What is the issue?

The Earth’s biological resources are essential to humanity’s social and economic present and future development. The value of these resources has been recognized, along with the rising threats of species extinction and ecosystem degradation caused by human activities.

In response, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened a group of experts on biological diversity in November 1988 to explore the need for an international convention on biological diversity. Their work culminated in the Convention’s text, opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit.

What is the Convention on Biological Diversity?

In response to the above issue, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was drafted. It is an international legal instrument for “the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources”.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993. It has 3 main objectives:

1. The conservation of biological diversity
2. The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
3. The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources

What is biological diversity?

“Biological diversity” for the purposes of the Convention, means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

Local Action

Trinidad and Tobago, as a developing country has been implementing a host of activities in line with achieving the goals of the CBD, such as:

• Develop a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) on biodiversity conservation and integrate this into broader national plans for the environment and economic development
• Identify and monitor the important components of biological diversity that need to be conserved and used in a sustainable manner
• Establish protected areas to conserve biological diversity while promoting environmentally-sound development around these areas
• Rehabilitate and restore degraded ecosystems and promote the recovery of threatened species in collaboration with local residents
• Respect, preserve and maintain traditional knowledge of the sustainable use of biodiversity with the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities
• Prevent the introduction of, control, and eradicate alien species that could threaten ecosystems, habitats or species
• Minimise the risks posed by organisms modified by biotechnology
• Promote public participation, particularly when it comes to assessing the environmental impacts of development projects that threaten biodiversity
• Educate people and raise public awareness on the importance of biological diversity and the need for its preservation
• Report on how the country is meeting its biodiversity goals

In fulfilment of its obligations under this Convention, Trinidad and Tobago submitted its first NBSAP in May 2001 to the Convention Secretariat. The NBSAP is an integrated framework for addressing the administrative, physical, biological and socio-economic impacts associated with the management of the biological resources of the country.

In 2018, a revised NBSAP for Trinidad and Tobago was approved by the Government. The revised NBSAP provides an update on the status of biodiversity in Trinidad and Tobago taking into consideration the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services to human health and well-being; the threats to biodiversity and the legal and policy context in which this NBSAP will be implemented. The concept of ecosystem based adaptation approaches are introduced as mechanisms for consideration in addressing the national response to Climate Change.  The revised NBSAP highlights the following:

• Value of biodiversity to Trinidad and Tobago
• Status of biodiversity
• Threats to biodiversity
• National and international legal/policy context
• Lessons learnt from the earlier NBSAP(s) and the process of developing the updated NBSAP
• Guiding principles of the NBSAP
• Action Plan
• Implementation, monitoring and evaluation

The NBSAP provides a blueprint for the strategies and priority actions to be undertaken nationally, to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s precious biological resources within the framework of the socio-economic development of our country.

For further information on the CBD, please visit: www.cbd.int