Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, Minister Without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation,  today officially launched Jamaica’s Bush Fire Warning Index.

The launch of the Index, was the primary focus of World Meteorological Day activities undertaken by the Meteorological Services Division of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.

In his address, Minister Samuda noted that the Bush Fire Warning Index, which was developed by the Meteorological Service in association with the Jamaica Fire Brigade, will act as a predictive tool in the effort to better monitor high temperatures and the outbreak of bush fires across the island.

Minister Samuda stated that the Index is critical to the effort to prevent bush fires from destroying forests, farms and the livelihoods of families across the country, noting that there is a stark and unquestionable correlation between dry weather conditions, high temperatures and the breakout of bush fires islandwide. 

“In 2014, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority reported that over 1,600 hectares of land, valued US$8.33 million, were lost or damaged due to drought and fires, with more than 16,000 farmers affected”, the Minister said.

He added that these fires currently account for 63 percent of the total number of emergency calls to the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

The Jamaica Fire Brigade, has already benefitted from desktop computers that are assisting in the management of data regarding incidences of fires, handheld GPS units for proper geo-locating of wildfires, backpack sprayers and a vehicle mounted 200-gallon skid unit for extinguishing small bush fires.

The project, also includes the use of a Common Alerting Protocol, as well as a public awareness campaign that has been named Jamaicans Against Bushfires (JAB),

“These interventions are instrumental to our efforts to become climate resilient and to convert scientific knowledge into practical guidance for our climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, water, health and disaster mitigation”, the Minister said.

Minister Samuda commended the Met Service and its various partners, in particular the  Caribbean Development Bank, which was instrumental in providing the grant funding from the African Caribbean and Pacific-European Union-CDB Natural Disaster Risk Management Resources, and many others, for rising to the challenge, and urged them to continue their efforts to build capacity and implement additional climate services that translate into practical actions that will benefit all Jamaicans.

World Meteorological Day is  celebrated annually on March 23 each year, which is the anniversary of the coming into force of the Convention that established the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1950.  Jamaica became a member of the WMO in 1963 and joins with 193 other members to commemorate World Meteorological Day annually.

This year’s theme, “Early Warning and Early Action”, highlights the vital importance of hydrometeorological and climate information for disaster risk reduction, and the essential work being done by the WMO and the Meteorological Service in making this information available.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Senator the Honourable Matthew Samuda has stated that triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution can only be addressed with unity of purpose and collective bold action.

As such, Minister Samuda noted that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is uniquely positioned and has a crucial role to play to reinvigorate international cooperation and spur collective action.

Minister Samuda, was addressing representatives of Member States of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday March 4, 2022 during the special session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that body’s creation (UNEP@50).

In extending congratulations to UNEP on behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, the Minister lauded its efforts as “the major pillar of the UN Multilateral System’s case for society in harmony with nature”, adding that it has co-ordinated the worldwide effort to confront the planet’s biggest environmental challenges.

“For 50 years, UNEP has provided the necessary science-policy interface to allow for interdisciplinary exchanges, with the ultimate objective of enhancing decision-making on the global environment agenda” the Minister said, adding that there have been significant successes.

However, he argued that there have also been a number of critical targets that have been missed, that the global community had previously committed to, and suggested three (3) crucial actions as part of the process of transformation and renewal for the next 50 years.

“Firstly, there must be all inclusive representation, including strong engagement from highly vulnerable  economies.  Engagement processes, particularly at the national and local levels, have proven to be inadequate to meet the goals originally established for the organization. Secondly, there is need to simplify funding mechanisms that target scaled- up interventions at the regional and sub-regional levels.     This modality requires the strengthening of existing regional coordinating bodies such as the UNEP Sub-regional office for the Caribbean; and the UNEP Caribbean Environment Programmes Regional Coordination Unit (CAR RCU), Secretariat to the Cartagena Convention.  

“Jamaica hosts both entities which have played a significant role in regional environmental governance,  but could be more rigorous in effecting change at the policy level”, the Minister noted.

The third point put forward by Minister Samuda was what he termed “strong evidence” pointing to a gap between policy acceptance and implementation at the national, regional and international levels. 

“The strategic approach must therefore be focused on how the Science-Policy Interfaces can be more solution-driven, implementable and equitable”, he added.

Minister Samuda invited the international community to continue its support to UNEP, beyond this golden jubilee year.

Jamaica is among over a dozen Caribbean nations, including Grenada, and Antigua & Barbuda which have joined a progressive group of nations across the globe that are determined to protect 30% of the planet’s ocean and land resources by 2030.

The 30×30 target which is supported by science, is being advanced by the High Ambition Coalition for Nature & People (HAC), in a bid to fight the triple threats of biodiversity loss, environmental degradation and climate change.

In a release, the HAC noted that the Caribbean is no stranger to these issues and has shown ambition in advancing climate solutions and advocating for high biodiversity protection targets.  It noted that through its support of the 30×30 target, the Caribbean region continues to showcase its leadership to the globe.

The release further noted that globally, only 7% of oceans and 15% of land are designated as protected. 

“In order to meet the goal, the HAC has been gathering pledges from global governments ahead of signing the major biodiversity treaty in Geneva in April. The Coalition is co-chaired by Costa Rica and France, with the United Kingdom named as the Ocean co-chair. So far, over 85 nations have indicated their commitment to the science-backed 30×30 target including the United States, Canada, the Marshall Islands, the Maldives, and several of the European Union’s member states”, the release stated.

Discussing the importance of the global 30×30 target for Caribbean nations with the HAC, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda noted that protecting the unique biodiversity of the Caribbean region is paramount.

“We are a product of our environment – protecting our reefs, forests, coastal areas and other green spaces ensure that we are protecting ourselves as well as future generations. The latest IPCC report is clear, we must act now to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, and the HAC 30×30 target provides us with a pathway towards doing just that.    Jamaica, and the Caribbean region as a whole, have advanced innovative sustainable solutions. We must lead as models of resilience and climate action, and by taking part in the 30×30 goal, we are leading by example and showcasing what the  Caribbean can achieve” Minister Samuda stated.

The 30×30 goal is part of a larger sustainable development movement that includes the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA), a programme that specifically targets the creation of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). 

Several Caribbean countries have already sealed their commitment to the GOA.  However, the HAC notes that given the important connection between land and sea in the region, ensuring that land resources are simultaneously protected is just as crucial.

The HAC has identified terrestrial protection as an important and undervalued conservation target.

“The protection of 30% of the planet would generate several benefits, including:

• Safeguarding 500 gigatonnes of carbon stored in vegetation and soils
• Reducing the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks like COVID-19
• Supporting 30 million jobs and $500b of GDP in ecotourism and sustainable fisheries
• Restoring depleted fishing grounds and fish populations by 600% and
• Increasing food security and improving local economies”

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Minister without Portfolio, in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation, Senator the Honorable Matthew Samuda, this morning addressed the resumed 5th Session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) (5.2) which is now underway in Nairobi, Kenya. 

In his remarks Minister Samuda acknowledged the work of the UN Environment Program,  noting that  “Given the global plastic crisis, the Government of Jamaica supports a proposal through UNEA 5.2 to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastics, to guide and coordinate the implementation of UNEA resolutions in place since 2014”.

This, the Minister said, clearly sends the signal that Jamaica will build on its efforts to reduce plastic pollution under the Phased Ban on Single Use Plastics, which commenced in 2019, and will continue to work with the Multilateral Community to deal with the scourge of plastic waste definitively.

Minister Samuda also told the UNEA session that Jamaica remains committed to its targets for Environmental protection.

“In December 2020, Jamaica and 13 other countries, announced their commitment to a new Global Ocean Action Agenda which seeks to ‘achieve 100 per cent sustainable ocean management of areas within national jurisdiction guided by sustainable ocean plans by 2025, and to support a global target to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030”, the Minister said

Among the country’s international biodiversity and blue economy commitments, he said, is the declaration of a section of the Pedro Bank as a protected area, which is expected to be accomplished this year.

“The area comprises approximately 882 square kilometers, and contains significant biodiversity.    Approximately 18.1 per cent of terrestrial and 13 per cent of marine areas will be under legal protection”, the Minister added.

Minister Samuda further noted that Jamaica is also actively engaged in restoration programmes for several key marine and coastal ecosystems, including mangrove forests, seagrass beds and coral reefs.  

He acknowledged the support Jamaica has received from its International partners for its ambitious environmental goals and stated that Post Covid-19, all Governments must, through partnerships, chart a course of action that recognizes Nature at the Heart of Sustainable Development.

“While we collectively continue to grapple with the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, we should also be mindful of the opportunities presented to make a transformative paradigm shift from unsustainable production and consumption patterns, to one that embraces the circular, green and blue economies”.

UNEA 5.2 serves as a platform for delegates from countries around the world, to gain consensus on multilateral environmental efforts surrounding biodiversity, climate, pollution, and food systems, among others.

Minister Samuda is also expected to deliver a statement on March 4, on the Occasion of the Special Session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

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