KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Matthew Samuda, says the protection of wetlands is critical to achieving the country’s long-term development goals under Vision 2030.

Speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank, Minister Samuda explained that wetlands play a direct role in advancing several of Jamaica’s national outcomes under Vision 2030, including climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, water security and biodiversity conservation.

“Vision 2030 contemplates a healthy environment for all Jamaicans to live in and enjoy. Our wetlands are a critical part of that environment, supporting livelihoods, protecting communities, and ensuring that development takes place in harmony with nature,” he said.

The minister noted that wetlands contribute to outcome 13 of Vision 2030 (Sustainable Management and Use of Environmental and Natural Resources) and are also tied to national goals for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

“Every community that benefits from fisheries, tourism, or agriculture in or near a wetland is part of our development framework. When we protect those ecosystems, we are safeguarding jobs, food security, and resilience,  all of which are pillars of Vision 2030,” he said.

Continuing, he added that ecosystem-based adaptation is also a cost-effective strategy compared to engineered alternatives, pointing to the protection that wetlands provide from flooding and storm surge that would be extremely expensive to replicate through infrastructure.

“That’s why ecosystem protection must be viewed as a development investment, not just an environmental exercise,” he explained.

Samuda further underscored that Vision 2030 cannot be achieved without community participation, as environmental protection depends on public awareness and collective responsibility.

“The only way to achieve a culture of environmental care is to work with local communities, schools, and service clubs,” he said, calling for greater environmental education at all levels.

Providing technical context, Manager of the Ecosystems Management Branch at the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Monique Curtis, noted that Jamaica’s obligations under the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) are also aligned with Vision 2030’s targets for ecosystem health and resilience.

In this, she explained that wetlands, such as the Black River Lower Morass and the Portland Bight Wetlands and Cays, directly support national development by sustaining livelihoods in fisheries, agriculture and ecotourism, while maintaining water quality and carbon storage.

“These sites are not just environmental assets, they’re development assets and when we restore and manage them wisely, we are strengthening our natural capital, which is a key part of Jamaica’s sustainable growth pathway,” Curtis informed.

She added that ongoing restoration activities, supported by NEPA and the Forestry Department, are designed to enhance Jamaica’s natural resource base, a core Vision 2030 strategy area.

As Jamaica joins the global community in observing World Wetlands Day 2026, today (February 2), under the theme ‘Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage’, individuals are being reminded that protecting wetlands is not only about conservation but also about building a secure, prosperous, and sustainable future for all Jamaicans.

— JIS