National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD)
On 2 November 2018, the National Environmental Policy (NEP) was laid before Parliament and became the official NEP of Trinidad & Tobago. The NEP articulates the priorities determined by the people of Trinidad & Tobago as critical to achieving environmental sustainability, and ultimately, sustainable development.
To ensure meaningful stakeholder involvement at all levels, the National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) was appointed by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, under the Chairmanship by the EMA, on 31 July 2020 for a three (3) year period, to further the implementation of the NEP across all sectors acting as a forum for Government, business and civil society to have on-going oversight with advisory functions to the Action Plan. On 13 March 2024, the NCSD was reappointed for another three (3) year term.
The first of its kind in Trinidad and Tobago, the establishment of the NCSD is one of the critical success factors of Trinidad and Tobago’s NEP. The NCSD is focused on the execution of the NEP through the following priority areas:
1. Protecting Environmental and Human Health through Pollution Control
2. Sustainably Managing Natural Assets
3. Improving the Local Environment
4. Evolving a Greener Economy
5. Fostering an Environmentally Responsible Society
6. Addressing Climate Change and Environmental and Natural Disasters
Membership of the NCSD is as follows:
• Nadra Nathai-Gyan (Chair.), EMA
• Kishan Kumarsingh (Dep. Chair.), MPD
• Yvonne Neemacharan, MOF
• Dr. Ryan Allard, Environment Tobago & COPE
• Dr. Thackwray Driver, Energy Chamber
• Cherryl-Ann Solomon, MPU
• Kristopher Rattansingh, COPE
• Linford Beckles, THA
• Marc Rudder, MEEI
• Denny Dipchansingh, MALF
• Sharla Codrington, MYDNS
• Antony Ramnarine, Green Fund Advisory Committee
• Akilah Jaramogi, FACRP/COPE
• Barry Fakoory, TTMA
• Satee Boodoo, Central Statistical Office
• Anand Mahabir, COPE
• Verlier Quan Vie, NGC
• Dr. Samantha Chadee, UTT
• Camille Spencer, National Transformation Unit
The Terms of Reference for the NCSD is to:
• Make recommendations towards the development of a NEP Action Plan;
• Provide advice and guidance on issues facing the development and implementation of the NEP and its Action Plan·
• Make recommendations for the prioritization of the thematic areas within each Priority Area for focused effort in the short (1-3 years), medium (4-7 years) and long (8-10 years) term·
• Make recommendations for the compositions of a minimum of six (6) NEP Working Groups (1 per Priority Area) to prepare and execute implementation plans aligned with the prioritized thematic areas·
• Review and update the NEP Action Plan as appropriate, at intervals not exceeding two (2) years;
• Review the progress of the NEP Working Groups established to advance priority areas of the NEP Action Plan
• Assist with resolving strategic level issues and risks to the development and implementation of the NEP Action Plan.
The formation of the NCSD also takes T&T closer to achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Trinidad and Tobago’s National Development Strategy, Vision 2030, which has as one of its main goals, ‘Placing the environment at the centre of social and economic development’.