EU, Caribbean and Latin America renew strategic partnership

Maria Clara Montoya  Jul 24

The European Union remains the top investor in Latin America and the Caribbean.

But the economic and diplomatic pressure from the US and China remains. The recent EU and CELAC summit showed promising new steps on climate action, digital alliance, and sustainable trade.

Andrea Colombo (University of Salamanca) writes.:

“…Many things did not sound new during the III EU-CELAC summit celebrated on July 17th and 18th in Brussels, the first bi-regional meeting in 8 years. From the official declarations of representatives referring to ‘old friends’ and a shared history to the calls for a renewal of the partnership and the need to push for a more sustainable, greener, and fairer development. “A new beginning for old friends” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, vouching for a fresh start between the two regions.

After all, besides the concrete advancements in the modernisation of bi-regional trade deals, the Global Gateway measures and the various agreements signed during the summit, meeting and assessing each other’s credibility as reliable partners for cooperation was the real objective of these talks.

The European Union remains the top investor in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), bi-regional commerce increased by 40% since 2018, and various cooperation projects (EUROCLIMA+, EL PACcTO, EUROsociAL+ etc.) have been implemented. Yet, the EU’s external action in the region has been overshadowed by the penetration of China, both economically and diplomatically, and the relevance of the historical regional presence of the United States.

This summit was crucial for the EU to regain relevance, establish the status of the EU as a credible ally for the region, and vice versa. There have always been doubts on both sides.

On the one hand, LAC leaders rightfully criticized the EU’s swinging attention to the region, a point of self-criticism of many EU leaders as well. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, acknowledged that the EU had “taken for granted or even neglected” Latin America and the Caribbean over the last decade.

On the other, the EU wanted to be reassured about the commitments of LAC countries to the UN charter, with clear referrals to the war in Ukraine.

Most LAC countries condemned the blatant Russian invasion of Ukraine in the UN General Assembly (with few exceptions), but the periodical statements on the war from some leaders, namely Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, left many doubts. In the end, there was a partial compromise.

Though unsatisfactory and shy, 59 out of 60 countries signed the Final Communiqué, with the exception of Nicaragua, in which “deep concern” is expressed for the war against Ukraine. Concern, but not a condemnation of the aggression, and the absence of a specific mention of “Russia” must be noted.

But ultimately, the EU and LAC regions agreed to move past the war and focus on the many issues concerning the bilateral partnership.

This summit was not the ideal place to deal with LAC’s shy role in condemning Russia, except for Chile’s president Gabriel Boric, since lingering too much on it would have undermined the work pending.

Besides the war in Ukraine, the summit embraced topics that reflected both sides’ demands and interests. Climate change, sustainable development and the digital alliance were predictably the most prevalent themes but they are not conflict-free terrains. The differences concerning trade and environmental clauses kept coming up during press statements.

Josep Borrell said during the summit that “there will be no breakthrough on the EU-MERCOSUR deal”. Still, both parties seemed very confident about the near future of the deal.

Addressing climate and reinvigorating relations
The final bilateral declaration also contains important points for the Caribbean, including a mention of the particular effects of climate change and the reaching of a post-Cotonou agreement, which was many years in the making.

There was also a specific EU-Caribbean leaders’ meeting together with a series of bilateral encounters with Caribbean prime ministers and presidents. Part of the merits of this has surely been due to the skilful mediation of the CELAC’s pro-tempore president and Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Ralph Gonsalves. He managed to generate consensus among other LAC leaders by speaking for the region as a whole while also stressing the role of the Caribbean and its small-island states.

This summit’s main outcome is the agreement on establishing a permanent mechanism to meet every two years and the designation of Bogotá as the next host of the EU-CELAC summit in 2025. This is crucial for re-establishing close and periodical encounters between the two regions and will serve as the platform to launch concrete cooperation initiatives.

The fact that meetings will be biannual and not every three or four years is also a strong sign of mutual interest. On the same note, a roadmap of bilateral meetings, both at the top political, ministerial, and civil society levels, has already been agreed upon.

The announcements related to the Global Gateway, a massive global infrastructure investment initiative of the EU, are favourable. It will represent €45 billion for Latin America and the Caribbean and will be spread among various projects following the three main priorities of climate action, digital infrastructures, and social development.

Lastly, a series of important memoranda of understanding (MoU) was signed between the EU and Ecuador, Honduras, and El Salvador to advance towards the political cooperation pillar. The EU also signed another MoU with Chile, Uruguay and Argentina on clean energies and raw materials to work on climate action and establishing supply chains of critical commodities such as lithium.

After long years of ignoring each other, with responsibilities shared by both sides, the two regions met again, pushed by a global context that changed radically compared to pre-pandemic and pre-war times.

Not all demands were satisfied, and the concrete results are modest, but this meeting was a good starting point to reinvigorate the relations between regions. Although there was no breakthrough concerning the EU-MERCOSUR deal, this was a new way for partners to rebuild trust, assess common interests and make more room for cooperation.

There is no denying that the EU-LAC relation has its natural limits compared to China and the US economic and diplomatic firepower in the region. Yet, in some areas, namely climate action, the digital alliance and sustainable trade, there is room for manoeuvre, and this summit in Brussels showed that the EU and CELAC states took a few (small) steps in this direction….”

• The views expressed here are of the author

 

EU-CELAC summit

2023, 07/17

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, CELAC pro tempore president expects “mature” discussions during the two day European Union and the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC) summit in Brussels, the first to be held in eight years.

Gonsalves told media that he expects the final communique would reference reparation for slavery. He held talks with Charles Michel, the President of the EU Council “to see how we could finalise some issues in the declaration”.

Gonsalves would like to discuss issues affecting the region including climate, poverty, food security, reform of the global financial architecture, digital transition and improved multilateralism.

“I am very hopeful that we will see a paragraph in the declaration addressing the historical legacies of native genocide and enslavement of Africans and something towards reparative justice. This is a subject on which we need to have a mature conversation.

In the case of the English-speaking Caribbean countries, one of the main countries in Europe,   is not in the European Union…the United Kingdom,

Prince Charles, before he was King Charles at the Commonwealth Heads of Government last year in Rwanda said the time has come for a mature conversation on the subject.”

British subjects reject this cunning ploy to extort cash from taxpayers. Africa has consistently received the largest amount of UK  Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocated to a specific country or region.

With the lion’s share of UK Aid, repatriation to AU domiciles will resolve the issue. AU diaspora can flourish free from natural disasters, among lookalike relatives in 1.2 billion acres abounding in natural resources. They can harness Sahara solar to electrify the continent and develop facilities and services . They are unwelcome in Europe as they commit crime in gangs and can create opportunities in homelands with skills achieved under colonialism.

 

 

 

Colombia launches 1.52MWp floating solar pilot

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS & PROJECTS

July 10, 2023, by Amir Garanovic

A 1.52MWp solar pilot, which uses the combination of floating and ground-mounted solar panels, has been inaugurated in the region of Córdoba.

Built by the public electric utility URRÁ, the floating solar pilot Aquasol has been officially inaugurated in the municipality of Tierralta, in the south of the Córdoba department, in the presence of s minister of mines and energy Irene Vélez Torres.

Aquasol was assembled in the reservoir of the URRÁ Hydroelectric Power Plant and has 3,248 photovoltaic modules. The estimated generation of the plant is 2400MWh per year, and it is currently the largest floating solar system in Latin America, according to URRÁ. Including ground-mounted solar panels, the project’s capacity is 1.52MWp, with an inverter capacity of 1.35MWac in alternating current.

Irene Vélez Torres said: “This is a very important project that joins other initiatives that already mark the route of the just energy transition by companies in Colombia. A hydroelectric plant that bets on clean and renewable energy to streamline part of its operation is a great message of the progress Colombia making in terms of renewable energy generation.”

In addition to supplying the energy for the consumption by the auxiliary services of the hydroelectric power plant during sunny hours, Aquasol is also a pilot that will allow scientific research that will define the advantages of implementing conventional fixed-structure photovoltaic systems on firm ground.

For this, URRÁ signed agreements with the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, headquartered in Montería, and the Universidad del Norte, in Barranquilla. Furthermore, efforts are being made to sign research and development agreements with other national and foreign universities.

 

 

 

FDI in in 2022 LAC up by 55.2%

2023, 07/11

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has revealed that in 2022, Latin America and the Caribbean received US$224.579 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),   55.2 per cent above 2021 levels, the highest value on record. According to the ECLAC report entitled ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2023,’ released in Chile, it said this is mainly attributable to the increase in FDI in some countries, particularly in Brazil; to growth in all the components of FDI, especially earnings reinvestment; and to the increase in FDI in the services sector.

“This dynamic is consistent with the post-pandemic recovery and it is unclear whether it will stay at similar levels in 2023. FDI inflows to Latin American and Caribbean countries had not topped $200 billion since 2013. These flows also increased as a share of regional GDP in 2022, accounting for 4.0 per cent,.”

ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs said the challenge of attracting and retaining Foreign Direct Investment that contributes effectively to the region’s sustainable and inclusive productive development is more relevant than ever.

There are new opportunities in an era of reconfiguration of global value chains and geographic relocation of production in the face of changing globalisation.

He emphasised that “the challenge is not only to attract and retain, but also to maximise FDI’s contribution to development and to this end countries must focus on post-establishment productive development policies, which include the promotion of productive linkages, policies for adding value and moving up value chains, for human resources development, infrastructure and logistics, and building local capacities.”

Nearly all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean received more Foreign Direct Investment in 2022. Leading the list were Brazil (which received 41 per cent of the regional total and ranks as the No. 5 destination for global FDI), followed by Mexico (17 per cent), Chile (9 per cent), Colombia (8 per cent), Argentina (7 per cent) and Peru (5 per cent).

Costa Rica was the main Foreign Direct Investment recipient in Central America and in Guatemala, these flows showed a significant decline due to an extraordinary value recorded in 2021, but they returned to their historical average.

A positive change in FDI inflows to the Caribbean was fueled mainly by greater investment in the Dominican Republic, the second-largest recipient country after Guyana.

At a regional level, 54 per cent of Foreign Direct Investment went into the services sector, although both the manufacturing and natural resources sectors also rebounded.

Financial services; electricity, natural gas, and water; information and communications and transportation-related services had the largest share of investments in the services sector as a whole.

FDI from Latin America and the Caribbean to destinations both inside and outside the region increased over 80 per cent.    In 2022, the amount invested abroad by transnational Latin American companies, known as translatinas, reached a historic high: US$74.677 billion, the highest figure recorded since this series began to be compiled in the 1990s..

The amount of FDI project announcements in Latin America and the Caribbean grew by 93 per cent in 2022, totaling nearly US$100 billion.

For the first time since 2010, the hydrocarbons sector (coal, oil and gas) led the announcements, with 24 per cent of the total, followed by the automotive sector (13 per cent) and renewable energies (11 per cent). Nonetheless, ECLAC also warns that in this process, consideration must be given to the importance that the non-renewable energy sector still has for some countries in the region, especially in terms of generating revenue to address social demands, those related to productive development and energy security.

 

 

 

 

Venezuela

2023,  07/09

Independence Day

A  ceremony celebrating Venezuela’s 212th Declaration of Independence at the Venezuelan Embassy, Port-of-Spain on Independence Day 5 Jul 2023 TT Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon declared her wish that T&T and Venezuela expand their energy and trade ties.

“We have a history of co-operation in several sectors including energy, security, education, trade and culture. The most significant development, in recent times, is the commencement of negotiations to develop the Dragon gas field, which will accrue benefits to both of our economies and peoples. Additionally, there is room for improving our trade realities beyond energy to include agriculture products, food and beverages and the creative industries.”

Venezuela’s Independence Day and the arrival of senior Venezuelan Government officials coincided with Caricom’s 50th anniversary celebrations in T&T.

“We in T&T and indeed in the Caribbean Community are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Caricom. Our relationship has persevered through an evolving regional landscape and like those before us, we must use our strength in unity as a guidepost to enhance our bilateral relations, and in turn enhance our participation and strengthen our collaboration with other like-minded countries in regional fora.”

Both Venezuela and T&T participate in regional bodies like the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Latin American Economic System (SELA), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), the United Nations and other supranational institutions and she is confident that these will continue to benefit the development of both countries.

Venezuela’s deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for the Caribbean, Raúl Li Causi, thanked T&T for the role it has played in “defending” its relationship with Venezuela over the Dragon Gas Field negotiations from U.S. Sanctions. Despite this and other challenges, he promised that Venezuela will continue its energy co-operation with T&T. Both countries will expand ties in all areas. He also congratulated T&T and Caricom on its 50th anniversary.

“The role of T&T and Caricom has been important in the fight for principles and stopping the interference of the United States. In terms of energy, I would like to highlight our unrestricted commitment to continue our cooperation with T&T in the development of the Dragon Gas Field in eastern Venezuela for the benefit of both of our people, in spite of relentless foreign interference.”

In media and telecommunications, he said the Latin American news media network Telesur, in which the Venezuelan Government has shares, will embark on cooperation with T&T’s state-owned Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT).

“Also, as we are speaking right now, Telesur and TTT, are about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that would facilitate the exchange of television programmes and best practices, which in turn will enhance the knowledge and flow of information in the whole of the Latin American and Caribbean region. In addition to culture, T&T and Venezuela share a wide array of common interests in vital areas, such as energy, telecommunications, security, trade, commerce, agriculture, fishing and the environment, as well as in the multilateral arena.”

“Indeed, not far from Port-of-Spain, in Chaguaramas, Caricom was born 50 years ago, as a beacon and a symbol for Caribbean integration, cooperation and solidarity, thanks to the vision of founding fathers: Errol Barrow from Barbados, Forbes Burnham from Guyana, Michael Manley from Jamaica and Dr Eric Williams from T&T.

“Only last week, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Caricom in Venezuela with a series of events, talks and cultural performances, where we were honoured to host the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves. In my speech on the 50th anniversary of Caricom, I said that only when we unite, we can become truly free.”

 

 

 

 

Guyana supports MERCOSUR

July 5, 2023

At the 62nd Summit of Heads of State of MERCOSUR and Associated States, in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillips, underscored Guyana’s commitment to regional integration and to MERCOSUR objectives of advancing the possibilities for business, investment, expanding commercial relations and the creation of strategic partnerships.

“Guyana remains committed to partnering with the Member States of MERCOSUR in working to advance the objectives of this regional bloc for the economic and social development of our countries and the prosperity of our peoples. Guyana appreciates that as an Associate Member, it can benefit from trade arrangements that would afford it preferential access to markets. We can do more to expand these arrangements and to encourage increased trade, particularly with the Associate Member States–Guyana and Suriname.”

On structural disparities and gaps within societies and across countries, he urged that “There has to be a conscious effort to pursue solutions towards effective strategies to bridge those gaps and overcome the barriers to trade.”

Prime Minister Phillips advocated for the formulation of strategic partnerships in the post-Covid period, emphasising food security, climate security, and energy security.

“We can develop strategic partnerships to achieve these objectives. In particular, we must raise our collective voice at the upcoming COP 27 to ensure that the right decisions are taken with regard to adequate support for adaptation and climate finance.”

The Prime Minister offered his best wishes to His Excellency Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, who took up pro-tempore presidency of the alliance, assuring . him of Guyana’s full support.

 

 

 

 

IDB Invest urged to build local capacity with private sector

July 10, 2023

At the launch of the IDB Invest, Caribbean- Suriname and Guyana Edition Workshop, Georgetown, Senior Minister for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh strongly advocated for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to work closely with the private sector, to increase local capacity.

With Guyana being the first Caribbean nation to benefit from the workshop, Minister Singh said the occasion is extremely important and the government is delighted to see the IDB’s private sector making strides in involvement with Guyana’s private sector. However, there is much more to be done, with endless opportunities in Guyana’s economic landscape, whether it be large, medium, or small investments.

“I would urge IDB Invest to work closely with as many Guyanese companies as you can, to bring them up to the point where they’re able to access financing from the IDB, not only in the interest of concluding a transaction but also in the interest of them being able to participate in the modern world, the modern way of doing business.”

Similarly, Minister Singh urged the local private sector to take advantage of opportunities that are in store and to consider IDB Invest as a viable option for raising finances for investments.

“It might seem, initially, that the barriers to entry are a little bit high, but the reality is that in today’s world, even if you don’t meet those standards in relation to raising your financing with the IDB, if you want to do business with major companies around the world, including the oil and gas sector, chances are you are going to have to comply with most of those standards anyhow.”

The private sector was also urged to engage representatives of IDB present at the workshop, to better understand the requirements for financial assistance from the institution.

Country Representative of the IDB Group, Lorena Solórzano revealed that already, US$58 million in transactions have been approved for Guyana’s local private sector, testimony to the financial institution’s commitment to working with Guyana’s private sector.

“To date, we have approved eight transactions … in agri-business, transport, and logistics, financial, in the energy sector and it’s our commitment to keep rolling those numbers.”

The series of workshops is designed to match the local private sector needs with the IDB’s private sector in areas including energy, modernisation of the agriculture sector, and strengthening the transportation system .

Private sector stakeholders, local and foreign entrepreneurs with projects in Guyana, and medium to large companies among other relevant stakeholders attended.

 

 

 

 

 

Guyana records highest regional FDI

July 12, 2023

Recording the highest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in the Caribbean for two consecutive years is indicative of investors’ confidence in Guyana and its leadership, President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali told media .The United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ‘Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean’ 2023 report stated that Guyana recorded FDI inflows for 2022 totalling US$4.389 billion.

“FDI is an important indicator of the confidence that investors have in the country. So, we are not only the leading destination for FDI, it tells a lot about the confidence which the sophisticated and international investor has in the country, the leadership, the direction in which the country is going.”

A number of internationally branded hotels are currently under construction and when completed will create thousands of jobs for Guyanese and with more jobs comes an increase in disposable income for families.

“Additional income means more family wealth, more individual wealth, more community wealth, more national wealth, more spending in the economy. [When] you have more spending in the economy, you have more demand for service, more demand for service increases supply, supply of services increases revenue, increase revenue triggers spending, so it’s a cycle.”

On international trips foreign private sector investors and governments continue to engage his administration on possible areas of collaboration for investments., another signal of their confidence in the direction the country is headed.

President Ali estimates that by 2025, Guyana would need some 6,000 new employees in the hospitality sector, judging from the number of hotels that will be established, with approximately 2,000 health workers needed in various sectors. Many local companies are losing expert workers to the oil and gas companies, thus leading to a demand for skilled labour in traditional sectors. With the entrance of new companies in specialised warehousing and fabrication, among others, thousands of employees would be required.

While creating the enabling environment to attract foreign and local investments in key sectors, the government is building the human resource capacity to match the rapid development unfolding daily.

 

 

 

 

 

Young meets energy firms in Canada

In Vancouver, for the LNG2023 conference, TT Energy Minister Stuart Young met Methanex executives Doug Arnell, chairman; Rich Sumner, CEO and president; Ian Cameron, special adviser and Colin Bain, managing director and president of Methanex TT.

He was accompanied by Mark Loquan, president of the National Gas Co. He e discussed the Methanex fleet of 30 vessels powered by methanol and their leadership role in using methanol as a fuel for shipping.

“We also discussed the potential of TT as a bunkering port for the supply of methanol as more international ships look for cleaner sources of fuel. Methanex investments in TT and their continued commitment to our country as an important part of their global business was also a substantial part of our discussions.”

The meeting ended in the confirmation of their mutual intentions to continue their co-operation and close working relationship.

Young also met Cederic Cremers, executive vice president of LNG at Shell at the conference and discussed Shell’s business, including the restructuring of Atlantic LNG, which is at the stage of settling the material definitive agreements, Shell’s progress with the Manatee field, discussions and negotiations on the development of the Venezuelan Dragon gas field and Shell’s operations in TT.

“Cremers also informed me of Shell’s plans for executive leadership change in TT with the pending departure of Eugene Okpere, who isoted to executive vice president of exploration, strategy and portfolio on November 1.”

Young and Cremers also participated in a key plenary panel discussion, Growth of LNG Through Innovative Partnerships and Co-operation.

 

 

 

 

 

Virtual power plant

Imagine a future where we have fully adopted rooftop solar, wind farms, and behind-the-meter and utility-scale battery storage in TT. A future where we have created a legislative environment that allows for sustainable energy technologies to thrive.

This is the future we all would like to see, and this is the future we are heading toward. However, does it mean our work is done regarding decarbonizing the power sector? How do we manage these diverse resources and maintain high levels of reliability for the business and residential sectors?

Environmentalists, policymakers, and all persons concerned about climate change are tirelessly working toward decarbonising the power sector. An electrify-everything strategy is one of the critical policy directions of developed and developing states. But it is important that we all understand what the power and utilities grid is.

It is described by some as “the world’s largest machine” – but this machine operates in real-time based on supply and demand. We cannot shut down the grid to retool or redesign it. As some would say, “we must build the plane and fly it at the same time.”

We live in times of rapid change, and grid operators must find ways to ensure they meet the mandate to remain reliable, even if they utilize intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind (with the support of battery storage).

How can you create economic incentives for grid operators to embrace change and make all stakeholders concerned about climate change happy?

According to Forbes contributor Llewellyn King, “Environmentalists are elated with something else that is happening in the utility space: distributed energy resources (DER). Thomas Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, said it is taking advantage of the slack in the electric system.”

What is DER? Electric vehicles, solar technology, wind technology, battery systems (utility-scale and behind-the-meter homes) are all called DERs.

Thorvald Thorsnes summarises the definition as follows: “DERs can be bundled together into something called virtual power plants (VPPs). These VPPs can again be used in the demand response market, to balance the grid and increase the mix of renewable energy.”

Figure 1 highlights how the virtual power plant works. Each solar panel, electric vehicle battery, and home or commercial battery storage system can be a potential source of power for a grid operator. During peak electricity demand scenarios, a grid operator can quickly respond to supply shortfalls by utilizing these potential power sources which would have already been connected to the grid via a feed-in tariff framework.

A feed-in tariff is a policy tool which promotes renewable energy investment by paying small-scale renewable energy producers to transfer their excess electricity to the grid
(Figure 2). With the proper incentive and policy framework, it can be beneficial to the customer who can be paid by selling their excess power. Power and utility companies can also now avoid turning on more generating plants to respond to increases in load demand (saving millions of dollars potentially).

“Conservation — known as demand-side management to utilities — is the essential partner to DER effectiveness. Interruptible power, whether in a home or a big retail facility, is at the heart of demand-side management. That is load which can be shed by arrangement when demand is high,” said King.

Other benefits are that they can improve capacity, avoid spending billions on new infrastructure, and increase grid reliability. This, however, requires a new relationship between customers and their grid operators.

Customers must sign on to share their resources when the grid needs it most eg, during peak demand or in response to a blackout. The incentive to customers is cost savings and payment for supporting the grid.

What also makes this approach more accessible to grid operators is that VPPs can be operated and managed using cloud-based data systems (smart meters and smart batteries) and power flow can be optimised using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The Energy Working Group (EWG) published this statement in 2022 which summarises the integration of AI tech with smart energy distribution:

“The software infrastructure takes information from the various sources, then calculates the smart distribution of energy when demand spikes, such as during intense heat, or when it’s needed to help maintain system reliability.”

The beautiful thing about VPPs is that it has already been proven to work. The Californian utility company, OhmConnect, saved almost one 1 gigawatt-hour of total energy usage during a period of peak stress (August 13-20, 2020), the equivalent to taking roughly 600,000 homes off the grid for an hour. OhmConnect toggled its customers’ smart devices and appliances off and on 739,000 times to save energy and reduce stress on the grid, paying out US$1 million to users, and helping avoid additional blackouts according to a company statement in 2020.

 So, with the right feed-in tariff policy, renewable energy resources can unlock benefits for everyone (residential customers, commercial customers, and even heavy industry). This is also a very attractive prospect with the impending increase in electricity prices expected soon. Let’s hope TT considers this strategy as our next step in decarbonising the power and utilities sector.

Brendon James is a sustainable energy and risk management professional who has worked in the energy industry for more than 20 years. His experience spans the entire energy value chain having spent time working in the upstream, downstream, and regulatory aspects of the business. This combination gives him a unique perspective on safety and risk, economics, and solutions to complex issues.

Add the Geological Society of TT on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and check out https://thegstt.org/

 

 

 

 

 

Trans-Atlantic trade, investment symposium

Logistics of Expanding Trade and Investment between Ghana and TT.

Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre,  July 31.

Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,  Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Ashanti King of Ghana, will be the feature speak at the trans-Atlantic trade and investment symposium

In his address, he will discuss the development of an effective air and sea bridge, financial investment and experiences and potential in the energy sector, a release from the Emancipation Support Committee TT (ESCTT) said.

The objective, the release said, is to share information, expand face-to-face contacts and create opportunities for public and private discussions aimed at expanding business and development relationships within these regions.

And so, the ESCTT in collaboration with the Trade and Industry Ministry has brought together a team of policy makers, businessmen and economic analysts, representing government agencies, multilateral institutions and private sectors in Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas.

Business leaders from InvesTT, Caribbean Airlines, Republic Bank, Seaboard Marine (Trinidad), the African Export Import Bank and leaders from the energy sector will present their plans and experiences towards accelerating opportunities in Africa.

 

 

 

Caribbean coral reefs at high risk in 2023

NEWSDAY REPORTER

Among the most vulnerable to climate change are tropical coral reefs and the ecosystems that nurture many juvenile fish. Coral reef ecologist Dr Anjani Ganase raises the alarm for severe heat stress over the next months.

A four-month outlook for the probability of severe coral bleaching in the Caribbean, July – October 2023.      –      Image source. Coral Reef Watch, NOAA

Among the most vulnerable to climate change are tropical coral reefs and the ecosystems that nurture many juvenile fish. Coral reef ecologist Dr Anjani Ganase raises the alarm for severe heat stress over the next months.

A bulletin was released in June by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology using NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch four-month outlook  (https://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/index.php).

What is coral bleaching?

Tropical corals have formed a special relationship with microscopic algae that live in the tissues of corals and give them the vibrant colours we associate with coral reefs. The microalgae photosynthesise using the sunlight and produce enough energy to supply themselves and their coral host. In return, the coral protects the algae from predation and supplies them with essential nutrients and the removal of the algae’s waste. This efficient relationship results in massive reef structures that are utilised by other marine creatures as safe places to live.

The breakdown of the relationship between coral and algae is referred to as coral bleaching, and it typically occurs under stressed environmental conditions, such as when temperatures are too hot or too cold. When there is thermal stress, there is an expulsion of the colourful algae that results in the corals turning white, called bleaching. The loss of the algae means that the corals lose their major source of food; and persistent stressful conditions results in coral mortality. In the last 40 years, coral reefs around the world have suffered from coral bleaching events, where large sections of reef were turning white as summertime sea temperatures became too warm. Coral reefs of Tobago have also suffered from multiple bleaching events – 2005 and 2010 – with major coral loss and limited recovery on both occasions.

Currently, many Caribbean nations are under Coral Watch Level – which means there is a low-level of thermal stress being experienced by the corals. These bleaching alerts have come two months earlier this year starting in June, instead of August as in previous years. There is 90 per cent chance of severe bleaching and heat stress for the wider Caribbean between July and October.

More specifically, Coral Reef Watch is even predicting that much of the region (Greater and Lesser Antilles) will experience Bleaching Alert Level 1 – where bleaching is likely – by August, and by September reef conditions are likely to exceed Bleaching Alert Level 2 – associated with wider spread bleaching and mass mortality of corals. However, most of the marine areas along the Caribbean Central American coast are already at Bleaching Alert Level 2. Coral bleaching has been observed on Belize reefs. Trinidad and Tobago is currently at Warning Level, which means that coral heat stress is accumulating and there are minor observations of bleaching already in Tobago.

This is a significant contrast to the previous three years, when oceanic conditions were cooler owing to the La Niña scenario in the Pacific. This year, El Nino conditions are prevailing bringing much hotter and drier conditions both on land and in the oceans. This is not to say that there was no bleaching observed in Tobago over the last three years. In fact, Tobago has experienced three consecutive years of mild to moderate bleaching at specific sites and for certain coral species. This is a common trend of climate change and global warming, where bleaching is becoming more likely even under cooler La Niña cycles because of rising ocean temperatures, whereas ten to 15 years ago, bleaching would only be observed under El Niño scenarios. Therefore, El Niño conditions for 2023 signals very bad news for corals not just in the Caribbean but around the world.

Death from bleaching or disease

Corals exposed to thermal stress are also vulnerable to disease outbreaks where microbes thrive and infect rapidly under the warming conditions. Scientists have observed spikes in coral disease outbreaks following thermal stress events in the Caribbean. The 2005 and 2010 bleaching events gave rise to the outbreaks of yellow-band and dark spot diseases that target the mountainous star coral and massive starlet coral respectively. In recent years, a virulent and deadly disease called stony coral tissue loss has been plaguing Caribbean reefs. While it is not observed in Tobago yet, it will eventually reach our shores, and warming conditions are likely to encourage its spread.

At the moment, Bleaching Alert Level One is predicted for September for TT coral reefs. While the predictions for us are slightly milder, these predictions are updated weekly in response to the satellite information and changes in trajectory.

The importance of corals to the health of coastal areas and to livelihoods from the sea can never be overstated. The loss of corals will have significant repercussions on our tourism industry and food security as many fish and invertebrates rely on reefs to provide homes. Coral reefs at risk of widespread bleaching should be placed under intensive care management before and in the months after the bleaching event to facilitate recovery. Considering the natural slow pace of coral recovery, restoration mechanisms must be implemented to speed up the rate of recovery; these are necessary as climate change brings more frequent and severe bleaching events.

Reference
https://rcc.cimh.edu.bb/files/2023/06/Caribbean-CRW-Vol8_Issue_1_June2023.pdf

https://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/bleachingoutlook_cfs/outlook_cfs.php

 

 

 

 

TT Pupils in global science project

Brazil Secondary School pupils are participating in a scientific data collection project through the BioSCAN programme, one of the educational and scientific research environmental programmes formulated by The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES Net), spearheaded by the International Barcode of Life Consortium, IBOL under collaboration with the Environmental Policy and Planning Division at the Ministry of Planning and Development.

With its ongoing environmental drive, IBOL chose the rural school as one of its four sites to participate in the BioSCAN programme – an initiative spearheaded by IBOL and seeks to map out flying insects across the globe, using malaise traps as the main sampling tool.

Pupils learn and apply scientific methods and contribute to data collection that will be beneficial in guiding policy and decision-making with respect to conservation and natural resource management.

With the guidance of their teachers and Globe programme co-ordinators, they collected 18 weeks worth of insects from traps, which were preserved and are being prepared for shipping for identification. The insects captured will be genetically barcoded by IBOL to assist in the creation of a local biodiversity database, extending across the globe.

Minister Pennelope Beckles visited the school at Arena Road, Brazil Village, to observe the school’s progress with its biodiversity project.

She told them, “You are the stewards of nature and our natural resources. And you at Brazil Secondary School – you are leading the way. This is indeed a superb accomplishment. Your invaluable work greatly contributes to the development of science on a national scale. So keep up the great work. What you do here is not for today alone, but for a better, healthier future for us and the generations to come.”

Beckles was joined by representatives of the Education Ministry and a team of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division and other agencies. The principal thanked visitors and said the school was ahead of most local schools in academic achievements over the past decade.

Since July 2006, with the formation of Globe Club at the School,pupils were energised by its informal curriculum approaches to learning about the environment and indirectly achieving the school’s educational mandate by developing well-rounded global scientists.

Over the past five years, the online portal, the iNaturalis platform of the ministry facilitated work in citizen science as people of any background, anywhere in Trinidad and Tobago were allowed to submit photos of floral visitors and generate a growing list of members of local biodiversity. To date, there have been over 3,000 observations captured through photographs, which yielded identification of 745 species by global experts.

The BES-Net TT team, aside from its work with the Brazil School’s Globe Club, is collecting insect samples at a quarry rehabilitation site at Mayo Village in central Trinidad, managed by staff of Trinidad Cement Ltd; at a site near the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, managed by the Department of Natural Resources and Forestry, Tobago House of Assembly; and at the Asa Wright Nature Centre.

 

 

 

UN SG lauds TT strength, diversity

In Trinidad and Tobago for the 45th meeting of the Caricom Heads of Government, UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the petrostate for its strength and diversity, a “fitting place” for Caricom’s 50th-anniversary celebrations.

He told media it felt wonderful to be in ” sweet Trinidad and Tobago. I have filled my suitcase with chocolate from Grande Riviere and Brasso Seco, and I tasted them last night and the problem was to stop.”

He visited the Asa Wright Nature Centre and “was struck by its enormous natural beauty and inspired by determined efforts to safeguard its incredible biodiversity.”

He thanked the Prime Minister for his “warm welcome” and said the Caribbean region is an example of “the power of a shared moral voice for global change. Your country is an example of the strength and richness that comes from unity in diversity. Caribbean nations may be small in size, but you are taking on the largest challenges of our age. You are on the frontiers of global debates around climate action, finance justice and sustainable development.”

He looks forward to ongoing, global debates at the UN General Assembly by TT’s Dennis Francis, recently appointed its president.

“His election is testimony to the value the international community places on Caribbean expertise and leadership. And it continues TT’s legacy of leadership in multilateral affairs – from the champion of international justice and one of the main architects of the International Criminal Court, the late Arthur Robinson, to pioneers of the law of the sea like Lennox Ballah and Anthony Lucky.”

He further praised TT for introducing the General Assembly Resolution on Women, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms Control, which recognises women’s role in advancing peace and security.

“You have served with distinction on the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and a range of other UN bodies and organs. The UN is proud to be your partner.”

The UN is working with TT on a multidimensional vulnerability index to ensure sufficient support is provided in the face of “immense external shocks. We are united in pursuit of multilateral solutions to global problems, from tackling widening inequalities, to bolstering citizen security, to the achievement of the sustainable development goals, to advancing peace, and to fight the trafficking of drugs and weapons.

Rowley thanked Guterres for his continued support.

“In our moment of great, impending crisis, TT counted on the office of the Secretary-General of the UN to provide that umbrella support for our multilateralism, which is the protection of small states in a world that is not usually friendly or encouraging. But we can always count on the UN and the principles that small countries like TT depend on to maintain our place in the world.”

 

 

 

 

UN SG renews plea for Haiti

UN Secretary-General António Guterres repeated his call for nations with the logistical, tactical and necessary equipment to volunteer their services in bringing peace to Haiti. He told TT media, “It is time for all those who have the capacity to create the basic conditions for us to exist, to volunteer themselves and participate.”

Guterres first made the call on a visit to Haiti. where arms smuggling allowed “the horrible capacity of the gangs” to flourish. This, should be a full priority for the international community.

PM Rowley said Haiti will be a major topic during Caricom discussions and promised to give details after the meeting. Caricom is also speaking with Canada and African nations to assist.

“The problem has gone beyond the region (to) wherever help can be had. So there is a lot to be said about Haiti.”

Guterres said once, arms trafficking was a by-product of drugs, but now it is becoming a problem in and of itself, which severely undermines the security of several countries in the region. Arms trafficking is a serious threat to global peace and security. Like climate, illegal guns in the region are a “very essential” issue to be addressed.

On the shift from fossil fuels to renewables, Guterres said each country should not be expected to move at the same pace.

“I have advocated for a just and equitable transition, which means that not all countries need to be treated in the same way.”

The UN position on fossil fuels is to phase out their use and progressively use renewables to sustain economic development in the world.

 

 

 

 

UN SG urges action to rescue Haiti

UN Secretary General António Guterres made an impassioned plea to Caricom leaders to help crisis-hit Haiti, as he addressed the opening of the 45th Regular Meeting of Caricom Heads.

Over the years, Haiti has been hit by self-inflicted economic, social and political instability, amid natural disasters and recently, the rise of powerful criminal gangs and assassination of its President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021. Guterres said the crisis must be viewed against the long shadow of centuries of colonial exploitation, extortion, dictatorship and other injustices.

Guterres told the summit, “I am coming here from Haiti. The security situation is appalling, humanitarian needs are soaring, and there is not yet the political solution in sight. But I came with hope and optimism. We must help ease the suffering of the Haitian people.”

Saying the UN’s humanitarian appeal for Haiti was now only funded to the tune of 23 per cent, he lamented that is “a tragedy within a tragedy.”

He hailed the critical efforts of Caricom leaders on Haiti including a meeting in Jamaica with three high-level personalities.

“I will continue to push for a robust international security force – authorised by the Security ‎Council – to help the Haitian national police defeat and dismantle the gangs. And I reiterate my call to all partners to increase support for the national police in the form of financing, training, and equipment. There can be no lasting security without strengthened democratic institutions – and there can be no strong democratic institutions without a drastic improvement in the security situation.”

Challenges in Haiti required a greater engagement and solidarity, adding, “That is precisely the founding spirit of Caricom.”

Hailing Caricom co-operation on fighting illegal drugs, arms trafficking, non-communicable diseases and gender inequity, he said the UN relies on Caribbean expertise and leadership.

“I reiterate my call on all partners to increase support for Haiti’s national police in the form of financing, training or equipment, and we must collectively do more to help the Haitian people chart a path towards elections and a political solution.”

Saying security and democracy went hand in hand, he vowed to advocate for the deployment of an international security force authorised by the UN’s security council and able to co-operate with the Haiti national police to dismantle the gangs that have created this unprecedented violence.

“And I register the fact that those African and Caribbean countries have shown their availability to participate in this effort. And I appeal to those that have the capacity to do so to also volunteer themselves. “

He also urged the international community to take the trafficking of arms seriously, adding that the “tragedy” occurring in Haiti would not exist if this was not happening.

Caricom has been communicating with its neighbours, particularly with Canada, about Haiti. It is a major item on the agenda and will be discussed. At a meeting in Jamaica political leadership and various groupings from Haiti met to “decide what exactly they will support.

Reporters asked Guterres if the UN will ask Caricom members to create a security force to go to Haiti or if they would just have to wait for the UN security council to meet.

He said, “It’s time for all those that have the capacity to create the basic conditions for this force to exist, to volunteer themselves to participate.

“The question is not a question of the Security Council decision. The most important problem is that we need to have countries that have the robust kind of police force and the robust kind of equipment and logistics support to be able to also volunteer themselves.”

African and Caribbean countries have volunteered but have limited capacity.

“So I think we need to have the key players also having a very strong commitment to also participate in such an operation. I believe the security council will support and will convey the necessary mandate.”

In June, TT Parliament, in accordance with a UN security council resolution, agreed to sanction Haitian gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, moments after Parliament agreed to continue sanctions against Iran. Acting Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said the sanction would bring relief to the people of Haiti. In October 2022, the UN security council voted unanimously to sanction Cherizier, a former police officer.

[The surest way to end this running sore is to repatriate diaspora to AU homelands. The USA can then acquire the Bloc as Unincorporated Territories and the cosmopolitan community can develop abundant resources peacefully with US, Commonwealth and EU support.]

 

 

 

 

 

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)

On 14th June 2023, the Minister of Energy Stuart R. Young, MP delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference (LACPEC), in Trinidad and Tobago.

The ceremony also featured, Eduardo Gildin, 2023 LACPEC Program Committee Advisor, Texas A&M University; Gail Ramdath, SPE Latin American and Caribbean Regional Director, Tucker Energy Services; Adam Pantin, SPE Trinidad and Tobago Section Chair, Valaris Plc; and Med Kamal, 2023 SPE President.

Minister Young emphasized the need to exploit the hydrocarbon resources of the country and acknowledged the role of the SPE in energy security for Trinidad and Tobago and the region. Minister Young stated that recent developments where the major upstream companies are now targeting small gas pools have been encouraging and technologies such as Big Data and Analytics, Industrial Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence are enabling the industry to maintain operational integrity, optimize performance, manage HS&E and monitor the environment.

He emphasised that for oil and gas to be part of a sustainable solution to global energy needs, the reduction of greenhouse gases must be a collaboration between regulators and the industry. Drilling and development programs must provide for the reduction of emissions, including flaring, a reduced surface footprint and optimal field development and management. , In order to sustain the use of oil and gas to meet energy demands in a carbon-constrained world, it will be necessary to implement Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS) as a carbon reduction strategy.

On the recent onshore bid-round, successful bidders have been informed of their success. Minister Young thanked the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) for hosting their Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference (LACPEC) in Trinidad and Tobago.

 

 

 

 

Caricom Summit

The Minister discussed energy related matters with His Excellency Pertti Ikonen, Ambassador of  Finland to the Caribbean at the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community on 5th July 2023.

His Excellency Pertti Ikonen shared valuable information on Finland’s energy transition and the composition of the country’s power generation mix which includes nuclear power and an increase in renewable energy from hydrogen and wind turbines.

Minister Young discussed the opportunities and potential for Trinidad and Tobago to bolster energy security to Finland and other European countries through locally produced LNG, ammonia, methane, urea and UA.

 

 

 

Caribbean agriculture

2023,  07/23

The region has the potential to improve its agricultural sector by exploring dormant or overlooked natural resources.    This revelation was made at an European Union (EU) Agriculture Fisheries and Food Processing Regional Webinar .

Discussion explored the possibility of increasing the European Union’s import share from CARIFORUM nations, comprising 15 member states of Caricom and the Dominican Republic (DR).

Tamira La Cruz, EU international economic development specialist explained there were several ways for the CARIFORUM to further expand its agricultural output, not only to address local food security but also to create trade opportunities with the European Union.

She listed six potential opportunities for CARIFORUM concerning trade .

“Cariforum now imports about 15.5 billion euros in food imports annually. The EU share of imports is 7.5 per cent. So there’s a lot of room for growth. It is true that over the past five years, the EU sales to Caricom has increased by 70 per cent.There are opportunities and high value-added products from the EU typical European products and also because of the high dependence on tourism of the region.”

As part of CARICOM’s 25 by 2025 initiative, Guyana, Suriname and Barbados have already made significant investments in agricultural development, which could signal a change in these numbers in time. However, more could be done to address food security through further local investment in the sector.

Currently, the Dominican Republic led the way in self-sustainability from a food standpoint.

“It’s interesting to note that the DR produces about 80 per cent of its food for local consumption. Whereas Caricom produces less than 80 per cent. There is an opportunity, especially in the countries with large land masses. DR. Guyana and Suriname will be helpful. Barbados is already investing in Guyana.”

The EU could help CARIFORUM raise its standards in food production.

“From interviews, we know that the EU in quality is superior to many others. The EU standards are similar to those in CARIFORUM, which makes it easy to sell to CARIFORUM people in the sector. So that presents an opportunity to sell or invest positional inputs. The fifth opportunity is to sell and invest in agritech to increase efficiency and quality. I think someone also mentioned that just now you can see the list here of things that have been mentioned by interviews in the region that are needed. That’s a lot of room for efficiency improvements.”

While these points represented traditional approaches to improving food security in the region, it was a presentation by CEO and chief executive activist of Ocean by Origin, Mari Granström, that revealed there were less traditional methods to build trade routes with European partners.

Ocean by Origin has been purchasing sargassum seaweed from a company in the Dominican Republic and utilising the seaweed to create new products.

Granström noted that sargassum overgrowth had become not only a nuisance to beachgoers, but also a problem for marine biology and her company had found a way to turn this problem into a solution.

“We have an excess of nutrients in our waterways and oceans, in phosphorus and nitrogen. So this is what happens when we exceed a certain concentration of these nutrients in these waterways; we start to see these harmful and invasive algae blooms taking place.

This is our solution: We use sargassum as a feedstock in our refinery and we turn that into an algae-based functional ingredient. When we do that and when we replace these oil-based ingredients, we can de-carbonize the consumer goods. So the dependency on oil can be reduced.”

While Sargassum had started becoming problematic in Europe, with the seaweed showing up in beaches in Spain and Portugal as well as the US, there was record-breaking presence in the Caribbean.

“This is something that’s a satellite picture of the region and every year we have around 25 million tonnes of Sargassum blooming around there. I think we are underestimating the number. Today I think it’s even higher so this year has been kind of the record of the Sargassum blooms and no one really knows currently what we are facing.

“So we are active in the Dominican Republic, and we have started to build a supply chain of Sargassum there. And here are some pictures of the very successful work that we have done together with the local partners. And I want to highlight here the fact that the earlier person was talking about how to bring knowhow to build the value chain in the region. I think one of the key things is that you have to have some understanding about the local infrastructure and also the local players because they are you know, experts in that field.”

It was important to partner with regional companies so that they could learn to address the problem which was at their doorstep.

“We wanted to search for local companies, so that we can empower the local community to work on this Sargassum problem because they are the ones who are facing it every day. We are in Finland, which is very far away from the Caribbean. So it’s important that the local people can work on the problem.”

Swedish-born but Tobago-based businessman Lars Söderström stressed that the Caribbean could see benefits for its traditional agriculture sectors through innovative use and development of products. Söderström is the creator of Tobago Gold, a chocolate liqueur which was born out of cocoa tea.

His award-winning drink had brought new life to his cocoa estate which he initially bought in 2004 with the intention of creating a chocolate factory that never came to fruition. He found success from using a traditional Caribbean recipe, refining and adding to it before selling to an international market. He also added other avenues could be explored for cocoa in the Caribbean.

“We own a cocoa estate. We’ve done rehabilitation in Trinidad and Tobago. We developed value-added products and I will make a presentation later on. There is a potential for carbon credits in this area and something that we are discussing in Trinidad and Tobago, in both the cocoa and the chocolate industry. I don’t think it is a major driver behind your revenues but it does have potential to be a supplementary income.”

 

 

 

 

US Embassy celebrates Independence

US Ambassador to TT Candace Bond says ideas have power so at the US Embassy’s Independence Day Celebration on Friday night, ideas, creativity and ingenuity were celebrated.

The birth of America came from an idea, a “a revolutionary experiment in governance founded on the principles of liberty, equality, and self-governance. Therefore, ideas, beliefs, visions and the repurposing of pieces to make something beautiful and useful was being celebrated.

“President Biden said, ‘We’re the most unique nation in the world. We’re the only nation that is founded on an idea – not geography, not religion, and not ethnicity – that all men and women are created equal, endowed by their creator’ with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

The US was not perfect but, from the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776, it continued to work on a more perfect union as its democracy represented the potential for progress and a society that upheld the values of liberty and justice for all.

“So tonight, we gather here to pay homage to remarkable milestones that have shaped our cultural landscape, united communities, and inspired generations.”