Trinidad and Tobago submits $2bn climate plan to the UN

Trinidad and Tobago is the first Caribbean nation to submit its emissions reduction plan to the United Nations as part of the upcoming global climate deal due to be signed in Paris in December.

The twin island country off the northern edge of South America has proposed cutting greenhouse gas cuts across three main sectors by 2030.

The government announced that it will target GHG reductions of 15 per cent in power generation, heavy industry and transport over the next 15 years.

According to reports, Trinidad and Tobago’s plan is equal cutting 103,000,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The UN has requested all 195 member-states to submit Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) outlining their plans to cut GHG emissions in the build-up the crucial UN Climate Change Conference when a deal is scheduled to be agreed to limit average global temperature increases to 2°C and avoid catastrophic climate change impacts.

The plan says: “The estimated cost of meeting this objective is US$2 billion, which is expected to be met partly through domestic funding and conditional on international financing including through the Green Climate Fund.”

The UN's Green Climate Fund is designed to channel investment from developed nations to support climate chnage adaptation ansd mitigation projects in developing country's that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate chnage including rising sea levels, desertification, drought and flooding.

Over 50 INDCs have now been submitted to the UN, covering nearly 60 per cent of global GHG emissions.

Member states have been asked to submit their proposals by 1 October with the UN assessing if they are sufficient to prevent dangerous levels of global warming.

Trinidad and Tobago is the largest oil and gas producer in the Caribbean and the industry makes up 40 per cent of the country’s GDP and 80 per cent of its exports.