A United Nations (UN) official has urged the Jamaican Government to carefully consider the key policy actions recommended in a just-released study showing that the island could generate up to 8,000 new jobs and nearly one per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth by transitioning to a green economic model.

The policy actions for social dialogue and social protection, skills training, green enterprise development and entrepreneurship, and fiscal policy reform basically lay the foundation for a just and equitable transition process that leaves no one behind.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Dr Kishan Khoday called for a review and consultation of the study which projected that most of the jobs
— an estimated 3,500 — “will be needed in service, sales and clerical support, accounting for almost half of the total employment increase”.

A news release from the local UNDP office did not state over what period the growth in jobs and gross national product could be achieved; however, it said the study estimates an $11.7 billion increase in investment expenditures, tied to faithful implementation of Jamaica’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

The green growth model also projects that imports could decline by approximately $14.3 billion in 2037 if Jamaica electrifies road transport leading to decreased demand for liquid transport fuels.

The study, supported by the UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica and the International Labour Organization (ILO) Caribbean Office, also anticipated increased household disposable income, assuming increasing reliance on sectors using cheaper renewables, including the transport sector.

“As a result, by 2037, the total household final consumption is $4.8 billion or 0.2 per cent, higher than the current baseline,” the report forecasts.

The UNDP said the study explains that social protection will be necessary to help workers who face job restructuring and households negatively impacted by the energy transition, while green tech and climate smart practices must be integrated into skills training output and curricula to satisfy increasing demand for STEM and green service sector jobs.

“Green enterprise development and green entrepreneurship are also recommended to support diversification of the economy, and fiscal policy reform is proposed as key to driving the economic restructuring process,” the UNDP stated.

Additionally, the study proposes a fiscal neutral and progressive fossil fuel or carbon tax which would recycle and redirect revenues from richer households to the less well-off.

It also calls for revenue from the carbon and energy taxes to be directed to a just transition fund to finance skills training, green tech investment and social protection for negatively impacted workers and households. The study further recommends that this progressive tax should be coupled with reduced labour taxes.

Dr Khoday called on the Government to advance social dialogue on the Green Economic Growth Model report through stakeholder consultations with private sector, civil society, academia, and vulnerable communities.

He said as Jamaica considers advancing its plans for a climate-resilient economy, the nation must ensure the transition leaves no vulnerable community behind. “This requires adequate consultations, resources, and programmatic alignment to secure full participation and benefits in the green economy,” he explained.

“Pursuing a green economic model is not just a strategic choice for Jamaica as a small island developing state (SIDS) — it is an imperative for survival, resilience, and inclusive prosperity,” he said.

Dr Khoday said a green economic model not only reduces climate vulnerability and exposure but creates new jobs and livelihoods while diversifying the economy.

“The green economic model is a platform on which countries can reduce reliance on fossil fuels, attract innovative investments, and foster community participation and empowerment” he stated.

Marissa Sheppard, ILO Caribbean Office just transition officer, said Jamaica now has the tools, partnerships, and evidence to lead the way towards a just transition, but deliberate action is also needed to ensure that opportunities generated by a green economy reach those most in need.

“The connection between data and policy action is what will transform this research into real change for working families in Jamaica,” she said. “We have shown with the right partnerships, quality data, and commitment to social dialogue that we can create a future where climate action and decent work go hand in hand,” Sheppard stated.

Omar Alcock, acting principal director, Climate Change Division, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, said insights from the study will help ensure that the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy supports decent work, social protection and economic opportunity regardless of gender grouping or vulnerability.

He said the study, which includes a green jobs assessment, can play a critical role in reducing unemployment and promoting social inclusion by promoting non-traditional green jobs.

Jamaica, he argued, must shift its long-term investments from conventional to green alternatives to avoid locking in less-efficient carbon intensive technologies for decades to come.

“I welcome this study which will undoubtedly provide us with the necessary concrete tools to guide policy decision with the aim of supporting green investments and job,” he stated.

The Green Economic Growth Model was supported under UNDP’s Climate Promise Pledge to Impact Programme, which has supported more than 120 countries to enhance and implement NDCs under the Paris Agreement.

From Pledge to Impact is supported by the governments of Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Iceland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and other UNDP core contributors.

The study was recently handed over to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

KHODAY… as Jamaica considers advancing its plans for a climate-resilient economy, the nation must ensure the transition leaves no vulnerable community behind