National Action Programme to Combat Land Degradation in Trinidad and Tobago 2006-2020
National Action Programmes (NAP) are the principal instruments for implementing the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) at the national level. NAPs spell out the practical measures to be taken to combat land degradation and desertification in specific ecosystems. The UNCCD urges affected country Parties to align their action programmes as well as relevant implementation activities relating to UNCCD's 10-Year Strategy.
Trinidad and Tobago's NAP 2006-2020 is an integrated framework for mitigating the physical, biological and socio-economic impacts of land degradation. The plan integrates strategies for poverty reduction, sustainable land management and community action, promotes and strengthen institutional collaboration and cooperation, avoids duplication of institutional mechanisms and promotes the use of existing funding mechanisms in combating land degradation/desertification and drought. It is therefore, a comprehensive framework for implementing the country's obligations under the UNCCD to which it acceded on August 6, 2000.
Priority actions identified in the NAP include:
- Establishing new legislation and policies or filling gaps in existing ones;
- Ensuring appropriate land use practices with respect to use of land for built development;
- Establishing new institutions and strengthening institutional capacities of existing ones;
- Creating an enabling environment for participation by local groups and stakeholders;
- Raising awareness to encourage behavioural change;
- Collecting data systematically and consistently on aspects of land resource use and management to establish early warning systems and support assessment of environmental risks; and
- Supporting existing projects and programmes which offer appropriate solutions to some aspect of land degradation and the involvement of local communities.