The final in a series of public consultations on the Draft Water Sector Policy and implementation plans will be held on Wednesday, April 30, at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The draft Policy and plans for implementation are intended to provide a guide to the work taking place in the Ministry, and will clearly show...

A sum of $23.5 million has been budgeted in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before Parliament’s Standing Finance Committee, to continue implementation of Phase Two of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCRII) by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), this year. The allocation will provide funding for a Programme Preparation Grant (PPG), and implementation of the first of...

The Government has allotted $6 million to the hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) Phase out Management Plan Implementation Project, in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure. The proposed budget is now before the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives. The project seeks to freeze importation of HCFCs at 2009 and 2010 average import levels (baseline consumption) and reduce baseline consumption by...

Activities under the National Quick Start Programme Trust Fund Project will be bolstered this financial year, following a $7.5 million injection in the initiative. This is contained in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Formerly known as the Globally Harmonized System of the Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, the project is being implemented by the...

Efforts to shore up the country’s integrated management of the Yallahs/Hope River watershed management area have been bolstered with the injection of $12.4 million. The undertaking, being implemented by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), aims to reduce the pressure on natural resources in the Yallahs River and Hope River Watershed of the Blue Mountains, by increasing the practice...

The Government has set aside $13.4 million to assist with the preparation of its Third National Communication (TNC) and First Biennial Update Report (BUR), to implement obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). As outlined in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives, the funds will be used to engage a project...

The programmes under the Jamaica Rural Economy and Ecosystems Adapting to Climate Change (Ja REEACH) have been given a $30 million boost this fiscal year. The project seeks to enhance the biodiversity conservation of the Stephney-John’s Vale Forest Reserve, through the planting and establishment of 200 hectares of forested lands within the Rio Bueno Watershed Management Unit (WMU). As contained...

Just over $46 million has been allocated to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to strengthen the operational and financial sustainability of Jamaica’s system of protected areas. As contained in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives, the project is being jointly funded by the Government of Jamaica and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and is...

The Government has allocated $14.3 million in the 2014/2015 Budget to protect a number of coastal communities in Negril from flooding and other natural disasters. The project, to be managed by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), will enable persons to protect their livelihoods and food security, as improvement to land and water for the agricultural sector will be done,...