Conventions

The Earth’s biological resources are essential to humanity’s social and economic present and future development. The value of these resources has been recognised, 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.

This Convention provides a framework for countries to develop mechanisms to combat the crisis posed by the increasing rate of extinction of the world’s plant and animal species and loss of ecosystems. The Convention has three over-arching goals:

1. Conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity)
2. Sustainable use of its components
3. Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources

Trinidad and Tobago became a signatory to this Convention on June 11th, 1992 and ratified on August 1st, 1996. CBD focuses on several thematic programmes, those relevant to Trinidad and Tobago being:

1. Agricultural biodiversity
2. Biodiversity of inland waters
3. Forest biodiversity
4. Marine and coastal biodiversity
5. Island biodiversity

Trinidad and Tobago, as a developing country needs to (or has done):

• Minimise the risks posed by organisms modified by biotechnology
• 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
• 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 NBSAP in May 2001 to the Convention Secretariat. The NBSAP is a strategic document for the conservation and sustainable use of the country’s biodiversity within the context of its socio-economic development programs.

The NBSAP identified 41 strategies and over 136 specific actions in the areas of Education and Awareness, Policy, Legislation and Enforcement, Information and Research, Commitment and Capacity and Financial Instruments to address the biodiversity challenges faced by Trinidad and Tobago.

In 1994, the first genetically modified food crop, a tomato, was produced and consumed in an industrialized country. Since then, genetically modified (GM) crops have become integral to the agricultural sector.

These advances in biotechnology whilst providing great advantages, also come with inherent risks that may prove extremely detrimental to both wild and domesticated plant and animal species usually in the country where the production or breeding of the species takes place

The Protocol promotes biosafety by establishing rules and procedures for the safe transfer, handling, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may pose adverse effects to the conservation and sustainable use of natural occurring biological resources, with specific focus on their transboundary movements. It features a set of procedures, including one for LMOs that are to be intentionally introduced into the environment (prior informed consent), and one for LMOs that are intended to be used directly as food/ feed or for processing.

The Protocol is based on the Advance Informed Agreement principle and promotes the exchange of information and experiences between Party States. The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the Biosafety Protocol on October 5, 2000.

One of the country’s major obligations under the Biosafety Protocol is the Development of a National Biosafety Framework.

Parties to the Protocol such as Trinidad and Tobago must also ensure that LMOs are handled, packaged and transported under strictly prescribed conditions, with appropriate documentation accompanying the transboundary shipments of LMOs. The documentation should identify the LMO, the parameters for its use and any necessary precautions. This process is designed to provide importing Parties with the information needed for making informed decisions about whether or not to accept LMO imports and for handling them in a safe manner.

The Party of import makes its decisions in accordance with scientifically sound risk assessments. In case of insufficient relevant scientific information and knowledge, the Party of import may make use of the precautionary principle and not import the LMO or do so with restrictions. Parties must also adopt measures for managing any risks identified by the risk assessment, and they must take necessary steps in the event of accidental release of LMOs.

The international wildlife trade is estimated to be worth billions of dollars and is diverse, ranging from live animals and plants to food products, leather goods, timber products, tourist curiosities and medicines. The high level of exploitation of some animal and plant species for trade is responsible for heavy population depletions and even extinction.

Since the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard species from over-exploitation. CITES is an international agreement between Governments, aimed at ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. The Convention accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000 species of animals and plants.

CITES entered into force in 1 July 1975, and Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the CITES in January, 1984.

Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – they are obligated to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a structure to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own legislation at the national level.

Many of the wildlife species in Trinidad and Tobago are highly prized as exotic pets especially our  parrots and macaws. The demand of the international pet trade is therefore one of the primary factors that threatens our wildlife species.

Several of the country’s wildlife species are listed under CITES. CITES is therefore of tremendous benefit to the conservation and protection of Trinidad and Tobago’s wildlife populations as it controls international wildlife trade through a licensing system which authorises all import, export and re-export of species covered by the Convention. The regulation of the international trade ensures the sustainability of trade and safeguards the wildlife species of Trinidad and Tobago from being overexploited through trade, which could ultimately lead to their extinction locally.

• Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system, and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species.
• The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.
  • Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional
  • Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid use unsuited with their
  • Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.

The initial call for an international convention on wetlands came in 1962, following the increase in concern at the rapidity with which large stretches of marshland and wetlands in Europe were being “reclaimed” or otherwise destroyed, with a resulting decline in numbers of waterfowl.

Initially the Convention was directed specifically at the conservation of waterfowl through the creation of a network of refuges, but as the text developed over the years, conservation of wetland habitat (rather than species) took prominence.

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

The Convention uses a broad definition of the types of wetlands covered in its mission, including swamps and marshes, lakes and rivers, wet grasslands and peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, near-shore marine areas, mangroves and coral reefs, and human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans.

It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975, and it is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem. Trinidad and Tobago became a party to the Convention on 21 December 1975.

Under the “three pillars” of the Convention, Parties including Trinidad and Tobago have committed to:

• Work towards the wise use of all their wetlands through national land-use planning, appropriate policies and legislation, management actions, and public education;
• Designate suitable wetlands for the List of Wetlands of International Importance (“Ramsar List”) and ensure their effective management; and;
• Cooperate internationally concerning transboundary wetlands, shared wetland systems, shared species, and development projects that may affect wetlands.

To date Trinidad and Tobago has designated three (3) Ramsar Sites with a total area of 15,919 hectares:

1. Nariva Swamp,
2. Buccoo Reef / Bon Accord Lagoon Complex
3. Caroni Swamp