For many who have never even so much as boarded a plane or a ship, the shivering effect of the recent cold front was by no means new.

Older Jamaicans especially, can recall occasions in the past when they have had to shuffle through wardrobes and dive into old trunks to find thick woollen sweaters and the like. Yet, even they — some in traditionally very hot places in this country — will struggle to recall a time when temperatures fell as low, and for as long, as was the case recently.

Yet, we now hear from scientist Mr Luke Buchanan that the cool won’t be sustained. In fact, he tells us that, in line with growing climate extremes, we shouldn’t be surprised if the upcoming summer months [mid-year] turn out to be even hotter than we are accustomed.

“For the period 2026 to 2030, projections indicate there is an 86 per cent chance that at least one year during that period could exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial (early 19th century) temperatures,” Mr Buchanan told our reporter.

For Jamaica that could mean “more intense heat” than we have experienced previously, Mr Buchanan, who is executive director of The University of the West Indies, Mona GeoInformatics Institute, said.

Heat apart, he reiterated the message we have become accustomed to hearing that climate extremes lead to higher likelihood of stronger hurricanes, such as Jamaicans experienced with Melissa. Related challenges include “… heavier rainfall, sea-level rise, more coral reef loss, more droughts, negative impacts on economic and social development”.

And, we are reminded that one simple way to do our bit in combating global warming is to plant trees which, we are told, help immeasurably in keeping our air clean by absorbing harmful carbons largely created by human industrial activity, especially with the use of fossil fuels. The direct economic benefits of trees for food and as lumber for construction and so forth are obvious enough.

But we are often also reminded by environmental scientists that trees are crucial for the preservation of our watersheds, minimising flooding, and preventing soil loss. The effect of flooding with water rushing from denuded hillsides was there for all to see as a result of the heavy rains that accompanied Hurricane Melissa in late October. Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, for example suffered extensive damage as flood waters cascaded from steep tree-stripped slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

In far-flung regions of the globe, including China and Africa, huge tree planting projects are ongoing to protect against and minimise nature-based calamities as diverse as flooding and desertification.

Hence our applause for the Forestry Department which, we were told late last year, is intent on major tree planting in western Jamaica, post-Melissa.

Regarding the gathering heat in urban centres such as Kingston, Mr Buchanan speaks of breaking up “concrete developments” with interspersed tree planting.

“That has been very successful in several parts of the world, and we want to bring that to Jamaica to kind of manage warmer temperatures,” he said.

A challenge for planners with a caring eye for the environment is the offhand manner with which many Jamaicans treat with trees. It’s not unusual to see estate developers removing trees without a thought to their replacement.

In time, perhaps, that mindset will change with targeted public education, most importantly in our schools.