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AN ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY PROFILE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.

Published byShirley Chessher Modified over 10 years ago

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Presentation on theme: "AN ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY PROFILE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO."— Presentation transcript:

1 AN ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY PROFILE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

2 Environmental Indicators Meteorological e.g. drought, floods, heat waves, sea surface temperature, high winds Biological e.g. deforestation, endangered species, endemic species, fisheries, human population density Anthropogenic e.g. Oil Spills, Surface Mining, vehicles, pesticides, waste treatment, fertilizers, tourists

3 The Environmental Vulnerability of T & T with Respect to each Indicator will be Ranked on a Scale of 1-7 1-3 = Not Very vulnerable 4 = Average vulnerability 5 = Vulnerable 6 = Very Vulnerable 7 = Extremely Vulnerable

4 Sea Surface Temperature Indicator: Greatest average annual deviation in Sea Surface Temperature in last 5 years compared to the long term mean Answer: 0.7 Indicator Score: 5 Conclusion: T&T vulnerable to coral bleaching etc.

5 High Winds Indicator: Number of days over the last 5 years during which the maximum recorded wind speed > 20% higher than the 30 year average maximum for that month Answer: 16 Indicator Score: 3 Conclusion:T & T not very vulnerable to hurricanes, storms etc.

6 Drought Associated with Low Rainfall Indicator: Number of months over the last 5 years during which rainfall was >20% lower than the 30 year average for that month. Answer: 25 times Indicator Score: 5 Conclusion: T&T vulnerable to drought

7 Floods and High Rainfall Events Question: Number of months over the last 5 years during which rainfall was >20% higher than the 30 year average for that month. Answer: 13 Indicator Score: 3 Conclusion: T&T is not very vulnerable to high rainfall events

8 Heat Waves Question: Number of days over the last 5 years during which the maximum temperature was >5 o C higher than the mean 30 year monthly average for that month. Answer: 1 Indicator Score: 1 Conclusion: T&T is not vulnerable to heat waves

9 Biological Indicators: Endangered and Threatened Species Question: Number of endangered and threatened species / sq. km. land area. Answer: 0.2 Indicator Score: 2 Conclusion: T&T does not have an exceptional number of endangered or threatened

10 Extinctions Question: Number of species which have become extinct since 1900 / sq. km. land area. Answer: 0 Indicator Score: 1 Comment: T&T has only a few endemic species such as the Golden Tree Frog and Pawi

11 Natural Vegetation Remaining Question: Percentage of natural and regrowth vegetation remaining (e.g. forests, mangroves, savannah). Answer: 32.9% Indicator Score: 4 Comment: T&T needs to urgently protect its remaining natural vegetation.

12 Anthropogenic Indicators: Human Population Density Question: Total human population density / sq. km. land area. Answer: 266 people/sq. km. Indicator Score: 7 Conclusion: Expect significant environmental damage caused by human activities

13 Human Population Growth Rate Question: Average Annual human population growth rate (%) over last 5 years Answer: 1.1 % Indicator Score: 5 Conclusion: Population growth rate has been dropping but needs to drop further

14 Rate of Loss of Natural Vegetation Question: Net % of land area changed by the removal of natural vegetation over the last 5 years. Answer: 20.3 % Indicator Score: 7 Conclusion: T&T needs to urgently develop an effective system of Parks and Protected Areas

15 Annual Forest and Bush Fires Number of fires 1987-1997 = 3441 Total area burnt = 46,942 ha Estimate of new areas burnt= 991 ha Areas reforested by Ministry= 167 ha

16 Water Pollution Question: Litre / sq km / day of untreated industrial and domestic wastewater discharged Answer: 135,146 L / sq km / day Indicator Score: 7 Conclusion: T&T has a major untreated wastewater problem

17

18 Production of Hazardous and Municipal Wastes Question: Total net tonnage of generated and net imported toxic, hazardous and municipal wastes / sq km land area / year (averaged over the last 5 years) Answer: 50 t / sq km /yr Indicator Score: 5 Conclusion: T&T has a developing problem with the generation of hazardous wastes

19 Oil Spills Question: Number of spills of oil and hazardous substances >1000 litres during last 5 years on land, in rivers or within territorial waters / sq. km. land area (*1000). Answer: 240 Indicator Score: 7 Conclusion: T&T is extremely vulnerable to oil pollution problem

20 Oil Spills 1996274 1997244 1998298 1999209 2000244

21 Air Pollution from Vehicles Question: Number of vehicles / sq. km. land area. Answer: 57 Indicator Score: 7 Conclusion: Possible pollution problem from vehicles e.g. lead, SO x, NO x

22 Habitat Disturbance by Surface Mining Question: % Land, rivers and coastal zone affected by mining and quarrying Answer: 2.4 % Indicator Score: 4 Conclusion: T&T does not have a widespread problem from surface mining

23 Major Quarrying Activity

24 Sub-surface mining Indicator: Tonnes of mining material (ore+tailings) extracted / sq km land area / year (average last 5 years) Answer: 4319 Indicator Score: 7 Conclusion: T&T extremely vulnerable to pollution, habitat disturbance, heavy industry

25 Priorities for Action (Indicators Scoring 7) Population Density Deforestation Water Pollution Air Pollution from Vehicles Oil Spills on Land Sub-surface mining

26 Secondary Problems (Indicators Scoring 5 or 6) Human Population Growth Rate Drought during the Dry season Production of Hazardous and Municipal Wastes

27 Anthropological Biological Country Characteristics Geological Meteorological

28 Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries IndexRank/235 Trinidad and Tobago3.9218 Meteorological factors2.83 Geological factors1.33 Biological factors3.00 Country Characteristics2.67 Anthropogenic factors5.00

29 Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries IndexRank Barbados4.176 Meteorological factors- Geological factors1.00 Biological factors5.83 Country Characteristics3.50 Anthropogenic factors4.56

30 Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries IndexRank Jamaica3.822 Meteorological factors- Geological factors1.50 Biological factors4.25 Country Characteristics3.83 Anthropogenic factors4.15

31 Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries IndexRank Saint Lucia3.6437 Meteorological factors- Geological factors1.00 Biological factors6.00 Country Characteristics3.60 Anthropogenic factors2.88

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