Tyrell Gittens is a geographer, environmentalist, and journalist from Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a BSc in Geography and Environmental Management and an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development, both from the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus. Tyrell has been a journalist since the age of 19, with over 650 published articles in Trinidad and Tobago’s national newspapers and as a freelance writer for UWI Today Magazine.
As the Project Coordinator and Editor of The Cropper Foundation’s Cari-Bois Environmental News Network, Tyrell leads initiatives to develop citizen journalists and publish environmental news across the Caribbean. Under his leadership, Cari-Bois has published over 70 environmental articles and several mini-documentaries from seven Caribbean countries since its relaunch in 2023. The platform also hosts webinars on biodiversity and climate change.
In 2022, Tyrell represented youth at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) and reported on the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) with Climate Tracker.
Academic / Professional Background
Tyrell Gittens is a geographer, environmentalist, and journalist from Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a BSc in Geography and Environmental Management and an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development, both from the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus. Tyrell began his journalism career at 19 and has published over 650 articles in all three of Trinidad and Tobago’s national newspapers. He currently serves as the Project Coordinator and Editor of The Cropper Foundation’s Cari-Bois Environmental News Network and is a freelance writer for UWI Today Magazine.
Climate Justice Journey
Tyrell’s climate justice journey is rooted in his passion for environmental conservation and advocacy. As a young environmentalist, he has focused on using journalism as a tool to highlight environmental issues and advocate for sustainable practices across the Caribbean. His involvement in environmental reporting and his role in training citizen journalists have been instrumental in raising awareness about climate change and other environmental challenges in the region.
Projects and Initiatives
As the Project Coordinator and Editor of the Cari-Bois Environmental News Network, Tyrell has led several significant initiatives. From 2020 to 2022, the project published over 120 articles focused on environmental issues in Trinidad and Tobago. Since its relaunch in January 2023, Tyrell has overseen the publication of more than 70 environmental articles and several mini-documentaries from seven Caribbean countries. He also launched the Youth Journalism Project and the “Climate Breakdown” and “State of the Environment” webinar series, expanding the network’s reach and impact across the Caribbean.
Awards and Recognition
Tyrell was a youth delegate at the 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) and virtually reported on the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) with Climate Tracker. His leadership at Cari-Bois has significantly increased the platform’s visibility, with its articles receiving over 16,000 reads and its social media content gaining over 120,000 views in 2023 alone. The platform’s Facebook page also reached a peak engagement of over 260,000 accounts that year, further solidifying Tyrell’s contributions to environmental journalism in the Caribbean.
