IDB hosts second Caribbean regional policy dialogue on environment

The IDB’s country representative for Trinidad and Tobago (TT), Tomás Bermudez, says “research and experience have proven that safeguards can anticipate and mitigate environmental and social risks effectively.

Therefore, focusing on increasing knowledge, capacity and implementation of environmental licensing and compliance is beneficial to the region.” Here in TT, the IDB is assisting with improving the existing wastewater management program and services in the Malabar and San Fernando catchments. The measures include support for the wastewater rehabilitation program and the implementation of institutional and policy reforms. Environmental agencies from across the Caribbean are expected to attend the event which, the IDB says, will be “an interactive event, providing opportunities for participants to share experiences and garner up-to-date information from partner agencies working in environmental policy, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Space Agency.” Regional and international experts will lead sessions during the two-day event, through which participants will increase their knowledge about best practices in environmental licensing and compliance.

The IDB says these sessions will focus on three priority areas for discussion: Meaningful stakeholder engagement - the IDB has recently summarised requirements and international good practice in a note on Meaningful Stakeholder Consultation, and is currently supporting training and capacity building in stakeholder engagement; Satellite and geographical data as a tool for environmental impact assessments and compliance processes; and Status of EIA legislation and regulation in the Caribbean region.

Participants will also be encouraged to utilise the virtual community of practice for environmental and social safeguards in the Caribbean.

“This community of practice, launched last year, is a communications platform where officials can share common interests in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental management and protection.” The IDB added that in 2016, approximately 40 high-level officials responsible for environmental and social safeguards from throughout the Caribbean came together in Kingston, Jamaica, to attend the first regional policy dialogue.

“These officials shared their experiences in environmental licensing and discussed common challenges of ensuring adequate enforcement measures.

The resulting conversations in Kingston showed that, in the Caribbean, country safeguard systems are diversely organised, yet despite their different institutional frameworks, the challenges they face are the same.” In addition to the regional policy dialogue, the IDB conducts other activities to strengthen national environmental and social safeguard systems of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including an online training program with courses on biodiversity, reviewing and approving environmental assessments, and meaningful stakeholder consultation