JAMAICANS will have the opportunity to engage with innovative climate solutions when the JPS Foundation hosts its second Climate Action Conference and Expo on Thursday at the AC Hotel Kingston.

To be held under the theme ‘Road to Resilience’ the free, one-day conference will bring together leaders from Government, private sector, academia, and civil society, alongside students and innovators, to explore actionable strategies in three critical areas of national importance: energy, disaster preparedness, and food security.

According to Sophia Lewis, head of the JPS Foundation, the event will be a vehicle to move the climate conversation beyond awareness to implementation.

“Having experienced Hurricane Melissa [last October], and as we prepare for far more unstable climate activity, these conversations become even more necessary. The event will showcase how innovation, education, and cross-sector collaboration can help Jamaica better prepare for and respond to climate-related challenges including hurricanes, flooding, and drought,” said Lewis.

She pointed out that a central feature of the event will be the Sustainability City — an immersive, interactive exhibition that will bring climate solutions to life through themed zones focused on energy resilience, disaster risk reduction, and food security.

“Attendees will be able to experience technologies and innovations in action, bridging the gap between complex climate issues and practical, everyday solutions,” added Lewis.

The conference will also host the final of the EcoSpark Innovation Challenge, a national competition developed by the JPS Foundation in partnership with the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.

Competing for prizes valued at more than $1.2 million, the finalists — drawn from the JPS Foundation’s Power Up Energy Club schools and other secondary schools across the island -— will present bold, student-led solutions to environmental challenges, underscoring the critical role of youth in shaping Jamaica’s climate future.

Lewis emphasised that the innovation challenge is rooted in the organisation’s broader commitment to national development and resilience-building.

“Building climate resilience is not optional for Jamaica. It is essential to protecting our people, our infrastructure, and our economic future. As a foundation we are intentional about creating platforms like this that not only raise awareness but equip people with the knowledge and tools to take meaningful action,” declared Lewis.