January 2017 | Business View Caribbean

10 11 opening lines port from BHP Billiton Trinidad and Tobago. The Climate ACTT project wrapped up in De- cember 2016, with a final evaluation workshop to assess results of the project, facilitate shar- ing of knowledge and experiences among the beneficiary CSOs and catalyze partnerships and new initiatives for climate change adaptation and resilience in Trinidad and Tobago. Overall the Cli- mate ACTT project was found to be a resounding success at enhancing the capacity of the five CSOs to undertake climate adaptation work. One participant in the final evaluation work- shop acknowledged “the sense of something starting as opposed to something ending.”“This was the seed sown for the growth of the big tree,” added another participant. All five CSOs felt energized and ready to expand their work on climate change to help to address the impacts that are already being felt in communities throughout Trinidad and Toba- go. Each CSO had participated in training and implemented a practical adaptation project that laid a foundation for exciting avenues of work moving forward. A few highlights were: n Caribbean Youth Environment Network Trinidad and Tobago Chapter (CYEN-TT) will build the capacity of youth so that they are aware of the impacts of climate change and have a stronger voice to call for urgent action n Environmental Research Institute Char- lotteville (ERIC) will educate coastal residents in north-east Tobago about the impacts of climate change on their communities and what needs to be done to adapt. n Environment Tobago (ET) will conduct vulnerability assessments of coastal areas in south-east Tobago and collaborate with gov- ernment, private sector and residents to identify what are the priority actions needed to build resilience to the impacts of climate change on these areas. n Fondes Amandes Reforestation Project (FACRP) will partner with universities to expand its research on what tree species are resilient to climate change and therefore best suited for ongoing reforestation in the western Northern Range in areas destroyed by annual fires. n Turtle Village Trust (TVT) will educate coastal communities in north-east Trinidad and Tobago about the impacts of climate change on