ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
The UWP believes that Climate Change is one of the gravest threats we face as a people and that urgent action is required so that it does not undermine the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Internationally, we are engaged with countries and agencies that can assist us in adapting to these changes by building long-term resilience to extreme events. Nationally, we believe that we should strive for a more eco-friendly economy. The UWP has a history of supporting environmental protection. We will continue to protect the environment for future generations, make our economy more environmentally sustainable, and improve our quality of life and well-being.
We see the need to encourage and provide increased levels of respect for the environment through the adoption of conservation and preservation practices as a means of achieving sustainable development. We will take measures including legislative action, to arrest existing environmental deterioration while ameliorating damage that may already have occurred.
More specifically, we will:
• Pursue the development of a Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR) which will identify priority resilience building activities.
• Place emphasis on the development, maintenance and management of specific assets and resources.
• Build more green areas not only to enhance the beauty of our country and create short-term employment, but to preserve the natural environment for posterity.
• Encourage developers of major hotel plant to adopt various national sites or develop “green parks” for public use and promotion of wellness.
• Bring together national and regional agencies, public and private sector as well as Non-Government
Organizations and CBOs to discuss pertinent issues regarding the environment and national development.
• Continue to work to ensure the restoration of our forest devastated by Hurricane Tomas.
• Institute an annual “plant a tree” programme for all residents and “pot a plant” programme for the public and private sectors.
• Install a rainwater harvesting system at the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in the south of the island, utilizing World Bank and private sector funding.
• Promote and support the installation of rainwater harvesting systems for domestic and commercial use.
• Continue to engage with the private sector on investing in clean energy; and provide the necessary incentives to do so.
• Review the governance arrangements relating to National Parks in order to increase local accountability.
• Work towards a “zero waste” economy; and encourage people to recycle and work to reduce littering.
• Redouble our efforts to make a significant dent in the national fuel import bill to enhance national energy security and to achieve improved environmental quality.
• Encourage the development of industries which employ methods consistent with environmental needs and concerns.
• Support those businesses and individuals which seek to enhance our environmental objectives whilst contributing to our human development.
• Undertake a review of the land use and zoning practices.
• Strengthen legislation and improve enforcement capacity to correct land, air and water contamination activities.
• Review and replace waste water systems under a planned implementation process.
• Continue efforts to provide adequate drainage throughout the various communities as a means of avoiding flooding and land slippage.