"The Man-Hungry Predator"

Several sharks have fallen victim to this stereotype as being a man-hungry predator due to society’s mythical stories for example “JAWS”. In fact, what humans should fear is a world without these apex predators in our marine ecosystem. Each year millions of sharks are being killed as there is a growing demand for shark fin as an ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Furthermore, in Trinidad our local JAWS are being hunted for our prominent beach food, bake and shark. Sharks are large bodied animals that are top of tropic levels therefore structuring food webs and regulating prey behaviour and their dynamics.

Coral reefs play an essential part of the Caribbean’s marine ecosystem. It promotes habitat and species diversity in abundance. Shark depletion in a reef ecosystem can be detrimental to marine life since it can trigger a negative chain reaction which can be felt throughout the food web. For example, macro algae/ seaweed usually compete with coral for settlement on the reef. These corals depend of herbivorous fish to consume this algae. Without these fish, corals are not able to thrive and create available niches for species. The decline in the number of sharks as top predators allow the number of groupers in the Caribbean coral reef ecosystem to increase which feed on these herbivorous fishes (parrotfish, gobies). This in turn causes a decline in herbivorous fish therefore causing overgrowth of macro algae.  This shift in abundance in species diversity following coral decline changes species diversity and composition of the entire reef system. For the past 30-40 years Jamaica’s species composition has changed drastically, and coral abundance has declined over 50%.

Continuous support of this Chinese cuisine along with our famous local bake and shark is allowing sharks and coral life to be depleted at a faster rate. We as a community should join hands and stand ground to refrain from buying these meals. If we don’t consume, then there will be no need to slaughter these wonderful creatures of life. It starts with us today! Let’s take charge and make a change!

Adverse Fiscal Effects of Climate Change on the Caribbean

The increasing build-up of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere results from anthropogenic actions which exceeds the threshold that keeps the Earth habitable. The vulnerability of the Caribbean and its population is because of its flat island characteristics and inadequate economic resources to construct buffers against climate change. Several Caribbean locals live in poverty by world standards and for developing nations worldwide, paying the price for safeguarding measures is simply unthinkable (Bueno et al. 2008). If climate change remains uncurbed, funds which could be used for poverty alleviation or social and economic development will now have to go towards efforts to prevent and recover from the impacts of climate change (IPCC 2007). With higher temperatures, it will have a negative impact on infrastructure in coastal regions, hurricane damages, health impacts, pressing concerns for energy and food security and negative consequences on agriculture and ecosystems. The Caribbean islands depend on tourism since it contributes to 15 percent of the region's national revenue and gross domestic product (GDP). In a survey done, it was found that 80 percent of tourists will be reluctant to revisit the islands if the environmental beauty was negatively affected by climate change (Bueno et al. 2008). Despite the Caribbean nations' emissions are very small, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide affects everyone no matter where in the world they are produced. The ultimate challenge is global fairness which is at the centre of the problem. However, it is also the key to the trials of meeting the needs of its citizens by developing in a sustainable way while arranging for the negative concerns of climate change in the region.

Other constraints which face the Caribbean nations' ability to effectively and efficiently address climate change issues are:

·         The absence of research on various areas of vulnerability and reliability which have led to reduced technical capabilities to produce reliable scientific data and research for public policy;

·         Poor communication between stakeholders and the lack of awareness by the population;

·         Limited reports on the economic and social influences of climate change and poor prioritization in the management of these issues at both national and international levels.

Recommendations

The introduction of several policy instruments not only in Trinidad but throughout the Caribbean can help reduce greenhouse gases by putting a price on it. These may include:

·         The removal of environmental harmful subsides, permit schemes, carbon taxes, and promote the implementation of existing and future United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC agreements. 

·         Investing in educational and awareness programmes to increase the understanding about sustainable use of resources and production practices

·         Reduce energy consumption by implementing the use of efficiency measures. Predominantly in the case of gasoline and air-conditioning usage.

·         Monitoring and measuring all situations and trends which can have an impact on climate change. Improving the accuracy of data by training individuals to collect and analyze data as well as the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve collection of data can aid in monitoring and evaluation of impacts.

The role of indigenous people and biodiversity

According to Alcorn, conservation itself is a social and political and not a biological process. One social aspect related to biodiversity and its management is the world’s indigenous peoples. They occupy and inhabit territories of high levels of biodiversity in which, their culture is associated with the maintenance of the natural ecosystem. These indigenous people are frequently categorized as impoverished and are treated as unseen. However, several studies have shown that they are the ones that hold the key to successful biodiversity conservation and management.

Indigenous peoples have the knowledge to many solutions. For instance, over years, indigenous peoples have developed landscape designs that can counterattack the negative effects of climate change as well as, they have developed several genetic varieties of medicinal and useful plants and animal varieties that is resistant to climate change and ecological variability. Indigenous values and beliefs have brought about livelihood strategies to provide essential input into understanding low carbon development schemes which are used and how they can be endorsed.

Over centuries the relationship between indigenous people and the environment have degraded because of forced removal of their traditional and sacred lands. This removal of indigenous people is caused by many challenges of social and economic wants from forestry activities, mining and development programs. For example, commercial plant varieties have replaced locally adapted varieties used in traditional farming systems thus leading to an increase in industrialized farming methods. These activities have cause severe environmental damage of flora and fauna species in which some have become extinct.

It has often been discussed that indigenous knowledge and their culture cannot survive this ever changing environment unless the government wants and has the political will to protect them, both locally and globally. Government along with private sectors need to work in cooperation to integrate indigenous persons and knowledge into policies in order to protect the current existing biodiversity. This will not only improve accountability and authority of approaches taken but also strengthen capacity building and managing of natural resources and the ecosystem.

Plastic pollution and turtle nesting

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! Nesting season has opened for turtles and we all know the beauty of the Leatherback Sea Turtle. It’s one of the most magnificent creatures on earth which are the only remaining representatives of a family of turtles that traces its evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years. Despite we are lucky here in Trinidad to have such wonderful wildlife; one major threat to their survival is plastic pollution.

Many Leatherbacks fall victims to plastic debris. They ingest these floatable pieces which are often mistaken for their favourite food; jellyfish. According to National Geographic, some individuals have been found to have almost 11 pounds of plastic in their stomachs. What does that say about us humans? Is it that we don’t respect nature or our world? People often fail to realize, we have damaged our planet at a rate beyond which it can replenish itself and we have produced more waste than can be reabsorbed.

With increasing population, there has been an increase in demand for more resources and more use of plastic. However, plastic has a tendency to retain large amounts of heat. Microplastics have also been found to affect Leatherbacks. These sesame seed-sized plastics can increase sand temperature which modify and determine turtle sex as eggs incubate. This is because sea turtles have temperature dependent sex determination, which means their sex is determined by the sand temperature.

With this being said plastics can be detrimental to life and have major effects in population structure which can cause a collapse in species life.

My personal take on subsidies- TT Budget 2018

As we all know, Trinidad and Tobago’s budget was held on October 2, 2017 with varying opinions on what was stated. However, the main issue that stole the spotlight was the reduction on fuel and electricity subsidies. As everyone knows, T&T pays a very small percent for both fuel and electricity due to such high subsidies.

Before I state my view on this, I would first like to define what a subsidy is. A subsidy is a form of financial aid extended to an economic sector which has been granted by the government. With this being said, while subsides are known to make gasoline and power more accessible to persons and, transportation as well as electricity rates cheaper, several other aspects has been casted from our minds. Therefore, it is safe to say we do not look at this in a holistic approach but, only view it as one way forward; human gain regarding the protection of “our pockets.”

Often, persons forget or discard the environment when making decisions, not taking into consideration this is the only reason you are alive. A poor environment = poor health. When we have subsidies on things such as gas, this encourage persons to use their private cars regularly, which in fact is unsustainable and contributes highly to pollution, due to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is directly linked to global warming. This is then linked to public health issues as a result of pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7 million premature deaths are annually linked to air pollution. Furthermore, gas is a finite energy source and unlike sunlight, water or wind energy, fossil fuels cannot be renewed. This means that, once the gas reserves have been completely used up, there is nothing more left.

Additionally, despite several persons believe that subsidies are actually helping them; I have to say this may not likely be true.  Since, many rural communities are still lacking proper energy services and are not able to get water and electricity every day. This is because energy service businesses may have weak incentives to provide access of quality energy services to the poor, mainly because of the low population densities, which makes it costly to serve remote locations, and the low incomes of the poor, who often use little energy compared with wealthier households. At the end of the day, subsidies benefit the rich (ownership of several vehicles, use of a greater amount of electricity) over the poor (greater use of public transport due to less ownership of cars, less households that use a vast amount of electricity), believe it or not.

If the government’s goal is to improve the living standards of the environment and poor, there may be other ways to do so. Renewable and green energy sources are something we as a Caribbean Island should be focusing on in 2017. The need to focus on solar, hydroelectric, wind, tidal and geothermal energy is of great importance. As it was mentioned before, once our natural resources are used up, there will be nothing left. Better transparency, planning, communication, and consultation prior to implementation of price increases are needed for success in the complete removal of fuel subsidies.

Tell me, what is your take on this?

Future Ecological Collapse?..... Maybe!

Over the past few days there have been much controversy on the poaching of our national bird, the Scarlet Ibis, and I am extremely shocked and disappointed to even know that this has been happening for some time. We as human beings have failed our nation on several occasions by destroying our biodiversity. I’ve always considered Trinidad and Tobago to be one of the richest Caribbean countries because of our striking biodiversity and natural resources. However, majority of us have seen this as a way to earn money (I call it black money) than just sit back and enjoy what God has created for us.

My question to you Trinis is, “why is it that every wildlife you see, you must kill and make a cook?” Because that’s the nature and thinking of several persons. According to a post yesterday made on social media, the fine for poaching a Scarlet Ibis would be $100,000 tt. I must say despite I am happy that this matter has been somewhat looked into; I can positively say having a fine means absolutely nothing without implementation.

There are several questions that are unanswered when it comes to this situation, and if anyone can answer them I would be grateful:

1. Why is it that poachers are the only ones getting fined? What about the buyers and consumers?
2. Would this $100, 000 go into conserving the Scarlet Ibis as well as several other species, wetlands and other protected areas?  
3. Why is it that other wildlife species are not being protected or as of major concern as the Scarlet Ibis? What about the ocelots? (Earlier this year an ocelot was found shot.), what about our turtles? Despite there is a fine or jail time for poaching other wildlife, this mechanism is not implemented nor is the fine substantial.
4. The Caroni Swamp is protected under the Ramsar Convention which is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. REALLY????????? BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SEEM SO!!!!
5. What about game wardens? Clearly I think there’s a need for them!
6. Why are our policies not updated?  We have a National Environmental Policy which is dated 2006. Why is this so old? And a DRAFT National Wildlife Policy. Why is this still a draft?

Unfortunately we are losing more of our country as each day passes by. I do believe if nothing’s done soon, our future generation will not be able to experience such natural wonders of our country. There’s more to life than urban development and money.

We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.

---E. O. Wilson

Observing World Wetlands Day

Despite being a day late I would still like to wish Trinidad and Tobago a happy World Wetlands Day. As many of us know, this day is celebrated on February 2^nd every year since it concurs with the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Currently in Trinidad and Tobago, there are three sites designated under the Ramsar Convention: Caroni Swamp, Nariva and the Buccoo Reef Bon Accord Lagoon Complex.

These wetland sites are a main hotspot for species biodiversity and are home to threatened species such as the blue and gold macaw and the manatee. We as Trinbagonians should be delighted to have such rich biodiversity in our little twin island. However, these wetlands are often viewed as mucky and dirty and have no value to humans. This misunderstanding has caused wetlands to be threatened by: agriculture, pollution, human settlements and industrial developments. Unfortunately because of these threats, most of Trinidad and Tobago’s wetland areas have been destroyed and only 1% is presently covered by wetlands. It is important to remember that management of these wetlands is significant in order to sustain their healthy functioning which is essential for stakeholders because of the use of the multi-resources produced such as:

·         

         Protection of coastal areas and shorelines

·         They act as nurseries

·         They allow ecotourism and recreation sites

·         They filter pollutants and sediments

·         They act as flood storage

·         Maintain a balanced carbon cycle

·         Retain nutrients

With this being said, initiatives should be taken to encourage other Caribbean islands to join the Ramsar Convention and to increase its acceptance. Training and education courses for stakeholders should be encouraged as to prevent the degradation of these wetlands in order to uphold our biodiversity.

Be the Solution, not the Problem- Conserve and Protect