KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Pearnel Charles, says Jamaica, like the rest of the world, is actively engaged in the development of plans and strategies geared towards a greener and more resilient recovery post COVID-19.  

Charles was speaking this morning, during a High-Level Panel Discussion on Climate Disruption, Biodiversity Loss and Nature Based Solutions hosted by the Government of the United Kingdom, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC). 

The virtual forum was held ahead of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15) and the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 26), which will be held later this year.

“These last two years have been particularly challenging, primarily for the most vulnerable amongst us.  However, this year, the global community, including the Caribbean Community (Caricom), is presented with a unique opportunity to restore the Earth by committing to ambitious 2030 and 2050 targets related to the conservation of our biological resources as well as enhancing our adaptative and mitigative capacities in response to the effects of climate change. These targets if achieved, can change the tide for lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the World,” said the minister.

According to the minister, an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach that requires the reinforcement of partnerships and networks at all levels, and the full and effective participation of all, leaving no one behind, is imperative in the quest to ensure that the common goals and objectives for the planet and its people are achieved. 

On the local front, Charles noted that Jamaica is focused on innovative approaches to minimising biodiversity loss and the promotion of nature-based solutions to climate change. In this regard, he said, the Government has placed emphasis on expanding the country’s protected areas network.

“We have declared new marine and terrestrial protected areas and are currently updating our National Protected Areas Policy and will be promulgating overarching legislation to govern protected areas as well as strengthening partnerships for protected areas management”.

The minister emphasised the need to intensify efforts at the national and regional levels to further empower and ‘bring onboard’ the private sector, including the small and medium enterprises, as well as the individual in the ‘whole of society’ approach to reducing biodiversity loss and reducing climate vulnerabilities of island states.

“We advocate for the mainstreaming of biodiversity values across all sectors and integrated in the assessments of environmental impacts. In this regard, we are also in the process of finalising our Green Economy Investment Strategy which will complement the National Investment Policy which is currently being developed”, the minister noted.

Charles said there must be clear synergies, linkages, and complementarity between and among the issues that will be negotiated and agreed on at COP 15 and COP 26.

“Failure to appreciate the interconnectivity between biodiversity and climate change will be a lost opportunity.  Increased levels of ambition by all countries are paramount going into COP15 and COP26.  Therefore, Caricom Member States must utilise all available platforms, regional and international, to not only highlight our vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change, but also to advocate for ecosystem-based adaptation as a major tool in the toolbox in reducing climate risks”, the minister added.

Charles gave Jamaica’s commitment to work collaboratively with countries within and outside of Caricom to pursue urgent, decisive, and sustained action on the ground to achieve the desired success.