AN ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY PROFILE OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

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AN ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY PROFILE OF
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
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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

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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

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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 TT vulnerable to coral bleaching
  etc.

5
High Winds

• Indicator Number of days over the last 5 years
  during which the maximum recorded wind speed
• gt 20 higher than the 30 year average maximum for
  that month
• Answer 16
• Indicator Score 3
• ConclusionT T not very vulnerable to
  hurricanes, storms etc.

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Drought Associated with Low Rainfall

• Indicator Number of months over the last 5 years
  during which rainfall was gt20 lower than the 30
  year average for that month.
• Answer 25 times
• Indicator Score 5
• Conclusion TT vulnerable to drought

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Floods and High Rainfall Events

• Question Number of months over the last 5 years
  during which rainfall was gt20 higher than the 30
  year average for that month.
• Answer 13
• Indicator Score 3
• Conclusion TT 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 gt5 oC
  higher than the mean 30 year monthly average for
  that month.
• Answer 1
• Indicator Score 1
• Conclusion TT is not vulnerable to heat waves

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Biological IndicatorsEndangered and Threatened
Species

• Question Number of endangered and threatened
  species / sq. km. land area.
• Answer 0.2
• Indicator Score 2
• Conclusion TT does not have an exceptional
  number of endangered or threatened

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Extinctions

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

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Natural Vegetation Remaining

• Question Percentage of natural and regrowth
  vegetation remaining (e.g. forests, mangroves,
  savannah).
• Answer 32.9
• Indicator Score 4
• Comment TT needs to urgently protect its
  remaining natural vegetation.

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Anthropogenic IndicatorsHuman 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

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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

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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 TT needs to urgently develop an
  effective system of Parks and Protected Areas

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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

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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 TT has a major untreated wastewater
  problem

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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 TT has a developing problem with
  the generation of hazardous wastes

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Oil Spills

• Question Number of spills of oil and hazardous
  substances gt1000 litres during last 5 years on
  land, in rivers or within territorial waters /
  sq. km. land area (1000).
• Answer 240
• Indicator Score 7
• Conclusion TT is extremely vulnerable to oil
  pollution problem

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Oil Spills

• 1996 274
• 1997 244
• 1998 298
• 1999 209
• 2000 244

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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, SOx, NOx

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Habitat Disturbance by Surface Mining

• Question Land, rivers and coastal zone
  affected by mining and quarrying
• Answer 2.4
• Indicator Score 4
• Conclusion TT does not have a widespread
  problem from surface mining

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Major Quarrying Activity
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Sub-surface mining

• Indicator Tonnes of mining material
  (oretailings) extracted / sq km land area / year
  (average last 5 years)
• Answer 4319
• Indicator Score 7
• Conclusion TT extremely vulnerable to
  pollution, habitat disturbance, heavy industry

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Priorities for Action(Indicators Scoring 7)

• Population Density
• Deforestation
• Water Pollution
• Air Pollution from Vehicles
• Oil Spills on Land
• Sub-surface mining

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Secondary Problems(Indicators Scoring 5 or 6)

• Human Population Growth Rate
• Drought during the Dry season
• Production of Hazardous and Municipal Wastes

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Anthropological Biological Country
Characteristics Geological Meteorological
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Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries

• Index Rank/235
• Trinidad and Tobago 3.92 18
• Meteorological factors 2.83
• Geological factors 1.33
• Biological factors 3.00
• Country Characteristics 2.67
• Anthropogenic factors 5.00

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Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries

• Index Rank
• Barbados 4.17 6
• Meteorological factors -
• Geological factors 1.00
• Biological factors 5.83
• Country Characteristics 3.50
• Anthropogenic factors 4.56

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Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries

• Index Rank
• Jamaica 3.8 22
• Meteorological factors -
• Geological factors 1.50
• Biological factors 4.25
• Country Characteristics 3.83
• Anthropogenic factors 4.15

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Draft EVI for Caribbean Countries

• Index Rank
• Saint Lucia 3.64 37
• Meteorological factors -
• Geological factors 1.00
• Biological factors 6.00
• Country Characteristics 3.60
• Anthropogenic factors 2.88