Assessing
Caribbean Sustainability Processes and Advocating Strategies
for Sustainable Development
Summary: The overall goal of this project is to undertake an in-depth
assessment of Caribbean sustainability processes and to
develop and advocate strategies for sustainable development
which are rooted in the broad-based participation by civil
society institutions in decision making. Additionally,
the project was designed to provide policy advice, action
plans and policy documents in environmental, economic
and social matters of critical importance to Caribbean
Society. It was also intended that the project would assist
countries in their ongoing assessments of the status of
implementation of Agenda 21, the SIDS POA and other agreements/programmes
that promote sustainable development as a means of ensuring
that Caribbean-specific sustainable development experiences/perspectives
are explicitly reflected in UN SD preparatory processes.
The core information base to inform the achievement of
the objectives of the project was developed, as designed,
through the conduct of a substantive field survey of civil
society organisations in the twelve (12) countries of
the Caricom region. The survey sought to generate information
on the limitations and constraints to the effective operations
of civil society organisations, their needs for capacity
building (training, financing, technical assistance etc.)
as well as their perspectives on their participatory role
in sustainable development processes. Policy studies and
training workshops have been undertaken for the basis
of the survey findings.
Commissioned
by: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) –
Managed and conducted by SEDU on behalf of CSEDNet
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Feasibility
of Alternative Sustainable Coastal Based Enhanced Livelihood
Strategies
Summary: Based on an assessment of the natural resource based livelihood
strategies of the poor in the region (in particular livelihood
strategies located in the land-water interface production
systems) as well as an assessment of the sustainability
of the livelihood strategies currently employed and the
current legal and institutional framework within which
they operate, the purpose of this Project was to identify
appropriate alternative strategies that can enhance natural
resource based livelihood practices, with particular reference
to the poor. The project sought to ensure that the identified
target peoples and institutions were actively engaged
in the development of the alternative approaches so as
to ensure ease of uptake and willingness to be involved
in active implementation. A necessary further objective
of the project was to inform policy development regarding
physical and other development plans and national economic
policy which will favour pro-poor natural resource based
livelihoods. The project was executed in two (2) case
study countries in the region – St. Lucia and Belize.
Commissioned
by: UK Department for International Development (DFID)
– NRSP R8135
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Policy
Relevant Knowledge on Feasible Alternative Natural Resource
Based Strategies for Enhancing Livelihoods
Summary: This project is designed to develop and promote mechanisms
and strategies to effect the uptake by relevant stakeholders,
of new knowledge with respect to alternative natural
resource based livelihood strategies as developed by
the previous NRSP project – R8135. The focus will
be on developing, field testing, validating and implementing
a well defined communication strategy together with
a framework for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness
of uptake. The project will seek to ensure that the
strategies are accepted and owned by policy makers and
those in position to influence the livelihood strategies
of the poor in the coastal zones. In this regard the
project will seek to involve relevant government and
statutory agencies as well as local and regional NGOs
in the promotion and implementation so as to ensure
ease of uptake by the poor in the coastal zones. The
project will be executed in three (3) case study countries
in the Caribbean region – St. Lucia, Belize and
Grenada.
Commissioned by: UK Department for
International Development (DFID) – NRSP R8325
Research
Area : Determination of Priority Areas in the promotion
of Sustainable Economic Development in SIDS
An
Economic Analysis of Environmental Priorities in Trinidad
and Tobago
Summary:
The main goal of the project was to prepare a report on
the identification and prioritization of environmental
issues in Trinidad and Tobago. This study reviewed the
literature on methodologies for prioritization of environmental
issues and derived a modified methodology appropriate
to SIDS and to Trinidad and Tobago. Actual environmental
priorities were then identified and ranked on the basis
of conducting cost benefit analyses and deriving benefit
cost ratios. Among the priorities identified were vehicular
air emissions, sewage-based water pollution, watershed
management and solid waste management.
Commissioned
by: Environmental Management Authority of Trinidad and
Tobago (EMA), 2000/01
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Research
Area: Sustainable Tourism in Small Islands
Sustainable Tourism Framework for Tobago
Summary: The objective of the study was to develop
a framework for Sustainable Tourism Development in Tobago.
The study divided Tobago into five (5) regions, estimated
beach carrying capacity and proposed a low density mode
of tourism development. A cessation of the granting of
planning permission for additional hotel construction
in south-west Tobago, (the location of 90% of the island’s
tourist stock ) also was proposed.
Commissioned by: The UWI Centre for
Environment and Development (UWICED), Mona, 1996/97
Lessons
of Aruba’s Tourism Development for Sustainable
Tourism
Summary: This Study sought to draw lessons from Aruba’s
successful development of tourism for Tobago given that
the islands are both of similar size and at an intermediate
stage of tourism development. The study noted that in
the 1980s Aruba had been perhaps too successful at achieving
not merely full employment but also the import of labour
which, in turn, had caused its own social problems.
Moreover, Aruba had declared a moratorium on new hotel
construction. The lessons drawn included that Tobago
could develop a successful tourism industry but, if
this was to be sustainable, an anticipatory planning
framework was needed with a clear recognition of limits
to tourism growth.
Commissioned by: United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), 1996/97
Greening of Tourism and climate change in Caribbean
Small Island Developing States
Summary: The main objective of this Report was
to analyze the greening of industry and climate change
issues as they impacted on the Caribbean Tourism Industry.
The approach adopted was to look at greening of the
hotel industry from the design, construction, post-construction,
operational and throughput stages. A survey was undertaken
in hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Dominica
and the Bahamas. The research distilled from the empirical
evidence, activities and policies within the Caribbean
Tourism Industry, which are consistent with the tenets
of “Green Tourism”, including under the
umbrella of greening, adaptation strategies to deal
with the impacts of climate change.
Commissioned by: UWI/Ford Foundation,
2000/01
Study
on the Insertion of Environmental Management in Tourism
Sector Policies: Case Studies from the Bahamas, Barbados,
St. Lucia and Tobago
Summary: This study was concerned with the insertion
of environmental management in tourism sector policies
to ensure that the threats to the sustainability of
the tourism sector are recognized and addressed. In
the case of each country reviewed, the environmental
impact of tourism was identified and that country’s
policy with respect to environmental management reviewed
to ascertain whether available legislation and policy
adequately dealt with the potential impacts of tourism
on the environment.
Commissioned by: The Inter American
Development Bank (IDB), 2002/2003
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Research
Area: Community Participation in project evaluation and
decision-making
Report on an Evaluation of UNDP’s Involvement
in Funding Community-based Projects in the Toco/Grand
Rivere Region of Trinidad
Summary: This project undertook a review of several
community-based projects in North-East Trinidad in order
to evaluate the impact of grant funding by external agencies,
particularly the UNDP.
Commissioned by: United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), 1996/97
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Research
Area: Sustainable Human Development/Sustainable Livelihoods
Report on the Re-greening of the Northern Range,
Trinidad
Summary: This study explored the potential for
re-greening of the Northern Range, of Trinidad through
the mechanism of the residents in poor, hillside communities
planting commercial fruit bearing tree crops which would
simultaneously contribute to environmental protection:
thereby addressing the livelihoods reality. Several communities
were identified as already so engaged and proposals were
made for deepening this process.
Commissioned by: United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), 1996/97
Report on the impact of the loss of access to Venezuelan
fishing grounds on the livelihoods of fishing communities
in Cedros and surrounding communities in south-west Trinidad.
Summary: This study assessed the livelihood contribution
of fishing in Cedros and surrounding communities and the
related impact of the loss of access to Venezuelan fishing
grounds. Alternative livelihood strategies were identified
as already being put into place and others were proposed
including eco-tourism.
Commissioned by: Department of Fisheries,
Ministry of Agriculture, Trinidad & Tobago (1998)
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Research
Area: Policy Instruments for Sustainable Economic Development
A Deposit-Refund System for Beverage Containers
in Trinidad and Tobago
Summary: This study undertook a cost benefit analysis
of the feasibility of introducing a deposit refund system
for plastic (PET) beverage container bottles in Trinidad
and Tobago. An estimate was made of deposit rates for
a range of PET beverage containers and the conclusion
drawn was that such a system would be feasible.
Commissioned by: Environmental Management
Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (EMA), 1997/98
An Economic Analysis of the Feasibility of an Advanced
Disposal Fee for Tyres and Batteries in Trinidad and Tobago
Summary: This study undertook a cost benefit analysis
of the feasibility of introducing an advanced disposal
fee for tyres and batteries in Trinidad and Tobago. The
conclusion drawn was that such a system was feasible but
that it should be introduced for tyres, in the first instance,
as a firm-based informal system already was in place for
batteries. The latter, however, should be keep under review
to ensure it was meeting the necessary environmental standards
for safe, final disposal of batteries.
Commissioned by: Environmental Management
Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (EMA), 1998/99
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Research
Area: Vulnerability and Adapation to Natural Disasters
and Climate Change in SIDS
An Ecological Vulnerability Index for Small Island
Developing States
Summary: This study set out to measure the relative
vulnerability of SIDS to natural disasters in comparison
to other developing countries. Using a data base of 87
developing countries (including SIDS), indices were developed
for a range of macro-economic variables together with
a composite index. The conclusion drawn was that SIDS
were, in fact more vulnerable.
Commissioned by: United Nations,(SIDS
Unit, New York) 1996/97
Socio-economic input into the First National Communication
for Trinidad and Tobago on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Summary: As part of this country’s commitments
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), a multidisciplinary UWI Team was commissioned
to prepare a draft report Trinidad and Tobago’s
First National Communication.
Commissioned by: Environmental Management
Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (EMA), 1998/99
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