By Sue-Ann Wayow
TRINIDAD and Tobago is looking towards the larger developed countries to lead the thrust towards methane reduction, as their economies and energy sectors are the major contributors to the level of emissions.
This was the point made by Energy Minister Stuart Young as he participated in a virtual panel discussion for a Side Event of Cop26 – “Commonwealth Collaboration to Accelerate Methane Reductions in the Petroleum Sector” on Monday.
The Ministry of Energy in a press release stated that Young mentioned that T&T being a hydrocarbon-based economy was conscious of finding the right balance of measures to contribute to emission reduction from waste and transportation, use of renewables and continuing to maintain a hydrocarbon sector while cleaning up and reducing harmful emissions from this sector.
The ministry stated that it will be working with the energy sector to reduce emissions and aims to reduce emission targets before the expected timelines.
Young also spoke about the work being done by the National Gas Company of T&T in using state of the art technology to identify methane emissions and then planning to either reduce or capture such emissions. He assured the audience that T&T was committed to doing its part to combat global warming.
In a response to a question from the virtual audience regarding the lack of action worldwide towards methane reduction despite the relative ease to do so, Young spoke about the lack of global awareness generally on the topic, but assured that in Trinidad and Tobago, there was the political determination behind the issue which the country is working assiduously to understand how to effectively reduce methane emissions as well as capture, utilise and monetise it.
And Young also told the panel and the audience that Trinidad and Tobago intended to do all it can to move from discussion to implementation in the not too distant future.
