Ronald Roopnarine PhD

The effects of climate change, variability and extremes have become more apparent across TT.

Despite not having been recently exposed to the direct impact of any major natural hazards, climatic extremes, particularly in the form of unprecedented intense rainfall have had devastating impacts on life and livelihoods. Flooding and landslides have become annual occurrences affecting numerous communities, sometimes resulting in catastrophic outcomes.

In 2018, flooding in Central Trinidad affected an estimated 150,000 people. Further, 75 per cent of farmers lost their crops and livestock. People were displaced and businesses and schools interrupted. Similarly, in 2022 several communities across the island suffered the impacts of both flash and riverine flooding, with over 30 flood incidents and 51 landslides, affecting approximately 100,000 people.

[caption id="attachment_998222" align="alignnone" width="635"] Ronald Roopnarine -[/caption]

Unfortunately, these impacts are likely to increase if appropriate measures are not implemented urgently, as all climate projections/models predict increased occurrences of intense rainfall in future. Incidentally, while we have been focused on intense rainfall events, it would be prudent to ensure that we also prepare for the insidious counterpart – droughts, and extreme temperatures. Dry seasons are expected to become drier across the region, an eventuality we have yet to face and one that could result in devastating outcomes. We must accelerate our adaptation efforts urgently.

Considering the resource constraints, complications attached to governance structures and management instruments, including implementing interventions across multiple sectors and ministries, meaningful adaptation will require significant time, effort, and political will. We have focused too heavily on conventional infrastructural interventions which are costly, unsustainable and require significant state investment.

Often, there is also a disconnect between engineering and nature. This was very apparent recently. Two key examples are the collapsed roadway at Mosquito Creek, South Oropouche and the undermining of the “Manzanilla stretch” which was “reconstructed” less than four years ago after suffering a similar fate.

It should be noted, however, that no engineered intervention can withstand the force of nature in perpetuity, particularly when we ignore the in situ natural phenomena in favour of our developmental ambitions. The same applies to “built” developments, both domestic and commercial, which have increased significantly, particularly on hillsides, altering watershed and hydro-geological dynamics. It is imperative that critical issues like soil types, watershed and hydro-geological characteristics are considered along with the use of nature-based approaches to complement engineered interventions and infrastructural development.

We are a reactive society that manages crisis rather than risk, which compromises our overall ability to develop sustainably in the fac