November has already lived up to its reputation as one of the wettest months of the year in T&T with torrential downpours earlier this week that devastated parts of South Trinidad with severe flooding.
The Penal/Debe region has been declared a disaster zone, and efforts are ongoing to get relief to approximately 10,000 people who have spent the better part of the week dealing with the aftereffects of the relentless rainfall.
As is typical when these weather events occur, some political spin has been put on the causes of the devastation in the affected low-lying, flood-prone areas. There have been the usual complaints about clogged drains, breaches in waterways, and the trading of blame between regional corporations and central government.
Ironically, there has been hardly any mention of climate change in all the squabbling about inadequate funding and neglect by the authorities, although it is the major factor in the extreme weather events of recent years.
This week’s torrential bout wasn’t limited to T&T. There was also major flooding in nearby Grenada, as well as further away in Belize, all caused by an Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone in this part of the region.
Flooding, like the stronger hurricanes, heat waves and drought that are becoming more frequent, are just some of the climate extremes with widespread damaging effects caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
As the dry season sets in, more intense periods of abnormally hot weather lasting days to weeks are in the forecast.
The global sea level, which has already risen about 0.2 metres, will rise at least another 0.3 metres and possibly as high as two metres—another frightening indicator of how human-caused climate change is affecting this planet at an alarming rate.
Given these facts, it is perplexing that local politicians are still playing the blame game and wrangling about budgetary allocations but barely acknowledge the looming climate crisis, although it is an issue that demands their urgent attention.
As the country heads into an election year, there is a strong possibility that climate change could provide an unwelcome backdrop to political campaigning. It is a development that can no longer be ignored.
T&T is already experiencing the effects of climate change. The average temperature in the country has risen two and a half times above the global average since 1946, at a rate of 0.28 °C per decade.
There are now more frequent episodes of heavy rains that last multiple days, and the dry seasons are drier.
That is why, along with crime, forex, and other issues that might be more attractive campaign topics, parties and their candidates should come up with plans to deal with T&T’s increasing vulnerability to climate change.
Whether or not major decisions are made at the ongoing COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the national dialogue needs to be expanded beyond the usual flood politics, with genuine attempts at public education and raising public awareness about climate change.
This week’s weather event was just a hint at how much climate extremes will impact our communities, infrastructure, the economy and the environment. Any party aspiring to govern this country should factor it into their plans.
In the upcoming campaign, manifestos should include proposals for conservation, innovation, policy, legislation and investment to deal with climate change.
