KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) says it has submitted updated recommendations on the proposed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations for Jamaica and is calling for urgent action to finalise the regulatory framework that has been under development for over a decade.

“This submission is about moving the needle forward on a process that has been delayed for far too long,” said Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, chief executive officer of JET in a press release. “We felt it was important to take this step now to consolidate recommendations, respond to gaps in the current system, and provide practical draft regulatory language that can support the finalisation of the regulations.”

Rodriguez-Moodie further stressed that the absence of binding EIA regulations continues to create uncertainty in environmental decision-making and results in inconsistent and non-binding public participation in projects with potentially significant impacts.

Environmental Impact Assessments are a critical component of Jamaica’s environmental governance system, providing the primary mechanism for evaluating the environmental, social, economic, and public health impacts of proposed development projects before approval.

“Jamaica does not yet have EIA Regulations, despite long-standing provisions under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act (1991), which provides for the use of EIAs as part of the environmental permitting process. Under the current framework, the requirement for an EIA is largely at the discretion of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), contributing to variability in how and when EIAs are applied,” JET said.

JET first submitted recommendations on the EIA Regulations in 2011. The organisation said with limited progress following this submission, the issue was subsequently included in Jamaica’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan for the 2021–2023 cycle.

It said the commitment to finalise the EIA Regulations was then carried forward into the 2024–2026 cycle, but progress has been limited.

JET is therefore calling for renewed urgency in advancing the process.

The updated submission builds on JET’s 2011 recommendations and incorporates input from civil society organisations, academics and EIA practitioners. It also provides suggested draft regulatory language across key areas of the EIA process, including screening procedures, public participation, consultant independence, compliance and enforcement, and rights of appeal.

The organisation has submitted the document to the Office of the Prime Minister, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development as part of its efforts to support coordinated progress.