National Environmental Policy 2018.

This National Environmental Policy is a national policy with a multi-sectoral approach. The goal of this National Environmental Policy is to improve and maintain a high level of environmental quality for current and future generations without compromising the health, interests and development of the people. Environmental priorities which are laid down in this National Environmental Policy are: 1. protection of environmental and human health through pollution control, 2. sustainable management of natural resources, 3. improvement of the local environment, 4. transformation to greener economy, 5. environmentally responsible society, and 6. climate change and disaster risk management.
Sustainable food production system will be developed to increase productivity and production, increase resilience to the impacts of climate change, maintain ecosystems, and improve the land and quality of soil. The fisheries and agriculture sectors will be developed to ensure long-term food security, employment and economic development.
Water resources management and conservation will be strengthened to ensure healthy lives and the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. To this end, potable water losses will be minimized in transmission and distribution systems; water-related ecosystems will be protected, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes; and water-use efficiency will be encouraged across all economic sectors. Land and soil conservation, fertility, and management will be improved to promote sustainable agriculture, promote well-being for all at all ages and reverse land degradation. The efforts will be given to prevent soil loss through the development and implementation of programs to afforest, reforest, or otherwise revegetate slopes vulnerable to erosion. Biodiversity conservation will be strengthened by developing systems for the conservation of forest, protected areas and wildlife in order to protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of biological resources and halt biodiversity loss. The mechanisms will be established to ensure the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the conservation or utilisation of biodiversity, and/or intellectual property associated with the conservation or utilization of biodiversity. Moreover, the introduction and spread of alien invasive species will be controlled through prevention, early detection and control to mitigate the risk to biodiversity, biodiversity-based economies and human-health. Sustainable management of coastal and marine area will be strengthened with an integrated coastal zone management principle to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. The legal and policy frameworks and data collection systems will be developed to facilitate the implementation of appropriate technical measures for sustainable fisheries management. Market-based and alternative incentive programmes will be improved to integrate more sustainable practices into the fisheries sector.
The participatory governance will be promoted by strengthening the capacity of coastal communities for community-based management of fisheries resources. The coastal communities that depend on fisheries and marine resources will be supported. Moreover, small-scale food producers, particularly women, indigenous peoples, and family farmers, will be empowered through improving secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets, and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.
This Policy addresses pollution control to reduce the negative impacts on the environment, human health, and the economy. Water resources management will be strengthened to maintain the quality of water against pollution. Aquatic animals and plants will be protected by preventing the discharging or depositing of pollutants in waters. Ambient water quality guidelines, standards and limits on concentrations of substances in point source discharges will be established. Sustainable management of water bodies will be encouraged by way of cleaner technologies, and cost-effective and reasonable environmental management practices. Adequate treatment will be given to abstracted drinking water and thereby meet national standards prior to distribution to the public. In addition, sewage, wastewater and produced water will receive the degree of treatment necessary to protect the quality of waters of Trinidad and Tobago prior to being discharged. Air quality and ozone layer will be protected by addressing air pollution emitted by land-use changes, commercial activity or industrial processes and others as well as ozone depleting substances. Noise generated on land and at sea will be managed to avoid significant impact to biodiversity, human health and community peace. Sustainable consumption and production patterns will be ensured by strengthening environmentally sound management of all wastes, with an emphasis on prevention, reduction, reuse, and recycling of wastes. Solid waste generation will be minimized by facilitating the proper handling, storage and disposal of waste, and the reduction of food waste at the retail and consumer levels, and reduce food losses along the production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. Strategies regarding the generation, handling, use, transboundary movement, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous substances and hazardous wastes are set out in this NEP.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation will be strengthened through comprehensive environmental and natural disaster management. The resilience of physical, biophysical and socio-economic sectors to the negative impacts of climate change will be increased.
This National Environmental Policy and attendant Action Plan will be monitored and evaluated by the Environmental Management Authority as prescribed under the Environmental Management Act. Annual reporting of the overall progress made shall be done via the Assessment of the State of the Environment Reports.