LNG exports prompts environment policy revision

Beckles made the statement in the Senate on Tuesday when she tabled the revised environment policy.

Major developments in the housing sector — private and public — and the significant expansion and upgrade of the country’s infrastructure, also factored in the changes to the policy, she added. “To ensure that environmental integrity is maintained and that the policy remains relevant given the rapid evolution of our society, Government determined that it was necessary to review and revise the 1998 National Environmental Policy,” Beckles said. She said over the past year, the Environmental Management Authority led the comprehensive process to revise the policy, which included public consultations at five locations across TT, and discussions with a broad cross-section of stakeholders. She said the revised policy focused on the sustainable management of the country’s environmental assets, seeking a balance between conservation and economic development, rather than environmental protection.

Beckles said the revised policy is guided by respect for the community of life, empowering communities to care for their own environments and the polluter-pay principles.

She said some of the key objectives of the revised policy are to prevent and reduce pollution, conserve ecological systems, and ensuring all industries install a certified environmental management system.

Beckles said plans for the development of secondary legislation under the Environmental Management Act, is part of the revised policy.

To this end, the EMA has re-drafted the Beverage Container Bill, the Water Pollution Rules and the Air Pollution Rules.

The Beverage Container Bill is intended to encourage the recycling of beverage containers, while the Water Pollution Rules would ensure that the fresh water and marine resources are protected from pollution.

The Air Pollution Rules are to protect the public from the adverse affects of air pollution.