In 2001 Environment Tobago succeeded in winning the BPTT “Youth in Education” Leader Award for an innovative education programme that sought to improve student learning and achievement in the academic field. The award provides funding for non-governmental organizations that offer educational support outside the mainstream system. The original proposal that was put forward concerned the newly established Secondary Centres. These schools aimed to provide an alternative education programme, in order to address the special needs of those children who had not performed well in the Secondary Entrance Exam. Children who do not achieve their full potential in mainstream schools often have different learning styles and are stimulated by more practical activities, rather than the more traditional “chalk and talk” teaching often found in classrooms. An innovative teaching methodology and curriculum was needed to address the needs of these children. Environment Tobago saw an ideal opportunity to develop a pilot programme in the three Secondary Centres in Tobago using environmental education as a tool for interdisciplinary hands-on teaching across the curricular. A number of teachers were trained, who responded very positively to the programme and started to incorporate environmental education into their own teaching practice. Environment Tobago then adapted this programme for Tobago‟s Primary schools. The goal was to develop a methodology and teaching guide for infusing environmental education across the Primary school curricular that can then be published and issued to schools. It is vital that, from an early age, children acquire a good knowledge and understanding of their surroundings and the natural resources of their bountiful island. Only then will they gain respect for the environment and a desire to take care of it. This is the key to a sustainable future for Tobago. Though environmental education is very important in itself, there is also a great potential to use it to teach standard curricular. Nature can be a great teaching tool to deepen children‟s understanding of science, mathematics, language, arts and social studies. The emphasis was on using environmental education as a tool for interdisciplinary hands-on teaching. At a young age, education should be experiential, interactive and creative in order to stimulate interest in and excitement about learning. Only then will children gain the motivation, confidence and independence necessary to achieve their full potential.
Adapted from Environment Tobago’s website:
http://www.scsoft.de/et/et2.nsf/KAP1View/F28CA2DDDE482B4304256C60005062F8?OpenDocument 3.3.1.5 Sustainable Financing for Biodiversity Management
There is one initiative which is worth mentioning in respect of sustainable financing for biodiversity management. In 2004, the Government established a Green Fund which is to be used for stipulated biodiversity-related initiatives (Box 3.9). Though the actualization time for the Fund was protracted, three grants have been disbursed from it to date – all in early 2010.
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BOX 3.9: FINANCING BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT THROUGH A „GREEN FUND‟ The Green Fund was established under the Finance Act 2004, Part XIV – Green Fund Levy‐ by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT). The Fund is capitalised by a tax on the gross sales and receipts of corporate companies operating in Trinidad and Tobago. The Fund has had a long journey to operationalisation, and its actualisation has taken close to seven years.
Instituted in 2004, the Green Fund is a small grant facility available to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non‐Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or according to the legislation “…any other body incorporated by or under a law other than the Companies Act.” CBOs are organisations based within a particular community while NGOs may be described as not for profit private sector organisations. The Fund‟s monies are distributed by an agency established for that purpose (the Green Fund Executing Unit) under the supervision of an advisory committee. Groups qualifying for funding must be involved in activities focusing on environmental conservation, reforestation or remediation. In this context; 1. Remediation – is defined under the EM Act of 2000 in Part VII Section 72.c as the restoration of
environmentally degraded sites, containment of any wastes, hazardous substances or other environmentally dangerous conditions, or other appropriate precautionary measures to prevent significant adverse effects on human health or the environment.
2. Reforestation – is the direct human‐induced conversion of non‐forested land to forested land through planting, seedling and/or the human‐induced promotion of natural seed sources, on land that was forested but that has been converted to non‐forested land. (Source: UNFCCC 2001)
3. Conservation ‐ a series of measures required to maintain or restore the natural habitats and the populations of species of wild fauna and flora to a favourable status. (Source: UNFAO 1992) Source: http://phe.gov.tt/home/images/stories//green%20fund%20handbook.pdf
3.3.2 Main Challenges in Mainstreaming Biodiversity
The main challenges to mainstreaming biodiversity are no different from those faced in NBSAP implementation (Chapter 2). To date, mainstreaming has been constrained mainly by political priority and support, lack of effective collaboration and coordination, capacity, and financing. This section will focus on the two main challenges which serve as the roadblocks in effective mainstreaming- political priority and support, lack of proper collaboration and coordination.
3.3.2.1 Political Priority and Support
Balancing development and environmental considerations has been a tremendous challenge in decision- making in Trinidad and Tobago at the policy level. As a rapidly developing country, the environment has more often been treated as a hindrance to development rather than as a core element which is required for sustaining growth and well-being. This is perhaps best reflected in the fact that not a single new environmental law or policy was passed in T&T since 2001.
In fact, there is one relatively recent, documented example of where environmental law was disabled in order to enable development activities – namely quarrying (Box 3.10). What was of most concern in this case is that the amendment was not supported by scientific evidence and it went against the guiding principles outlined in the National Environmental Policy for Trinidad and Tobago which are:
Respect and care for the community of life Keep within the country‟s carrying capacity
Empower communities to care for their own environment Polluter pays principle
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