Jamaica Continues To Lead In Climate Action

With the recent publication of the sixth United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report, Environment Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has shared that Jamaica continues to play its part in climate action.

The recent report from the IPCC has sent a global warning that countries must act with urgency to mitigate the impact of climate change as global temperatures continue to rise.

Minister Charles notes that Jamaica, for some time, has been acting with alacrity as it pertains to tackling the issue of climate change.

“Jamaica, a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), continues to consistently play its role in the mitigation and adaptation of climate change, locally and globally. Being a member of the IPCC, Jamaica, through the Ministry of Housing, Urban, Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, where necessary, provides supporting material and information needed to assist the IPCC working groups to create similar reports,” the Minister, who also has the responsibility for Housing, Urban Renewal and Climate Change, tells JIS News.

The IPCC, with 195 members, including Jamaica, is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change and providing policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impact and future risks. The IPCC also provides options for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

To date, the country, represented by government officials, including the Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has attended several international meetings and summits. These high-level meetings served to highlight issues affecting SIDS relating to climate change vulnerability, financing climate action, loss and damages due to climate change and the adaptation, mitigation, and implementation of climate change policies and programmes.

The next big climate change calendar event for Jamaica will be the United Nations 26th Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26) to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, November 1 to 12. At COP26, 190 countries will update their plans for reducing emissions to come close to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees as stipulated by the Paris Agreement and actioned through the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Partnership.

“Having the privilege of being co-chair of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Partnership along with COP26 President-Designate, Hon. Alok Sharma, Climate Action for not just Jamaica but other SIDS remains of paramount importance to me. The NDC Partnership works directly with national governments, international institutions, civil society, researchers, and the private sector to fast-track climate and development action through engagements, shared knowledge and providing access to climate finance,” Minister Charles notes.

He further explained that the NDC forms part of the World Resources Institute and is a global initiative to help countries achieve their national climate commitments and to ensure financial and technical assistance is delivered as efficiently as possible.

“The Government has proven its commitment to climate change by not only participating and contributing to the global conversation but by taking steps to ensure that it is held accountable for the country’s efforts towards climate action,” the minister says.

In July 2020, Jamaica became the first Caribbean country to submit a stricter climate plan to the United Nations under the Paris Agreement, by adding targets for forestry and stepping up limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Worldwide, Jamaica is the 11th nation to submit an updated plan, or Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), at the five-year milestone of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“Jamaica has enhanced its NDC to target a 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. although the country is not considered a large emitter of greenhouse gases, this decision was taken because the impacts of climate change are far-reaching, especially for SIDS, which depend heavily on coastal capital,” the minister explains.

According to a study conducted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Jamaica contributes approximately .02 % of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the energy sector being the largest source.

Minister Charles shares that the Government plans to achieve the country’s new NDC target through community-based projects on climate resilience in the fisheries sector and through integrating watershed management, among other environmental policies and programmes that support low-carbon and climate-resilient development.

“We know the areas of focus as it pertains to climate action in Jamaica, that is why the Government saw it fit in previous years to dedicate a division and ministry to climate change along with the implementation of the Climate Change Policy Framework. In fact, the Climate Change Division led by Ms. Una-May Gordon, is the National Designated Authority for the Green Climate Fund, the largest global fund dedicated to help fight climate change,” the minister highlights.

He explains that over the years the Government has examined the opportunities present for each industry to become more climate smart.

In 2009, Jamaica developed its 2030 National Energy Policy (NEP) to achieve a modern, efficient, diversified, and environmentally sustainable energy sector by 2030. As part of the policy, the Government will provide incentives for improving energy efficiency in power generation and bauxite/alumina production.

“The Government has been promoting energy efficiency in transportation and building construction. In 2017, Cabinet approved a pilot project to retrofit some Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses to use Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and the government has been actively exploring sustainable and eco-friendly housing solutions,” Minister Charles says.

He points out that LNG burns cleaner than gasolene or diesel and results in less air pollution and fewer greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere.

“As part of our climate action, the Government is working to modernise energy infrastructure, including energy-efficient power plants and distribution systems. This will increase the use of renewables, including solar, hydro, wind, and biofuels, in the energy mix to 20 per cent by 2030. Several private-sector companies have already lent their support to this cause by retrofitting their operations to be eco-friendly and climate smart,” the minister relays.

“The Wigton Windfarm Limited, a subsidiary of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), is the largest wind energy facility in the English-speaking Caribbean. The company’s operations contribute to efforts to preserve the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change,” he highlights.

Minister Charles reports that the country’s approach to climate change is integrated, as each ministry has been playing its part and the country has received tremendous support from foreign bodies and states.

“The Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology completed the National Electric Mobility Strategic Framework, a project they worked closely with USAID to actualise. The framework will inform the electric vehicle policy for the public transportation sector. Several hospitals were also retrofitted by MSET to be energy efficient/climate-smart,” he explains to JIS News.

Another government agency heavily vested in climate action is the Forestry Department with several programmes geared at climate change mitigation through reforestation. The Department manages State-owned forested areas, which amount to approximately 25 per cent of Jamaica’s forest cover, with a focus on maintaining forest cover and carrying out reforestation activities.

“Forestry is one of the most affordable ways to mitigate the effects of climate change, because of the role trees play in the carbon cycle. Trees and other plants act as carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon dioxide, which helps to stabilise the climate. Two important programmes of the Forestry Department geared at leveraging the benefits of trees are the ‘Adopt-A Hillside’ Programme which saw 12,000 trees being planted – with the assistance of several partners; and the National Tree Planting Programme which has seen over 600,000 trees planted, so far, with a target of three million trees to be planted within three years,” Minister Charles says.

He highlights that proper waste management was another area of concern for the Government, and partly led to the ban on single-use plastics imposed in 2018 and launch of a plastic bottle deposit refund scheme.

The Government this year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCCL) for the entity to use end-of-life pneumatic tyres in the cement-production process. Under the arrangement, CCCL will convert used tyres at the landfills into an alternative source of fuel, thereby reducing costs and making a positive impact on the environment.

The Environment and Climate Change Minister reiterates that addressing climate change requires a whole-of-country approach and as a result, the Government has ramped up public education on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Climate Change Information, Education and Communications Campaign was born out of this effort and aims to educate the public on the link between the impact of climate events on livelihoods, in support of adaptation sensitisation and activities in subsectors.

“We want citizens to be mindful of climate change and make climate-smart decisions because the effects of the earth rapidly heating has implications for everyone. The Government continues to play its part and is imploring citizens to do the same by incorporating eco-friendly practices in their daily lives. Together, government and citizens can build a resilient Jamaica,” Minister Charles says.