SUNDAY 5 MAY 2019 – UWI TODAY
11
CAMPUS NEWS
How do we continue to provide energy to the world
while reducing our carbon footprint?”
This is the challenge facing energy producing coun-
tries such as Trinidad and Tobago, and the companies
that provide their energy services. From March 27 to 29,
The UWI Faculty of Law (FoL) brought together local and
international academics, policymakers, and state and pri-
vate sector players in the energy industry to grapple with
this urgent topic at the 3rd Biennial UWI Oil and Gas Law
Conference and Just Transition Initiative 2019. The theme
for this year’s conference was “The Relevance of Renewable
Energy in the Caribbean”.
During the opening ceremony of the conference (held
at the HiltonHotel and Conference Centre) Ms Alicia Elias-
Roberts, Deputy Dean of the FoL at UWI St Augustine and
Conference Chair, said the theme for this year’s conference
was in line with the mission of The UWI to support the
development of the region and beyond through education
and ideas. She also remarked that adding “Just Transition”
to the conference was based on an awareness that the Ca-
ribbean must find creative ways to transition to renewable
forms of energy.
In her remarks at the opening ceremony, Ms Wendy
Fae Thompson, Vice President and Managing Counsel,
BPTT said:
“At BP we believe that hydrocarbons will continue to
play a major role in energy consumption into the future,
yet energy companies must find ways to enable a lower
carbon future.”
This is especially true for Trinidad and Tobago, a
country surrounded by hydrocarbons to the North, South,
East and West. We have been able to use these abundant
resources to become one of the largest exporters of LNG,
methanol and ammonia in the world. As a result, our
economy is inextricably tied to these exports. However,
these achievements have not come without consequences.
As a nation we are the 2nd highest emitter of CO2 per capita
Renewable energy the main theme at
OILANDGASCONFERENCE 2019
B Y A L I C I A E L I A S - R O B E R T S
Professor Raphael Heffron from the Centre for Energy, Petroleum,
Mineral Law and Policy, at the University of Dundee, giving his
keynote address.
and the 3rd most energy intensive country on earth.
All of the keynote speakers gave sterling presentations
which were very much appreciated by those in attendance.
Keynote speakers included Vonda Brunsting of Harvard
University, US; Professor Raphael Heffron from the Centre
for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy, at Uni-
versity of Dundee; Kevin Ramnarine, Former Minister of
Energy; Anthony Paul, Energy and Strategy Adviser, Aces,
Caribbean Energy Specialists Ltd; Mrs. Indira Rampaul-
Cheddie, Senior State Counsel, Ministry of Energy and
Energy Industries; and Shane Grimes, Lecturer, University
of Coventry, UK.
The timely and relevant topics included oil and gas law
contract re-negotiation, taxation, environmental justice and
energy issues in transitioning to a greener economy. Several
major oil companies, including BPTT, Shell and Atlantic
LNG; several universities; and the Ministry of Energy and
Energy Industries collaborated with the UWI to sponsor the
conference. Ms Elias-Roberts noted that the UWI is keen
to develop oil and gas law because it addresses an area that
is critical to the developmental needs of the region, and
Trinidad and Tobago in particular.
The conference received many accolades from at-
tendees: that they found it “relevant, informative, and
instructive’’ and the Faculty of Law was congratulated for
creating an important forum for energy specialists to share
in their knowledge and experience which can lead towards
important legal changes.
Ms Alicia Elias-Roberts is the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at The UWI St Augustine Campus and Chair of the Oil and Gas Conference and Just Transition Initiative 2019.
Chemi str y i s of ten
considered
the “central
s c i enc e” b e c aus e i t
permeates every aspect of
our lives. This is because
chemistry investigates
molecules, the building
blocks of all matter, and
how they interact.
Since research is
constantly deepening
our understanding of
chemistry and leading to
new discoveries, the 21
st
Century will continue to
see it as crucial in finding
sustainable solutions to
far-reaching challenges, including energy provision,
environmental protection, food and water safety and
B Y D R R I C H A R D A T A Y L O R
global healthcare. The global chemical industry is uniquely
positioned to help deliver an integrated approach to
sustainable development through the creation of products
that improve people’s lives.
Considering global advances in the chemical sector
the imperative is for the Caribbean to direct greater focus
towards its development in the region. The UWI must
be at the forefront of this thrust and has articulated its
mission “
to advance learning, create knowledge and foster
innovation for the positive transformation of the Caribbean
and the wider world
.” To that end the Department of
Chemistry of The UWI St Augustine Campus will hold the
first “Biennial Regional Conference and Expo on Chemical
Science, Technology and Industry” at the UWI Teaching and
Learning Complex fromMay 22 to 24, as part of the Faculty
of Science and Technology Week 2019. The theme of the
conference is
“Chemistry and Chemical Technology for a
Sustainable Development of the Caribbean”
.
The conference will include noted regional and
Dr Richard A Taylor is Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Science and Technology, UWI St Augustine
and Conference Chair of the Biennial Regional Conference and Expo on Chemical Science, Technology and Industry.
ChemistryConference to focus on
INNOVATIONANDSUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT
international researchers, technologists, chemical/biomedical
engineers, policy makers and students.The programme will
feature distinguished plenary speakers, and oral and poster
presentations from researchers, graduate and undergraduate
students. Topics include industrial and green chemistry,
sustainable energy science/technology, drug discovery,
food toxicity, materials science, the innovation process and
chemistry education.
The Expo will provide a platform for a range of
exhibitors of products, technologies, and research with
demonstrations highlighting how chemistry is applied
across sectors and in everyday life.The conference welcomes
registration and attendance from practitioners in the field,
including industry, scientific agencies and academia, and
the expo is free to the public.
Details about the conference and expo
can be found at the conference website:
