Cabinet to Get Document on Climate Change

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Audrey Sewell, received Jamaica’s 3rd National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, today (March 27), for submission to the Cabinet.

The National Communication highlights the activities that Parties have completed or are planning to complete in fulfilment of their obligations as Parties to the Convention.

Principal Director of the Climate Change Division, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Una May Gordon, handed over the document at a brief ceremony held at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Climate Change Division is the National Focal Point to the Climate Change Convention and has responsibility for the preparation of the document.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mrs. Sewell said the document will be made available to Jamaicans as soon as it is approved by the Cabinet.

“The acceptance of the third National Communication is an integral step in the process to obtain Cabinet’s consideration of this important report by the Minister with responsibility for Climate Change in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary noted that the document, a repository of useful climate change information, includes the most up-to-date inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2006 to 2012 as well as a profile of projected GHG emissions up to 2050.

Additionally, she said the document contains several assessments of Jamaica’s vulnerability and options for coping with the adverse impacts of climate change on several sectors, including water resources, agriculture, human health, coastal resources, human settlements and tourism.

“This information will be used by several individuals, including urban and rural planners, decision-makers, students, project developers, energy generators and a host of persons who rely on climate change information specific to Jamaica,” she noted.

The Permanent Secretary also revealed that Jamaica submitted the First Biennial Update Report in 2016, in association with its implementing partner, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jamaica.

In her remarks, Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP, Elsie Laurence-Chounoune, said it is important that all aspects of climate change be addressed, “given the impact of climate change on economic growth and poverty reduction.”

She said the UNDP had worked with personnel of the Climate Change Division to complete the publication of the 1st and 2nd National Communication.

“This is the third and we will continue to work on the fourth. We will continue to support the Government’s National Communication and other future endeavours,” she added.