to task with the process of CEC’s. It has also allowed us to bring the THA to task for many infringements of the environmental laws of the Island of Tobago without being victimized as was common in the past. Environmental decision making has for too long been affected by political posturing and the vagaries of the election process. Ministers and secretaries appointed to important posts e.g. Minister of the Environment or Secretary of Natural Resources, who know little about the post to which they have been appointed. After every election it takes almost 1 year to bring these individuals up to speed. All legislation and policies in waiting for parliamentary approval are then set back and have to be reviewed again and again. To complement the laws (we have 115 pieces of environmental legislation in this country) and policies governing the environment, we must be committed to change in attitudes and behavior at all levels of society; including our elected representatives who must act in a responsible manner and move the country towards stewardship of the land as a first priority. This mindset is essential in a world of dwindling natural resources. It would be sad indeed to leave behind a legacy that would label us “the generation that destroyed the planet“. We believe that effective management of our Natural Resources and ecosystems is a HUGE priority. NGO’s can be effectively used in the Co- Management of our ecosystems as has been stated in our current policies for Forests and Protected areas and ESA’s; as has been shown in Tobago in our work with wetland assessment and restoration e.g. Kilgwyn Wetlands and Belle Garden wetland projects. However funding for NGO work has been heavily constrained by the National and Global downturns in the economy. Now, applications for funding from corporations require huge amounts of paper work and transparency documentation. The Green Fund, which should have been actively funding NGO’s and CBO’s has been delayed by a 10 year lapse. Only recently accessed in Trinidad, but NOT in Tobago - due to delays in agreements between the Green Fund Unit and the Tobago House of Assembly. As well as, the user unfriendly applications being used by the Green Fund Unit. This funding is vital for project implementation in Tobago. Until this is resolved, NGO’s will have an increasingly difficult task in accessing funding for any
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“ We have seen a massive increase in all types of pollution- from solid waste, with the common sight of plastics and Styrofoam adorning our roadsides, clogging waterways our and seas. “
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“ The Green Fund, which should have been actively funding NGO’s and CBO’s has been delayed by a 10 year lapse. “
Volume 6 Issue 1
purpose whatsoever. Having said all that, I need to speak about the glaring lack of Environmental Law locally. This is at the root of our society’s problems, running the gamut of everything from illegal hunting and its compatriot praedial larceny - which leads to resultant low employment in the farming sector. Factor in poor land use practice by farmers and lands owners/ developers as they seek profit without regard to the wider population. Environmental legislation covers all of that. The natural areas which belong to the State presently suffer along with privately owned lands. A case in point right here in Tobago is the Buccoo Reef - the ALMOST Marine Park. The list of threats to the reef is widely known, if also widely accepted as beyond our capacity to remedy - Unless legislation was on our side. Presently there is a decades long move to adjust the boundaries of the Buccoo Reef Marine Park, but a large part of its success will hinge on the ability of the State to draft into law, special rules for the stakeholders who use the reef, and also the wider residential community which reside in the impact zones of the Reef Basin. But those are details. There is a bigger problem, one that needs to be looked at before we bury our heads into our own self assigned tasks or objectives. We need to consider that the environment itself comes in a far second place to the needs of our human population. Right or wrong, the following must be considered if only for the purpose of encouraging debate. Rough times are ahead for we who inhabit Earth, a time which requires great understanding of everyone’s needs. Yet if the voices which only represent human interests remain the loudest, it may well be that the other species will not benefit in any outcome. It’s not that the animal and plant kingdoms aren’t saying thing, it’s only that most of us just do not understand the language. It’s obvious that people giving lip service to the topic will end up far short of a fix for urgent environmental issues. So let’s talk a bit more, one more time. Claiming love and empathy for the others who live here is a sure way to be sidelined in today’s world. True, no one is actually deemed unsound in mind for saving a tree anymore, even fish population observers can claim they do a meaningful job, right alongside those who make a living doing avian migration studies. However the real contributors to society’s progress are those who feed the mills of our economy, or add more comfort to our daily lives. You can see why we venerate the scientist who modifies living organisms to produce more food, over an environmental advocate who insists we already have enough food, but we just need to distribute it differently. It’s a lifestyle and developmental paradigm that needs urgent readjustment, and in quick time, because humans are not the center of this world, even if we do make the most impact on it. The threat of Climate Change, whether it was brought about by a natural cycle of events, or was inadvertently created by our need to reinvent our surroundings is a fact of life that we must face. That it’s a threat which will deliver its blow to the next generation - our heirs actually, is the main reason not enough of us are concerned in diminishing or readjusting our usage of natures assets. The truth of the matter remains, if the expected events foretold for Climate Change were upon us now, the political will, the social conscience of entire nations would have been in alignment to face the clear and present danger. In the meantime we must employ the civil mediums of education, consultation, and democracy to get the message across. It is hoped that this small contribution today will serve to highlight the difficulties relating to the work of NGO’s in the environmental arena and stimulate discussion towards the solving of the problems facing Trinidad and Tobago.
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
Lack of planning is driving nails in our coffins. One pole at a time Bertrand Bhikarry Environment TOBAGO The recent protests by the Bon Accord villagers are just symptoms of a greater problem that affects Tobago. On the face of it, parents there are voicing concerns that huge TTEC poles with high voltage wires are better placed if planted well away from their kids. On the other side, the power company thinks the best way to run transmission lines is along a direct path, even if over the community's school yard. What's not immediately obvious is the lack of forward planning that brought this on. This is too simple a fix for this tiny island to address, but advance planning is the required tool. Imagine the good that can emanate from a balanced approach to our public works? We'd have less cluttered skylines, for sure. We would have a better looking Scarborough, nicer towns overall, cleaner streams and bays too, no doubt. But then reality sets in. Way past the Millennium Goals, so close to 2020 and yet we cannot take care of ourselves; we cannot cooperate effectively within our miniscule agencies in what is really an untroubled democracy. It must be we are the children of the world, as far as governing is concerned. Changing things that affect our well-being is not always easy, nor can it be always be pleasant, but our democratic system provides outlets for dissension. One just needs to ensure that there are other people of the same mindset coming along for the ride. For example, last week I heard persons on the radio encouraging a plan of action that residents of Bon Accord and environs express their displeasure by requesting transfers for their children to other schools. That's a simple, brilliant and legal recourse, which even if it doesn't result in alternate classrooms, certainly illuminates their position. Consensus and participation in the proposed effort by all who are affected may pose Removal of all trees on the Bond Accord/Canaan a problem though. It's an old story here. So if it's going to be hard for people at the stretch village level, people who pray, party and play together, to agree on a common course of action that will benefit, nay protect their children, the prognosis for cooperation at higher departmental levels is already a lost cause. Forward planning or implementing an integrated development scheme for Tobago has never materialized. However a common enemy is always a binding element. In that regard TTEC is an unlikely but timely antagonist whose high-handed behavior now will assist those who soldier on for the environment. This is the view put forward by one NGO who claims impending climate change is the real foe Tobago faces; that unless people here work together to bring about practical solutions, they shall suffer - together. What about the unfolding events at Bon Accord when seen through the eyes of the same environmental NGO? This is the first time in recent history that local villagers, after identifying a potential threat to the natural environment, seem willing to take steps as a group to deal with it. This reaction is an age old phenomenon even though psychologists presently refer to it as 'communities in practice'. The fact is, it's really just people coming together for survival. For Tobago this is a welcome sign indi-
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cating the community's maturing stance. It's about time thinking Tobagonians polarize to the view that not all change is always good, even if it comes dressed up as an indicator of modernization.
Another shot showing removal of all trees on the Bond Accord/Canaan stretch to accommodate large electricity poles
Environmentalists, Politics and the Environment W.A. Trim - Forester Environment TOBAGO
“ To many people t hes e t all pe aks mak e for a challe ngi ng but sce nic hike. B ut t hey are not j ust anot her t all mount ai n to clim b. ”
Some environmentalists including activists and NGOs promote the science of ecology through research and through literature review. They use the findings to inform and influence politicians, policy decision-makers, developers and the public on environmental matters. Some of these environmentalists are of the view that if only politicians and policy makers are told what science reveals, ‘correct’ policies naturally follow. This is referred to as the ‘deficit model’. But this may be far from the truth. Hence, I seek to discover, how successful NGOs and individuals including activists have been in influencing the decisions of the government of Trinidad and Tobago and THA in relation to environmental policy? For this discussion, a few definitions of environmental justice is required and some mention of some successes and failures of environmentalists’ efforts to influence politicians, policy decision-makers, developers and the public involved in environmental matters. The outcome is that environmentalists can, and do, influence government policies on the environment, but according to J.H. Lawton (2007), it is often via complex and iterative interactions that can be agonizingly slow, and may require fundamental changes in persons’ ( including politicians’) beliefs, values and norms. The School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan (1997) states that environmental justice is the “pursuit of equal justice and equal protection under the law for all environmental statutes and regulations without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and /or socioeconomic status” (I prefer this definition). D.A. Mc Donald (2004) in the quarterly newsletter of the South African Environmental Justice Networking Forum wrote: “Environmental justice is about social transformation directed towards meeting basic human needs and enhancing our quality of life - economic quality, health care, housing, human rights, environmental protection, and democracy. In linking environmental and social justice issues, the environmental
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
justice approach seeks to challenge the abuse of power which results in poor people having to suffer the effects of environmental damage caused by the greed of others. This includes workers and communities exposed to dangerous chemical pollution” (emphasis mine also). However, some ‘definitions’ reflect the Principles of Environmental Justice as set out by the People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit adopted 1991. One elaborated principle is: “environmental justice affirms the sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, and the right to be free from ecological destruction.” Another principle explains that “environmental justice mandates the right to ethical, balanced and responsible uses of land and renewable resources in the interest of a sustainable planet for humans and other living things”. Of these two principles, some persons find it preposterous that the Earth is considered to be our “Mother”. Furthermore, according to R.D. Bullard, definitions of this justice can be categorized as 1) procedural inequity - this issue addresses questions of fair treatment: the extent to which governing rules, regulations, and evaluation criteria are applied uniformly; 2) geographical inequity - some neighborhoods, communities, and regions receive direct benefits, such as jobs and tax revenues, from industrial production while the costs, such as the burdens of waste disposal, are sent elsewhere; and 3) social inequity - environmental decisions often mirror the power arrangements of larger society and reflect the still-existing racial/ethnic bias in a country, for example, USA (EJ emerged as a concept in the United States in the early 1980s). Though a few definitions are farfetched, most definitions and principles capture the crux of environmental justice. Here are some successes of environmentalists – activists and NGOs such as Environment TOBAGO (ET) in Tobago. Environmentalists have been instrumental in conflict resolution in the Pigeon Point Beach matter [Three Chains (Tobago) Act]. As a result, proprietors and developers must continue to allow access to beaches in Tobago. A proposed development for Speyside Estate and one for King’s Bay Estate have been denied. The Belle Garden Wetland has been preserved and studied through efforts of the above mentioned NGO. Kilgwyn Wetlands are undergoing restoration. Several other wetlands, beaches and other natural areas have been cleansed. There is increased awareness about Waste Water Disposal for Coastal Communities including the Collette River Basin, Charlotteville. And environmentalists have commented on CECs, EIAs and some natural resource policies – forestry, protected areas, climate change, fisheries and others. Along with the successes, come failures. The L’Anse Fourmi-Charlotteville Road development has devastated portions of the Lans Fourmi- Charlotteville Reefs. Most of a wetland in Speyside was backfilled for constructing a secondary school. Louis D’or Land Settlement wetlands have been used for housing. A portion of Roxborough Estate now accommodates Renaissance housing on a flood plain. Our rivers are constantly being raped for gravel in spite of an existing quarry. The land fill along Caledonia Road may be spilling much heavy metal into the Studley Park Bay. NGOs in Tobago have not been able to access the Green Fund to date (there have been recent positive accommodation for NGOs in Tobago). The Buccoo Reef (BRMP) is still under severe pressure of habitat destruction. The Cove development requires mitigation to many setbacks. Now, the use of cage traps may be leading to the overharvesting of bush meat. And coastal erosion around Tobago is increasing. But why the failures? Environmentalists fail to influence politicians, policy decision-makers, developers and the public involved in environmental matters because 1)
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“ One elaborated principle is: “environmental justice affirms the sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity and the interdependence of all species, and the right to be free from ecological destruction.” “
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Volume 6 Issue 1
they use the ‘deficit model’ only; 2) much science out there and persons/politicians do not know which is relevant information; 3) the science is ambiguous and persons use uncertainty and variability to avoid difficult decisions ; 4) some actions threaten voters’ cherished lifestyles; 5) environmentalists and other players work to different time scales; 6) politicians/persons are caught between the policy options that emerge from the science, and powerful interest groups with different agendas – industry, campaigning and charities; 7) ‘institutional failure’ – we have the wrong decision making bodies – the blind leads the blind; 8) the solutions may require international agreements that are global. May (2005) called this the 'paradox of co-operation’; 9) hence, countries are duped; 10) impartiality; 11) some advice contrary to political wisdom, dogma or other deeply entrenched beliefs; 12) the punishments for breaking laws are long drawn out and meager; and 13) some persons/politicians are corrupt – greedy and take bribes (See Lawton, 2007). Some of these points have some things in common. But note while some environmentalists use the “deficit model”, the situation is not linear or straight forward but affected by varied circumstances. Yet, for environmentalists to further influence politicians, policy decisionmakers, developers and the public involved in environmental matters, I recommend the following: 1) work with what laws are in place until necessary amendments; 2) but deal with situations quickly, strictly and in various ways – fines, imprisonment, confiscations and expulsions; 3) carry out a situational analysis – note deficiencies and context and make recommendations based on these and with consensus; 4) have checks and balances – everybody/institutions/government answers to one higher; 5) try ‘Interpretive enforcement’ (e.g. Jamaica); 6) create a code of conduct like ISO 14001 for environmental matters; 7) consider the examples of funding and public exposure and international help in Grenada Dove habitat destruction and Anguilla's power objection to the Dolphin Aquarium; 8) Environmental justice should lean more toward Social Environmental Justice (SEJ); 9) the context of both islands, Trinidad and Tobago is different, hence make specific recommendations for Tobago, per se (policy, legislation); and 10) create and build capacity at systemic, institutional and individual levels. Nevertheless, the risks of failures and conflicts are still likely but to a lesser extent especially if there is less impartiality, injustice, greed and meager punishment. Therefore, environmentalists ought to enter the political and environmental arena with their eyes open, and expecting to be in it for the long haul in a process that is messy, complex and iterative, with many other legitimate players and some less legitimate vying for the attention of government, THA, EMA, TCP and policy decision-makers.
NGO's. an endangered sector Bertrand Bhikarry Environment TOBAGO Non-Profits in the Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean run a new risk that will affect the way they work, and might even deprive the beneficiaries they serve. It's a gloomy prospect for that third sector of our economy; the first being the public or governance sector, and the second, the private or commercial sector. The reasons seem easy enough to identify at first. The knee-jerk response insists the current hard-times NGO's face is because of the global financial recession. Some suggest that there's disenchantment among potential or perennial sponsors to dole out cash
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
and other support for people who oft times seem more efficient at writing proposals than at delivering what's promised. It may be any or all of those, but it's hard to say for sure since there is no empirical evidence to support the claims. An American federal law, the Sardanes-Oxley Act of 2002 could be why several Trinidad and Tobago NGO's are feeling the fiscal squeeze. It's why Environment Tobago, along with many others from the entire NGO community gathered in Trinidad last year for funding briefs. Most of the new information revolved around certain alignments chastened big US- based business had to follow emanating from the Sardanes -Oxley Act or SOX, in its shortened form. SOX was written into law to abate public outcry due to accounting scandals involving some big names like Enron, WorldCom and Tyco International, to name a few. In its intent, SOX pulls up the accounting practices of all US public companies. The details of the Act attend to American business, but on examination of the potential impacts on non-US NGO's, there are indications of future tedium and lowered level of sponsorship. Paperwork will quadruple for this group. It's not a dramatic revelation, but document generation costs money, takes time, and is created by humans. Humans need remuneration this time around, so the cost of just being able to perpetuate the paper trail by way of staffing is already an overhead most NGO's cannot afford. Another minor problem coming out of this is that the typical funder never wants to cover administrative expenses of the non-profit. However, there are other reasons NGO's may suffer beyond the demand for accountability driven by SOX 2002. Commerce, Corruption and Non-Profits have been topics of conversation in the past. Large companies, some with mega-operational budgets virtually try to buy the countries in which they do business. In practice they exercise strange kinds of corporate social responsibility intended to manipulate the system for their own agendas. To curtail future bogus NGO programs and mechanisms, SOX 2002 indirectly makes compliant businesses dictate some conditions to Non-Profits - if they want access to funding. For example, NGO Boards which comprise members of the public service - at any level, must divulge those relationships. True, such ties do not occlude potential funding, but the traditional freedoms which volunteers blithely enjoyed in the local non-profit is a closing door. In and of itself, the requirement to divulge employment status may find some people rethinking about giving services for free. Lighthearted volunteerism may no longer exist. If NGO's cannot find qualified and experienced volunteers from the public sector, which incidentally is their largest human resource pool for free skilled labor in the Caribbean, then the only option they have to function at the same levels is to pay for qualified staff. This is an untenable situation for most groups, as sustainable income to cover operating costs remains the bane of all NGOs. Even if they were willing to work, the core functions of the group may be sidelined in the thrust for the viable balance sheet. Another NGO millstone coming out of the Sardanes-Oxley Bill is the stipulation that the audit Board of public companies consist of independent directors. This puts a new layer in the route taken by many NGO directors to leverage funds. The urge to endow a friendly NGO, or a favoured cause might be curtailed with the knowledge that big brother is going to look hard at all decisions at the end of the financial year. Rather than endure the inconvenience, sponsors may place the allocated grant budget on a bid platform. It may be democratic, but it lowers the bar in some areas. 'Better safe than sorry' might be a common if unwelcome message coming down the non-profit pipeline from traditional funders. With the hoops
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they face now, it's the larger NGO's that are better placed to access public sourced funds. It's a bit unfair to the smaller bands from civicus who really do fix many ills at ground level. There may an upside. Even as the large corporations now insist on conformity and greater planning skills from those with whom they interact, the forced initiative will make non-profits fall in line with business best practice. Not that they haven't always done so ( I hasten to add), but hitherto abstract principles like ethics, transparency and accountability may get new life inside the non-profit sector. It's not what George Bush had in mind when he signed into the Sardanes -Oxley Act into US law, but it may be the incentive the Third Sector needs to raise its profile locally.
Of biodiversity and climate change Bertrand Bhikkary Environment TOBAGO Rough times are ahead for we who inhabit Earth, a time which requires great understanding of everyone’s needs. Yet if the voices which represent only human interests continue to remain the loudest, it may well be that the other species will not benefit in the outcome. It’s not that the animal and plant kingdoms aren’t saying things, its only that most of us just do not understand the language. It's also obvious that people giving lip service to the topic will end up far short of a fix for urgent environmental issues. Obviously some more talk is needed. Let's do so, one more time. Claiming love and empathy for the non-sentients who live here is a sure way to be sidelined in today’s world. True, no one is actually deemed unsound in mind for saving a tree anymore, even fish population observers can claim they do a meaningful job, right alongside those who make a living doing avian migration studies. However the real contributors to society’s progress are those who feed the mills of our economy, or add more comfort to our daily lives. You can see why we venerate the scientist who modifies living organisms to produce more food, over an environmental advocate who insists we already have enough food, but we just need to distribute it differently. It's a lifestyle and developmental paradigm that needs urgent readjustment, and in quick time, because humans are not the center of this world, even if we do make the most impact on it. The threat of Climate Change, whether it was brought about by a natural cycle of events, or was inadvertently created by our need to reinvent our surroundings is a fact of life that we must face. That it’s a threat which will deliver its blow to the next generation - our heirs actually, is the main reason not enough of us are concerned in diminishing or readjusting our usage of natures assets. The truth of the matter remains; If the expected events foretold for Climate Change were upon us now, the political will, the social conscience of entire nations would have been in alignment to face the clear and present danger. So Draconian measures will have to be taken at some point to enable our masses to deal with CC, there’s no doubt about it, but until that time where we will be told what we must do, we can briefly enjoy the civil (and delusionary) mediums of education, consultation, and democracy. As an eye opener, take two topics which make for good bedtime reading - for the next five years at least. These are investigative peeks at what loss at the present rate of earths biodiversity loss will mean, or by ex-
Environment TOBAGO newsletter
tension, what it will mean to us humans. Another interesting theoretical journey that dovetails is the increasing wish of societies to use environmental law to protect Earths other inhabitants. Granted these are broad topics to lump into a single pre-slumber article, but there is huge overlap in the topics. Let’s look at some background. We could start by looking at those who were here before us, and at those who will come after us. But it’s not too early to enlist pity for the latter group. They will, poor sods, be suffering great pains caused in large part by the inaction upon which we persist. It’s been stated that Ancient Man was quite good at understanding ecology, but there was a key reason for that. His nomadic lifestyle meant that he needed to be in places of plenty in order to eat. He'd hardly have considered sleeping near a stream without fish. Thus it can be argued therefore that our ancestors were better at living at one with nature, but it can also be refuted that they did not have the benefit of insulated clothing and rubberized footwear and refrigeration as we do. So they had no choice but to understand nature. So that’s what forced the practice of agriculture. Man eventually learned to provide food without moving. Ironically, it seems all the problems we face today has derived in some sense from this tendency of man to stay in one place, and to take control of the ‘environment’ in which he chose to live. After agriculture was mastered, there came the need for law and order, because boundaries had to be placed where before there was simply no need to demarcate one’s territory beyond temporary campsite etiquette. Thus did the “law’ evolve to protect the owner and those who owned the static assets against those who had no ‘landed’ wealth. If today we wish to use a practice of Law to protect the environment, it becomes fairly obvious that the fundamentals of ownership must be reviewed. We simply cannot protect the natural environment using laws which evolved to protect the rights of a few humans against the many. Indeed, it must be remembered the legislative underpinning of this country is based on Great Britain's Westminster Law, with many tenets designed to protect a few (rich) landholders holdings from the grasping hands of the avaricious (and poor) proletariat. Obviously to seek to dispossess the owners of land in these times, to take away ‘rights’ which were always held inviolable is just not a consideration that will gain traction. It takes no stretch of imagination therefore to project that in the future, only when the well-being of all humans are threatened, will such laws be rethought, or simply pushed aside. It’s happens all the time. Remember how martial law works? There are two more things to bear in mind: Humans will not make decisions to benefit the animal kingdom above them, nor does man give up property, even if he is truly at death’s door. So let’s be blasé about the implications of climate change, let’s say goodbye to mankind as we knew it. The next set of humans may survive, but there will not be anything left to them that they may thank us for. Certainly it will not be an archaic ruling that one can own and use everything left by ancestral proclamation - Especially not if it means the wider community stands to suffer. If history is any indicator, the future may belong to nomads once more, as the environment inevitably operated by its own inexorable laws.
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“It’s been stated that Ancient Man was quite good at understanding ecology, but there was a key reason for that. “
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
GROOVING HIGH Frank Kingdon Ward 1913. The Land of the Blue Poppy. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press 283 pp. [Twenty-third in a series on "naturalist-in" books.] Christopher K. Starr Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies ckstarr@gmail.com
From the time of Linnaeus (mid-18th century) into the early 20th century, ambitious plant-collecting expeditions went out from Europe and North America to the farthest reaches of the inhabitable world. The fruits of this were an abundance of research specimens and live material to enrich far-away gardens. A key focus of this effort was the Himalaya, a zone replete with endemic plants and physical adventure. Frank Kingdon Ward (or Kingdon-Ward; 1885-1958) was an Englishman who explored and collected plants throughout the Himalaya over a period of almost 50 years. His 25 expeditions and many books made him perhaps the best known of botanical explorers. In 1910, Ward was based on Shanghai, fully expecting to settle down to a quiet city life, when he received an irresistible invitation to undertake a collecting expedition to the border country between Yunnan province and Tibet. The Land of the Blue Poppy is the account of this expedition, which largely set the course of Ward's life. The title refers to various species of Meconopsis, especially the himalayan blue poppy, M. betonicifolia. Ward was the first to bring back viable seed of this handsome plant, which loomed large in his legend. If that early invitation had not come, would his life have been the quiet urban one he envisioned? I doubt it. Ward had already made one expedition into Tibet and acquired a taste of the life that lay ahead of him. The titles of some of his other books give a sense of the difficulty and high adventure of botanical exploration in its heroic period: In Farthest Burma, Mystery Rivers of Tibet, Riddle of the Tsangpo Gorges and Plant Hunting on the Edge of the World. While Ernest Wilson's entered the neighbouring region to the west (see review no. 20 in this series) from the north, Ward approached from the south, coming up through Burma. It would take weeks of traveling just to get into the target region. A major collecting expedition is the opposite of traveling light, and in "that curious little village of many vicissitudes" -- Mandalay -- he set to organizing the mass of porters, pack animals, translators and other local facilitation that it would require. Initially, there were decided advantages to Ward's attachment to the British Empire, which could open many doors, but there were also disadvantages. Beyond the reach of British authorities, he would be burdened by the local resentment that the empire engendered. Recalling his preparations to ascend into the wild regions, Ward reflected that "Never again did the sense of paralyzing isolation come so vividly upon me as on that first night, when all the trials that awaited me seemed to take shape and rise up in arms to mock my ignorance and feebleness." For six months the expedition was based in a village on the divide between the Mekong and Yangzi Rivers. In this area of high, cold deserts, there had been much fighting between Tibetans and the Chinese empire in recent years, memories of which were still raw. It was a time when Tibet was contending for independence, while China and India both sought to absorb it. China was much more successful in this due to its more active
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trade relations. Chinese merchants represented the real penetration of the region and were a more permanent presence than any government office. Where the reach of Chinese authority extended, the expedition benefited from the system by which innkeepers were obliged to provide traveling government officials with food, lodging and pack animals at fixed rates. Ward had only to show his governmentissued documents to be assured to such local facilitation. Even so, the government's reach did not extend throughout all of the territory claimed by China. "It is not a little curious that Chinese influence seems to segregate itself in certain places along the trade-routes", Ward remarked, "leaving the intervening country almost untouched, for south of Lu-k'ou I came across Shans living in a state of splendid savagery." At one point the expedition received official permission to enter a particular region of Tibet on condition of signing a waiver absolving the authorities of all responsibility for its safety. In other words, they would be on their own in a lawless area. Ward spoke Chinese, but hardly any Tibetan. He was favorably disposed to the Tibetans, on the whole, but he freely admitted that both sides were about equally likely to commit atrocities. He also paid close comparative attention to the various minority groups in the region. The expedition traveled with a set of basic medications, and Ward was ready to treat people who requested it, a source of local good will. Sympathetic as he was to the minorities -- the tribal peoples were almost invariably friendly and welcoming -- Ward largely saw the dominant Chinese has a civilizing influence. In late July, a message arrived that there had been a military confrontation between China and Britain in Lhasa, Tibet, with the result that the Chinese army was out to exterminate all Englishmen that they encountered. Ward was unsure whether this was accurate -- it was later found not to be -- but it was plausible, so he had to move. As a scientist, Ward was mainly an ecological biogeographer. Although he makes no mention of Alexander von Humboldt, he was evidently much influenced by Humboldt's researches a century earlier in South America. There is much discussion of geography in areas that were very poorly known to the western world. And this is geography on a large scale, including comparisons between the three great rivers -- Mekong, Salween and Yangzi -- with sources in the same area. Ward's exultation at grand new landscapes is abundantly evident. "Never shall I forget the first view of that noble river [the Yangzi] as we climbed the last spur and looked northwards over the trees towards Batang. The sun was down, and over the purple mountains great puffs of radiant cloud rested, scattering the dying light; for miles we could follow every twist of the valley, marked by a ribbon of flashing silver, which had still 3000 miles to flow before it reached the ocean." It was plainly this thrill that kept away discouragement at the many hardships. Riding through a miserable cold storm, he remarks that "To keep up our spirits Gan-ton and I sang songs as we rode along; after all, there was a fine feeling of freedom and irresponsibility while in the company of these happy-go-lucky resourceful Tibetans, and when a man feels in first-rate health a few hardships only make him more conscious of his fitness." The point is made perhaps even more pointedly by an observation made soon after he had been struck down by sudden sickness: "Though racked with horrid pains, so that I found some difficulty in clinging to my pony, we reached our base camp in the evening, and I soon felt better. On the way down I found masses of a most brilliant blue trumpetshaped gentian (G. ornata), a typical limestone plant, just coming into bloom at the end of September." There is much discussion of plant formations as a whole, noting how these changed as the expedition crossed one or another divide, as well as changes in vegetation belts with altitude. There is also a focus on conspicuous plant species, but with no deeper treatment of any of them. In particular, although there is frequent mention of plants encountered, there is almost nothing about the significance of finding a particular plant here but not there, or why one species is replaced by another in a particular habitat or zone.
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Ward, then, shows a fine sense of habitat and plant formations, but very little of the individual organism. So, why did Frank Kingdon Ward write The Land of the Blue Poppy and his many other books of botanical exploration? Was it for the money, or in order to contribute to botany's public profile? Perhaps, but I suspect that he did it mainly because he had a grand story to tell and couldn't stand not to. That is certainly good enough for me.
Community Announcements
NOTICE At 2pm this afternoon Friday February 11th the Minister of the Environment- Roodal Moonilal announced on the Parliamentary Channel 105.5 FM that the Minister of Finance had signed the legislation-making the amendments to The Green Fund legislation LAW. As of that time: 1. All NGO's and CBO's Registered under the Co's Act (non-profit) and those registered with Community Development in BOTH islands became eligible for funding under the Green Fund. 2. The above organisations mentioned may apply to the FUND, regardless of whether in Trinidad or Tobago. 3. The Green Fund Unit is to meet with the THA next week to operationalise the Fund in Tobago. We have waited 2 years for this legislation in Trinidad and 12 years in Tobago for this to happen. GET ON with the project proposals.
"The UTC Tobago CSC is in your neighborhood Call us now to share with your group a Seminar on Financial Planning" Manager: Contact :
Florence Forbes
635 2115 Ext. 6201
Business Development Officer : Desiree Hackett Murray Contact : 635 2115
Ext 6239; 688 3862
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WHAT’S HAPPENING @ ET
ET is now on Facebook and Twitter We invite everyone on Facebook to join. Here we will post upcoming events, links, photos and videos on ET matters and other environmental issues. ET group link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/ group.php?gid=53362888661&ref=ts And keep up to date on what we are up to by following us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/environ_tobago
Environment TOBAGO Environmental and Services Map of Tobago They are excellent and will be published every two years. Published in January 2008. Requests for these maps can be made to ET office.
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Volume 6 Issue 1
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Environment TOBAGO newsletter
READERS’ FORUM Dear ET Newsletter Readers, Office:
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