KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesperson on Urban Renewal and Redevelopment, Dennis Gordon, is urging authorities to adopt a comprehensive, climate-smart approach to urban planning and infrastructure management across the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA) amid growing concerns about the city’s vulnerability to extreme weather events.

According to Gordon, recent flooding incidents have exposed weaknesses in Kingston’s drainage and physical infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need for systems that integrate climate resilience, environmental sustainability and nature-based solutions.

“There is an urgent need to examine the extent to which increasing development in the KMA is impacting our physical infrastructure and to apply climate-resilient, nature-based solutions to improve and sustain that infrastructure, given our position as a small island developing state (SIDS) in the Caribbean,” Gordon said.

He argued that unchecked urban development has placed significant pressure on drainage networks, roadways and waste systems, resulting in more frequent and severe flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. Sustainable urban growth requires a shift away from reactive maintenance toward proactive, climate-conscious planning, he said.

Citing Jamaica’s ICTU Final Report (NDC 3.0) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Gordon pointed out that the country’s exposure to rising temperatures, increased rainfall and sea-level rise demands ecosystem-based and climate-resilient approaches in both national and municipal planning.

“The science is clear, our infrastructure must work with nature, not against it,” he emphasised. “Green corridors, permeable surfaces and urban wetlands are not luxuries; they are necessities for a sustainable Kingston.”

Gordon also called for stronger coordination between the National Works Agency (NWA), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and local authorities to develop a unified planning framework that prioritises long-term resilience over short-term fixes.

He stressed that effective urban planning must be grounded in transparency, public participation and environmental responsibility, arguing that modern cities thrive when infrastructure investment is guided by science and sustainability rather than political expediency.

“Proper planning is not an option, it is a national necessity,” Gordon said. “We must build a Jamaica that can withstand the pressures of climate change, protect its citizens and grow sustainably. Our future depends on it.”