KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, is expected to address a virtual Climate Change, Sustainability and Innovation Water Summit to be hosted by the Jamaica National (JN) Foundation from May 13 to 14.

To be held under the theme ‘Water is Life’, the two-day event will explore matters related to water availability and housing, water and policy, water as a commodity, urban development, water security, and food security and the Caribbean.

It will showcase entrepreneurship in climate resilience, support the uptake of water efficiency measures in the Jamaican housing sector, and seek to obtain commitment from the Government to maintain focus and action water conservation strategies.

Speaking at the virtual launch of the event on Wednesday (April 28), Chairman of the JN Foundation, Parris A Lyew-Ayee, said the summit will focus on practical solutions for the country’s long-standing challenges in the water sector for the benefit of the Jamaican people.

“We hope that our water summit will get the conversation started  and will be the catalyst to launch tangible action to make our country more climate resilient, and in particular, bring about sustainable water resources availability for socio-economic development,” he said.

In his remarks at the launch, Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Pearnel Charles Jr, said he is “100 per cent” in support of the summit “because the discussion on climate action is an essential one”.

“The deliberations will provide an essential platform for us to talk, think and, above all, act to realise the challenges but to seize the opportunities that climate change can bring,” he said.

Minister Charles Jr praised the JN Group for the work it continues to do in championing the cause of climate action, particularly through its Water Project Jamaica, which seeks to promote the efficient use of water in Jamaican households and to increase climate-resilient housing across the country.

He implored the JN Group to continue on this path of “leading by example” by enlisting every staff member as an ambassador and advocate for climate action.

“Make sure that every single customer that interacts with you, every partner, whoever… is cleaning… everyone that steps through your door must become an advocate and a partner with a new mindset and thinking towards these issues,” he said.

The summit is being staged with the overall guidance and funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

— JIS