MINISTER of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change Pearnel Charles Jr says that Jamaica is well advanced in its preparations for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

The minister noted that he recently participated in a high-level ministerial meeting in London “which helped to prepare us to ventilate important discussions, which will ensure that the country’s meetings at COP26 in November are successful and effective”.

The high-level meeting, held over two days, was convened by president-designate of COP26, Alok Sharma.

“I believe that these meetings were very useful to help Jamaica. They gave Jamaica and small island developing states like Jamaica an opportunity to place squarely on the table issues that affect us relating to climate change vulnerability, climate change financing, loss and damage due to climate change, adaptation, mitigation, and implementation of climate change plans,” Minister Charles Jr said.

He was speaking during a virtual JIS think tank on Tuesday.

The UK will host COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, from November 1-12.

The global summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

During COP26, Jamaica will join other participating countries in finalising the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational) and accelerate actions to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses ,and civil society.

Principal director in the Climate Change Division of the ministry, UnaMay Gordon, who also addressed the think tank, said that meetings such as COP26 “are important for Jamaica, especially since the country is a signatory to the Paris Agreement”.

“The negotiations conducted at these events affect everyone who lives, works, and wishes to do business in Jamaica, so the country must be well represented at these high-level meetings,” she noted.

She said that as the ministry prepares for COP26 “we will be continuously engaging stakeholders and we ask that they note the importance of the world summit”.