The Government is partnering with the Caribbean Cement Company to remove between 1.5 and two million tyres from the Riverton City landfill. This will be initially facilitated under a pilot project expected to last 40 days and, thereafter, fully rolled out over time. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed at Jamaica House on Monday (July 22) to undertake the...

The Government is taking steps to protect and preserve the country’s forest cover, through the launch of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Readiness Preparation Project. The initiative is being implemented by the Forestry Department through US$613,000 in support from the Green Climate Fund. It is the first step in the development of a REDD+ programme, which...

Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited is exploring several strategies to prevent an outbreak of fire at the Retirement disposal site in St. James. Fire broke out at the disposal site on May 18, with smoke affecting sections of the parish as well as neighbouring Hanover. Speaking at a recent meeting in Montego Bay, WPM’s Acting Regional Operations...

The National Land Agency (NLA) and Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will facilitate hydrographic surveys of the seabed in the country’s territorial waters. This exercise will be conducted using a vessel from the JDF Coast Guard’s fleet. The agreement will be executed under the auspices of the National Hydrographic Committee (NHC), which is...

Defending champion, Holland Primary School in St. Elizabeth has copped the 2019 Schools Environment Programme (SEP) research competition. The school, with its research topic ‘Marine/Coastal Ecosystems’, with a focus on wetlands and their importance to the natural environment, was announced the winner during the SEP Research Day and Awards Ceremony, held on Wednesday (June 12), at The Knutsford Court Hotel...

Chief Executive Officer, National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Peter Knight, says public acceptance and support for the Government’s ban on single use plastic bags, straws and polystyrene (Styrofoam), remains high. “The acceptance has been great. We have seen remarkable behaviour and attitude changes among members of the population,” he said, while addressing the ‘Let’s Talk Environment and Planning’ panel...

Jamaica’s climate change mitigation efforts have been boosted bya US$613,000 provision from the Green Climate Fund(GCF) Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Readiness Support and Preparatory Grant facility. This, according to Forestry Department Public Education Officer, Nasheji-Gaye Elliott,is expected to significantly bolster the country’s preparations towards achieving REDD+ readiness over the next 28 months. “We look forward to...