MINISTER with responsibility for climate change Matthew Samuda has welcomed recent audits of the Government’s response to this global environmental challenge by Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis.

“I take note of the recently tabled auditor general’s reports and I do not have a challenge with audits. Audits are particularly important if you are to identify weaknesses and identify gaps that need to be solved in a very short period,” said Samuda while addressing the start of consultations on Jamaica’s climate change framework legislation last Thursday.

“Audits are what they are, and I take this one as nothing more than a regular audit,” added Samuda as he pointed out that work on climate change legislation is ongoing, with support from the Government of the United Kingdom.

He pointed to the summary of the auditor general’s report titled Plans and Assessment of Jamaica’s Climate Response, which stated that: “While foundational policies, plans, and partnerships were in place, implementation and accountability mechanisms needed to be strengthened. Enhanced data management, stakeholder inclusion, capacity building, and the development of sector-specific financing strategies will be critical in accelerating progress toward climate resilience…”

According to Samuda, he has no objection to this finding, despite its indication that more needs to be done.

“There are things which Jamaica has led the developing world on as it relates to its approach to climate change. That is impatient of debate. Jamaica’s role in managing climate change has been acknowledged by lofty offices, no less than the UN Secretary General,” said Samuda as he pointed to international bodies on climate change to which Jamaica has been nominated or elected.

He announced that Jamaica will officially complete its first climate change framework legislation later this year, and positioned the legislation as the “anchor” for the country’s international climate leadership, transitioning the nation’s response from policy commitments to a comprehensive regulatory framework.

Samuda argued that despite leading the developing world in climate policy, Jamaica recognises that “policy never supersedes legislation”.

While acknowledging the challenges created by external factors, he stressed that Jamaica’s regulatory framework must reflect this reality.

In two reports tabled in Parliament last Tuesday, Monroe Ellis gave the Government a passing grade for its response to climate change but warned that more needs to be done.

“Jamaica has made meaningful progress in climate governance by aligning policies with global commitments, mobilising climate finance, and developing key strategies such as its Long-Term Emissions Reduction and Climate-Resilience Strategy and updated Nationally Determined Contributions.

“Institutional structures and budgeting frameworks increasingly reflected climate priorities. However, gaps remained, including the absence of dedicated climate legislation, weak coordination with local authorities, limited stakeholder engagement, and insufficient inclusion of vulnerable groups,” she said.

Monroe Ellis pointed out that the
Plans and Assessment of Jamaica’s Climate Response report — which provides findings of a ClimateScanner Assessment — was conducted as part of a global initiative led by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions in collaboration with its Working Group on Environmental Auditing.

According to the auditor general, “Climate monitoring and finance systems are evolving but lacked centralised, real time public access. Legislative oversight and stakeholder accountability are also improving but remained fragmented, and the judiciary has yet to engage in climate enforcement.

“Advancing enforceable legislation, strengthening institutional coordination — especially locally — enhancing inclusive engagement, and integrating monitoring and finance tracking systems are critical. These steps will boost transparency, build resilience, and support a low-carbon development path aligned with national and global goals.”

She pointed out that the objective of the ClimateScanner Assessment was to conduct a rapid, high-level review of national Government responses to climate change across three axes: Governance, public policies, and climate finance.

“Given Jamaica’s exposure to climate-related risks, particularly as a small island developing State, this assessment served as a strategic opportunity to benchmark national efforts and identify key areas for improvement. This report presents the findings of Jamaica’s ClimateScanner Assessment, offering a comprehensive snapshot of national progress across the three axes.

“The insights gained aim to support continuous improvement in building climate resilience, strengthen Jamaica’s contribution to global climate goals, and inform future audit engagements,” added Monroe Ellis, noting that the assessment also complemented the ongoing environmental audits being done by her office to identify implementation gaps and highlight good practices in the Government’s climate response.

In the second report tabled last Tuesday, dubbed Jamaica’s Progress Towards Implementation of Key Climate Change Adaptation Actions and Plans
, Monroe Ellis said, overall, the Government has made meaningful progress in establishing foundational elements for climate action, including policy direction, institutional arrangements, vulnerability risk assessments for five priority areas, and the mobilisation of grant funding for climate-resilient projects.

“However, the pace and effectiveness of implementation were insufficient to deliver the intended resilience outcomes. For instance, the climate change legislation remained outstanding, and mainstreaming of climate risk into sector plans and strategic business planning was slow, which limited the translation of assessed risks into funded measurable actions.

“Delays in procurement and staffing also hindered delivery of the National Adaptation Plan for Jamaica, and sub-national adaptation efforts were constrained despite approval for Green Climate Fund financing. Monitoring and reporting arrangements were also not sufficiently institutionalised,” said Monroe Ellis.