This spreadsheet contains data on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) composition or other waste types (household, plastics) compiled by Jasmine McHugh under the supervision of Dr. Simron Singh (University of Waterloo, Canada) between September and December 2025.

Background Limited evidence exists on the association between food insecurity (FI) and blood pressure control in the Caribbean despite the high burden of both. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between FI and hypertension prevalence, awareness, and control in the Eastern Caribbean. Methods and Findings We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data (2013-2018) from the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network Cohort Study (n=2961). Food insecurity was measured using the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA) and classified as 0=no FI, 1-6 mild/moderate FI, and 7-9 severe FI. Hypertension was defined by the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention. Logistic regression modeling was conducted to examine the relationship between FI and hypertension prevalence, awareness, and control, adjusting for age, sex, educational attainment, site, and usual source of care. Prevalence of FI was 28 percent among participants and was higher in Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago compared to other sites. Seventeen percent of the participants experienced low, 6 percent moderate, and 4 percent experienced severe FI. Aggregate model results showed no association between FI and hypertension outcomes. Sex-stratified results showed moderate (OR=2.65, CI=1.25-5.65) and severe FI (OR=3.69, CI=1.20-11.31) were positively associated with lack of control among women.Limitations of this study include the cross-sectional design, small sample size, and the average age of our cohort. Cross-sectional design precluded the ability to make inferences about temporality between FI and HTN prevalence and awareness. Small sample size precluded the ability to detect statistically significant differences despite strong odds ratios for model results like lack of control. Conclusions Findings align with prior evidence of greater FI prevalence among women and negative health impact. Nutrition policies are needed to reduce the overall FI burden in the Caribbean and increase access to affordable, nutritious foods.

<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>The COVID-19 pandemic and recent international crises including the Russia-Ukraine conflict have resulted in significant disruptions along multiple segments of the Caribbean’s agri-food system, thus compromising regional food security. These impacts are still ongoing with the potential to worsen. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sociodemographic factors on consumers’ knowledge of food security along with their attitude, and perception towards the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security in the Caribbean Small Island Developing States.</p></sec><sec><title>Method</title><p>A cross-sectional on-line survey was conducted between January 1 and November 30, 2021. The sampled population included consumers from nine Caribbean countries (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). Survey data were analyzed using Chi-square, one way analysis of variance, and univariate logistic regression.</p></sec><sec><title>Results and discussion</title><p>A total of 237 consumers participated in the survey. Consumers were generally knowledgeable about food security and had favorable attitudes and perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security. Significant associations (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) and significant differences (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) were obtained for consumers’ knowledge, attitude and perception among the sociodemographic variables assessed. The results suggest that there were different levels of vulnerability to food insecurity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among economically vulnerable households. Policies that support disadvantaged households and ensure adequate employment opportunities are important to support Caribbean consumers throughout and post the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.</p></sec>

Our resource-use dynamics have contributed significantly to the improvement in global material standards of living through the provisioning of essential societal services. Nonetheless, these dynamics have also impacted on the already limited natural resource-base of the Earth system on which we depend. Moreover, the characteristics of a global self-perpetuating resource-use linearity, the growing demand for finite raw materials, the high waste generation that remains unrecovered, and the increasing negative effects of climate change further exacerbate the Earth system’s vulnerabilities and exposure to risks. As such, the resource-use dynamics is posited as an important example of complex systems in need for better understanding, particularly in advancing towards sustainability and build system’s resilience. For resource-stressed settings like small island nations, the analysis of these complex systems is not only crucial, but urgent. Small Island Developing States are often characterized by sustainability challenges like limited resource-bases, reduced waste absorption capacity, a strong dependency on external resources to meet their basic needs, geographic isolation from markets which impact connectivity and resource supply, and natural and built environment that is progressively been threatened by the negative effects of climate change, which amplify the pre-existing vulnerabilities and risks for these territories. Thus, dealing with sustainability would require a deeper understanding of the interactions and trade-offs between the resource-use dynamics and the influences that internal/external factors like climate change have over these. By doing so, the system will have the ability to both contribute to global environment change, but also determine their own vulnerability or resilience to those changes. This thesis analyzes resource-use dynamics from a socio-metabolic research perspective in the context of small islands to enhance resource security and build system’s resilience, by looking into the way in which natural resources are interconnected, influenced, and managed. The analysis is spread across three main empirical Chapters, each of which contribute to advancing the arguments that arise from this work. First, in Chapter 3, the thesis analyzes the shifting resource-baselines of water, energy, and food, emphasizing the intra- and interconnected nature between essential resources and socio-metabolic risk, which builds the foundations for deeper analysis on current and future sustainability in small islands. Then, in Chapter 4, the thesis analyzes and identifies the size and make-up of material and energy flows specific to an individual case study, bringing important quantitative and qualitative insights on the potentials that reconfigured resource-use patterns may offer to minimizing or reducing socio-metabolic risk in small islands. Next, in Chapter 5, the thesis analyzes the role that critical material stocks play in driving resource-use and in furthering sustainable development, emphasizing climate change adaptation strategies to build system’s resilience. The overall framework of this thesis has demonstrated how a better understanding of resource-use dynamics may offer an opportunity to achieve resource security and self-reliance as a resilience building measure in the island context. Finally, this thesis encourages for the development and application of holistic and long-term resource management strategies through inclusive, climate and nature-based solutions that consider the trade-offs and synergies between different resource-use dynamics.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to elicit global mobilization to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and are increasingly used in support of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Previous studies have highlighted interdependencies between SDGs, with potential interactions between four Sustainability Domains: Economy, Governance, Planet and Society. This study aimed to assess whether people’s perception of the relative importance of the SDGs reflects recognition of the need to prioritize efforts across Domains, or whether this perception is based on different valuations of the Sustainability Domains themselves. We designed an interactive online tool in which participants used the Q-sort technique to rank the SDGs according to their subjective valuation of importance. We analyzed the rankings of 108 participants, all learners at universities in three Small Island States (SIS): Aruba, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Analysis of the correlation structure among participants’ Q-sorts showed that higher perceived importance of the Society- and Economy-related SDGs 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9 traded off with lower perceived importance of the Planet-related SDGs 13, 14 and 15. Furthermore, SDG rankings of learners from Aruba occurred furthest toward the Planet-based part of this trade-off axis. For ESD programs, our method provides a novel tool to identify key interactions between SDGs that may not yet be recognized by program participants. In this way, communicating the need for simultaneous action and policy development across Sustainability Domains could be specifically tailored to the local context. Such connections may increase the effectiveness of ESD in addressing the substantial sustainability challenges facing SIS.

Small Island States (SIDS) are among the nations most exposed to climate change (CC) and are characterised by a high degree of vulnerability. Their unique nature means there is a need for more studies focused on the limits to CC adaptation on such fragile nations, particularly regarding their problems and constraints. This paper addressed a perceived need for research into the limitations of adaptation on SIDS, focusing on the many unique restrictions. To this end, the study identified and described the adaptation limits they have by using a review of the literature and an analysis of case studies from a sample of five SIDS in the Caribbean and Pacific regions (Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tonga). This research’s findings showed that an adaptable SIDS is characterised by awareness of various values, appreciation and understanding of a diversity of impacts and vulnerabilities, and acceptance of certain losses through change. The implications of this paper are two-fold. It explains why island nations continue to suffer from the impacts of CC and suggest some of the means via which adequate policies may support SIDS in their efforts to cope with the threats associated with a changing climate. This study concluded that, despite the technological and ecological limits (hard limits) affecting natural systems, adaptation to CC is limited by such complex forces and societal factors (soft limits) that more adequate adaptation strategies could overcome.

While excessive use of electronics and the resulting e-waste is a global problem, the situation is even more acute on small islands as bounded systems and the enormous costs associated with shipping it elsewhere. Dumping e-waste on islands can cause pollution of ground and surface water and degradation of coastal and marine resources. Yet, research that supports island governments to deal with their e-waste is scarce. This paper explores the viability of a circular economy (CE) and asks whether this could be a promising solution for islands to tackle their e-waste challenge. In pursuit of this aim, the CE potential of e-waste is analyzed on five Caribbean islands: Aruba, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The resource quantity of e-waste generated between 2020 and 2025 is estimated, and the economic value is assessed for the embedded materials. Using sensitivity analyses, three scenarios of exploitable e-waste and their potential economic values were calculated, considering the recovery of 20%, 50%, or 100% of e-waste stocked on the islands between 2001 and 2019. Expert interviews were conducted to identify existing e-waste management practices, if any. The results reveal that more than 317.4 kt of secondary materials would be available for recovery, comprising a significant amount of base and precious metals, such as aluminum, copper, silver, gold, and palladium. The estimated economic value of these materials is estimated to be more than $546 million. However, according to the sensitivity analysis, if these islands had started the recovery of resources in early 2001, this value would almost triple to $1,430 million - equivalent to nearly 30% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) from mining and quarrying in the entire Caribbean community, from just these five islands. Due to economies of scale that limit smaller nations, regional co-operations and initiating industrial symbiosis would be essential for desirous islands to shift to a CE. CE can support resource self-sufficiency on islands and bring several social, environmental, and economic benefits. This research is the first to provide an island-specific perspective to help decision-makers manage e-waste flows by including participatory CE implementation methods.

This database showcases the e-waste generation amount from EEE (Electrical & Electronic Equipment) in Trinidad & Tobago over the period 1966 to 2025. It breaks the waste generated within EEE products including large household appliances, electrical and electronic tools, and medical devices. The dataset seeks to provide the amount of waste generated as these products reach their end-of-life stage.

This database showcases the amount of EEE products sold or PoM (Put-on-Market) in Trinidad & Tobago during the period of 1965 to 2025. PoM refers to the quantity of EEE products sold, distributed, or otherwise made available for use in the commercial market, whether for payment or free of charge. This database showcases the consumption-based flows of EEE on Aruba; PoM is estimated as the net import (i.e., Imports – Exports).

This database showcases the material composition of e-waste in Trinidad & Tobago within the timeframe of 2020 to 2025. It includes key materials found in e-waste such as plastic, glass, and metals like gold, silver, and iron.

Sustainability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is a growing concern particularly under climate change scenarios. Under the Ecosystem Service (ES) framework, we analyse the performance of five Caribbean countries (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago) regarding environmental and socioeconomic indicators, specifying how far each country is from an ideal threshold (Boundary Point – BP). Furthermore, the analysis provides an estimation of the potential of each country to deliver ecosystem services. Building on an existing ecosystem service’s value database, we developed the Ecosystem Services Potential Index (ESPI) to compare possibilities in each country. Linking the ESPI of each country to its distance to the BP (Boundary Point Distance – BPD), helps us detecting shortcomings and providing recommendations on what could be improved to move towards achieving self-sufficiency with high quality of life at the lowest environmental cost. However, none of the countries analyzed fall within the ideal situation where human needs are met without overexploitation of ecosystems. Nonetheless, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaica are the countries closest to achieve that goal. We conclude our findings with some recommendations to adopt Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) as a leverage point towards self-sufficiency in the Caribbean.

Can material flow analysis (MFA) support strategic decisions necessary for the development of circular economy (CE) in a developing country? MFA can be an essential tool in providing necessary data inputs for decisions related to the development of CE. Data-poor environments in developing economies, however, e.g. lack of data on physical flows in manufacturing, pose challenges to doing MFA. Other data however, in particular trade statistics accounting for shipment mass, are often available. We undertake a case study to characterize plastic flows in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) for 2016, demonstrating how leveraging such data enables MFA. A notable result from the MFA is that much (48%) of the landfilled plastic in T&T comes from plastic packaging for imported products rather than intentional domestic use. This is an example of what is probably a typical CE challenge for island nations: Importing materials with limited domestic demand at end-of-life. We use the MFA results to propose suggestions for a more circular flow of plastics in T&T. First, there is potential to divert plastic waste (including packaging plastic) for use as feedstock in a local cement plant. Second, the scale of PET plastic flows is of sufficient scale (26,000 metric tons annually) to make domestic recycle feasible. Techno-economic studies are needed to properly develop and evaluate these proposals, the role of the MFA here is to identify promising directions.

Island systems have limited geographical, ecological, and social capacity to metabolize waste materials produced by the economic activities of their growing populations. Conceptualized as a &lsquo;wicked problem&rsquo;, the faults and weaknesses in waste management systems on islands continue to cause acute and cumulative ecological and human health impacts. Trinidad and Tobago is one such island jurisdiction grappling with this situation, particularly being a petroleum-dependent economy. Through the lens of neo-institutional theory, this case study of waste management in Trinidad and Tobago unpacks the efforts, reactions, drivers and circumstances that have led to various successes and failures but no definitive solutions over time, especially regarding plastics and packaging materials. We identify three temporal phases of policy evolution that have altered the waste metabolism trajectory to date: (1) government led patriarchal approach of traditional landfilling combined with behavioral change campaigns to reduce, reuse, and recycle, (2) to a more democratic, shared burden, public-private partnership approach combined with attempts at incentive-based regulations, (3) to the present, more private sector-led voluntary bans on production and use of plastics. This study contributes to our understanding of the institutional factors that shape the search for solutions to the wicked problem of island waste metabolism.

This article explores the prospects for civil society engagement in the quest for justice in global climate change policy. Using Trinidad and Tobago as a case, in the context of the broader CARICOM framework, the paper examines civil society participation: methods of engagement, challenges and effectiveness. Notwithstanding some engagement in global action, civil society organizations have engaged in the climate change arena mainly in education, awareness building and research and training at the community level; their influence and impact in official spaces have been negligible. We conclude that given the transnational nature of climate change and the market-oriented approach in official climate change discussions at the global level, participation in progressive global/transnational coalitions with the view to attaining climate change justice is imperative. This is particularly important in cases where avenues for active engagement are not available at the national and regional levels and/or where parochial interests dominate the climate change agenda. Este artículo explora las perspectivas de participación de la sociedad civil en la búsqueda de justicia en la política global de cambio climático. Usando Trinidad y Tobago como caso de estudio, en el contexto del marco más amplio de CARICOM, el documento examina la participación de la sociedad civil: métodos de participación, desafíos y efectividad. A pesar de cierta participación en la accion global, y de que las organizaciones de la sociedad civil se han involucrado en el ámbito del cambio climático principalmente en educación, sensibilización e investigación y capacitación a nivel comunitario, su influencia e impacto en los espacios oficiales han sido insignificantes. Concluimos que dada la naturaleza transnacional del cambio climático y el enfoque orientado al mercado en las discusiones oficiales sobre el cambio climático a nivel global, la participación en coaliciones progresivas globales/transnacionales con miras a lograr la justicia del cambio climático, es imprescindible. Esto es particularmente importante en los casos en que las vías para la participación activa no están disponibles a nivel nacional y regional y/o donde los intereses parroquiales dominan la agenda del cambio climático. Cet article explore les possibilités de participation qui s'offrent à la société civile pour s'investir dans la recherche d'une politique mondiale dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique. Prenant comme exemple Trinidad et Tobago dans le contexte de marché plus vaste du CARICOM, cet article examine comment la société civile lutte contre le réchauffement climatique en analysant ses méthodes d'action, leur efficacité et les défis rencontrés. En dehors d'actions sociales menées à l'échelle internationale, les organismes de sociétés civiles se sont engagés dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique en matière d'éducation, de campagnes de sensibilisation, de recherche et de formation au niveau communautaire ; leur impact sur les espaces officiels reste toutefois négligeable. Nous en concluons que le caractère transnational du changement climatique et l'approche de marché adoptée lors des discussions officielles sur le climat à l'échelle mondiale participent de coalitions mondiales progressistes visant à parvenir à une justice pour l'environnement qui reste essentielle. Cela nous semble d'autant plus important dans les cas où des mesures d'action au niveau national et régional ne sont pas toujours envisageables et/ou lorsque les intérêts locaux prédominent dans les échanges autour de l'environnement.

This dataset showcases the waste flows within Tobago within the year of 2010. It outlines the types of materials found in municipal solid waste, categorizing the components including organics, plastics, paper, glass, metals (ferrous and non-ferrous), textiles, hazardous waste, construction debris, and other materials.

This dataset contains information on the composition of plastic waste in Trinidad and Tobago for the year 2016. It includes data on various types of plastic materials, with quantities being measured in metric tons, and their percentage share of the total plastic waste.

This dataset showcases the waste flows within Trinidad within the year of 2010. It outlines the types of materials found in municipal solid waste, categorizing the components including organics, plastics, paper, glass, metals (ferrous and non-ferrous), textiles, hazardous waste, construction debris, and other materials.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2014 - June 19, 2015

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2015 - July 29, 2015

Iceland and Trinidad and Tobago are small open, high-income island economies with very specific resource-use patterns. This article presents a material flow analysis (MFA) for the two countries covering a time period of nearly five decades. Both countries have a narrow domestic resource base, their economy being largely based on the exploitation of one or two key resources for export production. In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, the physical economy is dominated by oil and natural gas extraction and petrochemical industries, whereas Iceland's economy for centuries has been based on fisheries. More recently, abundant hydropower and geothermal heat were the basis for the establishment of large export-oriented metal processing industries, which fully depend on imported raw materials and make use of domestic renewable electricity. Both countries are highly dependent on these natural resources and vulnerable to overexploitation and price developments. We show how the export-oriented industries lead to high and growing levels of per capita material and energy use and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from large amounts of processing wastes and energy consumption in production processes. The example of small open economies with an industrial production system focused on few, but abundant, key resources and of comparatively low complexity provides interesting insights of how resource endowment paired with availability or absence of infrastructure and specific institutional arrangements drives domestic resource-use patterns. This also contributes to a better understanding and interpretation of MFA indicators, such as domestic material consumption.

Iceland and Trinidad and Tobago are small open, high‐income island economies with very specific resource‐use patterns. This article presents a material flow analysis (MFA) for the two countries covering a time period of nearly five decades. Both countries have a narrow domestic resource base, their economy being largely based on the exploitation of one or two key resources for export production. In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, the physical economy is dominated by oil and natural gas extraction and petrochemical industries, whereas Iceland's economy for centuries has been based on fisheries. More recently, abundant hydropower and geothermal heat were the basis for the establishment of large export‐oriented metal processing industries, which fully depend on imported raw materials and make use of domestic renewable electricity. Both countries are highly dependent on these natural resources and vulnerable to overexploitation and price developments. We show how the export‐oriented industries lead to high and growing levels of per capita material and energy use and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from large amounts of processing wastes and energy consumption in production processes. The example of small open economies with an industrial production system focused on few, but abundant, key resources and of comparatively low complexity provides interesting insights of how resource endowment paired with availability or absence of infrastructure and specific institutional arrangements drives domestic resource‐use patterns. This also contributes to a better understanding and interpretation of MFA indicators, such as domestic material consumption.

This dataset showcases material flows in Trinidad & Tobago, including domestic extraction, imports, exports, and domestic material consumption (DMC) during the period of 1961 till 2008. It provides categories like biomass, fossil fuels, ores, and non-metallic minerals, overall providing insights into the region's material flows and resource use.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2013 - June 26, 2014

This paper presents background on Caribbean small states as context for the main paper, “Macroeconomic Issues in Small States and Implications for Fund Engagement.” It draws on recent analytical work presented at a conference for policy makers in September 2012, in Trinidad and Tobago. Caribbean small states, while sharing many features of other small states (size-related macroeconomic vulnerabilities, lack of economies of scale, and capacity constraints) have specific characteristics which merit attention

Caribbean Tourism Organization - Latest Statistics 2003

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2004 - April 12, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2006 - April 12, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2011 - April 11, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2012 - June 4, 2013

The Caribbean and northern coastal Brazil face severe impacts from climate change, particularly from sea-level rise. This paper analyses current land use and development policies in three Caribbean locations and one at the mouth of the Amazon River to determine if these policies are sufficient to protect economic, natural, and population resources based on current projections of urbanization and sea-level rise. Where policies are not deemed sufficient, the authors will address the question of how land use and infrastructure policies could be adjusted to most costeffectively mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on the economies and urban populations.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2010 - July 27, 2012

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2008 - June 28, 2010

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2009 - August 26, 2010

Visitor Arrival Summary 2010

CARICOM Capacity Development Programme (CCDP) 2000 Round of Population and Housing Census Data Analysis Sub-Project - National Census Report, Trinidad & Tobago

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2007 - August 21, 2009

Visitor Arrival Summary 2009

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2005 - May 21, 2007

Tourism Highlights for 2006

Tourist Arrivals in the Caribbean by Destination

Visitor Arrival Summary 2004

This article examines the history and character of the water supply in Trinidad and Tobago and the nature of problems associated with the procurement of water by Trinidadians. The article reports on case studies of two rural communities in which women have taken the lead to solve water problems. It reflects on the importance of small-scale, community-managed water systems for the possibility of achieving water democracy.

Caribbean Development Bank Annual Report 2001

Marine pollution and coastal degradation have become serious development issues in the Caribbean. Early evidence of marine pollution was mainly anecdotal, but within the last 10--15 years, work conducted by universities and research institutions in the Region has provided the beginnings of a database that identifies several common marine pollution problems. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the Pan American World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) have also been instrumental in co-ordinating several marine pollution studies. In the English-speaking Caribbean, the University of the West Indies, the Institute of Marine Affairs in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute located in St Lucia, have taken a lead role in identifying marine pollution problems in their Sub-Region. For the Wider Caribbean a database for petroleum pollution and marine debris has been developed. Land-based sources of marine pollution have been identified as a major problem, with several ‘hot spots’ identified in mainland countries and in some of the larger industrialised islands. Organic and nutrient pollution, particularly from sewage, is most widespread and is possibly the most serious marine pollution problem in the Caribbean. A lack of capital investment funds to install the appropriate infrastructure to deal with sewage and other liquid effluents is a major stumbling block to solving the problem of marine pollution in the Caribbean. Other factors include political will and administrative and legal structures to regulate human development activities.

A climate change deriving from the atmospheric build up of greenhouse gases (GHG) is supposed to become evident by the middle of the next century. This GHG-induced climate change would supposedly lead to a global warming of about 2 to 4°C and a rise in mean sea level of about 60 cm towards the end of the next century. This study focuses on the field measurements and interpretations of a number of, supposedly, climate-driven regional changes, including shifts in climate and hydrology, coastal erosion and sedimentation, salinisation of coastal aquifers and estuaries, and also coral bleaching, in Trinidad and Tobago, in the southern Caribbean. The results show significant changes and shifts in temperature and rainfall, severe coastal erosion, approaching 2 to 4 m per year for certain beaches, appreciable salinisation of a number of coastal aquifers and an estuary along the Caroni swamp, in Trinidad, and what appears to be partial coral bleaching, at the Culloden Reef in Tobago. These field-observed regional changes may conceivably be interpreted as early signals of a GHG-induced climate change. However, in view of the uncertainty surrounding GHG-induced climate change and sea level rise and the limitations of our data, especially the length of record, caution must be exercised in the interpretation of these results.