Getting to the heart of climate change
On Sunday 21st September, 166 countries around the world held ‘People’s Climate’ Marches to coincide with the international climate summit in New York City.
I am based in Trinidad and Tobago, where I study patterns of biodiversity – including the effect that humans can have on this biodiversity. As one of the greatest threats facing biodiversity is climate change, it is an issue I feel passionately about. So, I was delighted to hear that T&T would also be hosting their very own People’s Climate March on the same day as the events in NYC, London and all over the world.
Based in the capital, Port of Spain, Trinidad &Tobago’s March may have been on a much smaller scale than the New York parade, but it consisted of an equally enthusiastic gathering of people, eager to spread the message to all that action on climate change is urgently required. With the aim of drawing local and global attention to the issue, we marched around the Queen’s Park Savannah (the main green space in the city) before heading into the centre of the park to organise ourselves into a heart formation. We managed this feat remarkably well, as confirmed by photographs taken by our very own drone.
As a small island nation, T&T has more cause for concern than most when it comes to climate change – and not only because of the potentially serious consequences of extreme weather events. The twin islands support a rich diversity of flora and fauna – a unique combination both South American and Caribbean species, including several that are endemic. One of these is the golden tree frog (Phyllodytes auratus). This critically endangered amphibian is found only in the moist elfin forest at the very top of Trinidad’s two highest peaks, where it lives exclusively in one particular species of epiphytic bromeliad. Just a few degrees increase in temperature could have disastrous consequences for this species. Already restricted to the mountain tops, a temperature rise would leave it with nowhere to go but extinct.
It is clear that the world’s ‘super powers’ must act if we are to reduce carbon emissions significantly. However, unlike many small islands, Trinidad cannot simply point a finger at larger nations and shift the blame. By some calculations, T&T manages to be the second highest producer of greenhouse emissions per capita after Qatar, and the second highest producer after Uzbekistan per unit GDP. Shameful statistics, but this does mean that positive change here could really make a difference to this oil and biodiversity-rich nation.
Let’s hope that T&T’s heart is successful in drawing attention to issues that have been ignored for far too long – if the people of this beautiful country recognise that changes must be made then hopefully the politicians will follow.