THE push to save Jamaica’s mangroves has received a significant boost with a new partnership between Caribbean Cement Company and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

The two entities on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) under the Adopt-a-Mangrove Project to help protect and sustain Jamaica’s green economy.“We want to be apart of the solution, not the problem,” said managing director of Carib Cement Jorge Martinez as he addressed the official signing of the MOU at the Carib Cement Sports Club.

Martinez explained that the project is aimed at conserving and restoring the mangroves at Gallows Point, located within the Palisadoes-Port Royal Protected Area (PPRPA). He announced that Carib Cement will be committing an initial $4.5 million towards the project as this investment aligns with company’s objective of becoming a net zero CO2 company —an entity that produces net neutral greenhouse emissions overall when it does business — by 2050.

“Today’s signing represents a significant milestone for Caribbean Cement, as we continue to build on our commitment to environmental sustainability through our flagship programme, Future in Action (FIA). At its core, Future in Action focuses on three main areas: climate action, circularity and natural resource management. Within this framework, we are working across six key pillars: sustainable products and solutions, decarbonising our operations, circular economy, water, biodiversity, air quality management, fostering innovation and promoting a green economy,” said Martinez. He announced that a key part of this project is the implementation of floating concrete at Mangrove Islet One in the Palisadoes-Port Royal Protected Area.

“This floating concrete will serve as seed carriers, helping to protect the mangroves as they mature. The unique design allows the mangrove roots to break through the concrete, ensuring their establishment,” said Martinez as he explained the technology which was developed by Carib Cement’s parent company Cemex Research and Development Division in Switzerland.

“This solution also tackles the issue of plastic intrusion, which has been one of the significant threats to the longevity of mangrove ecosystems [and] through our partnership with Clean Harbours Jamaica, we aim, in 2025, to also co-process plastics captured from the harbour,” Martinez added.

According to Martinez, the project is a perfect fit for the company’s vision under its FIA initiative to promote the its focus on protecting water, biodiversity, and air quality.“By encouraging private sector stakeholders and other partners to contribute to the restoration of our mangroves, this initiative directly supports the preservation of vital ecosystems that are crucial for both environmental health, and the resilience of our communities,” declared Martinez.The Carib Cement head said this project, which is part of the company’s FIA initiative, aligns with other efforts it has led.

These include using end-of-life pneumatic tyres from the Riverton City dump, establishing a community garden in Bull Bay, reforesting a decommissioned gypsum quarry with more than 900 trees, and co-processing waste collected from beach clean-ups along the Palisadoes strip.

In the meantime, chief executive officer of NEPA Leonard Francis said that agreement with Carib Cement will play a key part in enhancing the country’s resilience to natural hazards and ultimately reduce economic stress.Francis emphasised the importance of preserving critical ecosystems, particularly the PPRPA which was designated on September 18, 1998, and spans 7,523 hectares. The wetlands within the PPRPA were officially recognised as Jamaica’s second Ramsar site under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance on April 22, 2005.

“This area is a key feature of our landscape as it forms part of the gateway into our beloved city of Kingston,” said Francis as he noted that the MOU with Carib Cement supports other ongoing efforts to preserve Jamaica’s wetlands.

In his presentation during the signing of the MOU, director of the Environmental Management and Conservation Division at NEPA Anthony McKenzie underscored the importance of mangrove conservation, stressing that protecting coastal ecosystems is a shared responsibility.“Mangroves play a critical role in protecting coastal communities, enhancing biodiversity and mitigating the effects of climate change. This initiative reflects the values we all hold dare, environmental stewardship, collaboration, proactive action in the face of global challenges.

“Together we are sending a clear message that protecting our ecosystems is a responsibility that we all share and it is only through collective efforts like these that we will pave the way for a greener and more resilient future,” said McKenzie.