Comprehensive Wealth in Trinidad and Tobago

The report argues that while GDP growth suggests sound economic development in Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2020, an analysis of comprehensive wealth reveals an unsustainable path. The country's wealth is heavily skewed toward the petroleum industry, leaving non-oil sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and forestry under-invested. Additionally, human capital has declined globally from 35th in 2009 to 46th in 2018, and financial capital contributes little to overall wealth despite sovereign wealth fund efforts.

• Trinidad and Tobago's economic path is considered unsustainable because half of its produced capital is concentrated in the petroleum industry, creating a risk of stranded investments as the global economy transitions away from fossil fuels.
• The nation's human capital has experienced a decline in global rankings, dropping from 35th place in 2009 to 46th place in 2018 according to World Bank data.
• Despite attempts to establish a sovereign wealth fund, the country's financial capital provides a minimal contribution to its total comprehensive wealth.
• Overreliance on oil and gas has led to excessive investment in the petroleum sector, resulting in the neglect of other non-oil sectors such as forestry, fisheries, and agriculture.

APA

Smith,, G. S. B. A. B. J. P. (2024). Comprehensive Wealth in Trinidad and Tobago. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/comprehensive-wealth-trinidad-and-tobago

Chicago

Smith,, Godfrey St. Bernard,Semone Armorgan,Livia Bizikova,Shari Johnson,Lavaughn Pritchard,Robert. Comprehensive Wealth in Trinidad and Tobago. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/comprehensive-wealth-trinidad-and-tobago.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Smith, |first1=Godfrey St. Bernard,Semone Armorgan,Livia Bizikova,Shari Johnson,Lavaughn Pritchard,Robert |title=Comprehensive Wealth in Trinidad and Tobago |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=17 May 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/comprehensive-wealth-trinidad-and-tobago |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{smith2024comprehensive, author = {Smith,, Godfrey St. Bernard,Semone Armorgan,Livia Bizikova,Shari Johnson,Lavaughn Pritchard,Robert}, title = {{Comprehensive Wealth in Trinidad and Tobago}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/comprehensive-wealth-trinidad-and-tobago}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }