2014 WORLD BANK CONFERENCE ON LAND AND POVERTY
“Integrating Land Governance into the Post-2015 Agenda: Harnessing Synergies for
Implementation and Monitoring Impact”
Research on Key Aspects of Land Governance
Danielle Edwards
Attorney-at-Law & LL.M. Candidate
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Images of Climate Change events
Definition of Land Use Planning
Land Use Planning Laws
Institutional Framework
Major areas for Land Use Planning adaptation
strategy
Recommendations
Image: Flickr/ Steve_Mc
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Increased vulnerability to floods spell and increased disaster
risk, flooding of homes and cars
Image: Desmond Brown/ IPS; Source: http://goo.gl/q4JLjG
Implications for the Insurance Industry
Mullins Bay, Barbados
Rising sea levels and beach erosion – a big threat to the
tourism industry, investment and GDP derived from tourism
Image: Planet Barbados Blog; Source: http://goo.gl/tKuGTR
Mullins Bay, Barbados
The Caribbean islands have built their tourism image on sun sea and sand- a lot is at
stake.
As the sea levels continue to rise,
time is running out
Image: Planet Barbados Blog; Source: http://goo.gl/tKuGTR
Roseau, Dominica
Poor land use practices threaten watersheds and water supply.
In Dominica, rivers are drying up.
In many other islands, many rivers have already dried up.
Image: Desmond Brown/ IPS; Source: http://goo.gl/hVSbq0
Tough choices vs. food insecurity
Image: News.dm; Source: http://goo.gl/dFz6gI
Food Security is threatened by hurricanes.
Image: Spinoza Rod Company; Source: http://goo.gl/SjzkSF
Every time a crop is lost,
- the food import bill increases,
- agricultural GDP is affected
- farmers and households suffer greatly
Carib (Kalinago) Reserve, Dominica
Indigenous people are very vulnerable because of close relationship
with environment
Image: Repeating Islands; Source: http://goo.gl/RmNjPA
70
60
50
2025
40
30
2050
20
10
0
Source: Bueno et al. (2011), The Caribbean and Climate Change, The Costs of Inaction
http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/Pubs/rp/Caribbean-ES-Eng.pdf
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Land use planning is the systematic
assessment of land and water potential,
alternatives for land use, and economic and
social conditions in order to select and adopt
the best land-use options. (FAO)
Land Use Planning
must be a part of Climate Change Adaptation strategy in the
post-2015 developing strategy for Small Caribbean States.
Major areas for Land Use Planning adaptation strategy:
1. Watershed Management
2. Improving Food Security
3. Disaster Risk Reduction
4. Sustainable Tourism Development
5. Protection of Indigenous People (Dominica)
Land Use Planning Laws
Barbados
Town and Country Planning Act Cap. 240 and the
Coastal Zone Management Act Cap. 394
Dominica
2002 Physical Planning Act
Trinidad & Tobago
Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) 1982,
Chap 35:01
Land use planning as the systematic assessment of land and water
potential, alternatives for land use, and economic and social conditions
in order to select and adopt the best land-use options. (FAO)
Barbados
Town and Country Planning Advisory
Committee
Dominica
Physical Planning and Development Authority
Trinidad & Tobago
The Town and Country Planning Division
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
Trinidad & Tobago’s
Section 9(2) of Trinidad & Tobago’s TCPA land use planning authorities may
impose conditions on a grant of development permission.
In practice these can include responsibilities to:
(i) the preservation of the existing watercourses on the site, thereby prohibiting
backfilling of tributaries
(ii) the preservation of trees, vegetation or other natural features of the land
Dominica’s Act
Section 28(1) of The 2002 Act
The Authority may impose conditions on a grant of development permission
which arrange for the preservation of the supply of water to the development and
the preservation of vegetation or other natural features of the land.
IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY
IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY
Barbados Act
Section 6(1) of Barbados Town and Country Planning Act requires the Town and
Country Planning Committee to create a development plan.
Section 6(1)(b) requires the requisite authorities to ‘allocate areas of land for use
for agricultural […] purposes’. Pursuant to section 11(1) of the Barbados Act, the
Chief Town Planner is under a duty to carry out a fresh survey of the island and
submit a report of the survey together with proposals for alterations or additions
every five years.
This provision allows the land use planning authority to revise the allocation of
agricultural land, informed by changes in community food security
DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT
Trinidad & Tobago and Dominica
land use planning authorities may make recommendations to the Minister to
relocate and rehabilitate settlements from vulnerable coastal settlements or
flood zones in the interest of disaster risk management.
Trinidad & Tobago
Advisory Town Planning Panel may make such recommendations for relocation
under section 4 of the Town and Country Planning Act.
Dominica
Under section 9(4)(b) a development plan may designate any area as an area
which should not be developed due to its susceptibility to flooding, erosion,
subsidence, instability or other condition of the physical environment
Government policy, funding and support
will ultimately determine whether these recommendations are
adopted or implemented through adaptation strategies.
Image: Reflections development Source: http://goo.gl/0BD2E4
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
A 2010 report by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre concluded
approximately $BDS1,532,105,500 of tourism assets of a single tourism
development area- Speightstown, Barbados is at risk to the impacts of climate
change
Barbados
Minister must consult the Director of Coastal Zone Management prior to granting or
refusing planning permission within coastal management zone. (sections 15(1A)
and 17(1C) of the Town and Country Planning Act)
Section 8 provides for consultation with those who may be affected by proposed
development.
Members of the public may have the opportunity to raise awareness of specific
circumstances which heighten their vulnerability to climate change.
This outreach can enable land governance authorities in better decision-making for
disaster risk reduction through coastal management
PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Dominica
Section 3(1)(h) of the 2002 Act
Empowers the Authority to make decisions for improving the well-being of the
people of Dominica.
- Indigenous people live on communal lands, without title.
- However, the Authority may encourage improved building technologies to
reduce community based disaster risk reduction in the Carib Reserve through
outreach programs.
- Encourage community leaders to integrate standard building practices with
traditional methods for disaster risk reduction
Land Use Planning will not fix all of our
problems,
but without improved land use
planning our problems cannot be
solved.
CHALLENGES FOR LAND USE PLANNING
Inadequate remedies where government is
the aggressor.
CHALLENGES FOR LAND USE PLANNING
Too much room for political interference where
major environmental decisions are at stake.
Section 12(1) of the Trinidad & Tobago Act, the Minister may give directions to
any local authority to whom functions have been delegated under section 10
requiring that any application made to that authority for permission to develop
land, or all such applications of any class specified in the directions, shall be
referred to the Minister instead of being dealt with by the local authority.
CHALLENGES FOR LAND USE PLANNING
Political representatives may shy away
from plans to relocate their constituents.
Planning authorities can only make recommendations for relocation
settlements from flood zones in the interest of disaster risk management .
Inadequate funding to mainstream
initiatives.
Government policy, funding and political agenda will
determine whether these recommendations are
implemented.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Create Land Use Planning Funds
Administered and managed by land use planning authorities,
with little room for political interference
Adaptation Funds
Public Funds
Relocation Initiatives,
Food Security initiatives,
Public outreach Campaigns
RECOMMENDATIONS
Reform Laws
- Reduce scope for Political Interference
- Give Authorities more defined powers in Barbados and Trinidad &
Tobago
Capacity Building Workshops
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Educate land use planners,
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Ensure full time legal staff is available to support land use
planning authorities, in some islands there is no full time
attorney
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Encourage stronger relationships between police officers and
land use planning authorities
Thank You!
Soufriere, Dominica
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Source: http://sgsinternships.blog.usf.edu/2011/mshumangroh/06/05/some-of-the-water-issues-here