The Climate Change Division (CCD) was established in 2012 with the broad mandate of coordinating, on behalf of the Government of Jamaica, the country’s response to climate change locally, regionally, and internationally, with a view to achieving a low-carbon and climate resilient society.

To this end, its approach is to treat climate change as an inclusive development priority across industry and social sectors, as well as across government ministries, departments, and agencies.

The CCD represents the Government of Jamaica at regional and international climate negotiations and other fora, and acts as the national focal point or national designated authority to various climate bodies involved in the management of the climate crisis, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), the Climate Technology Centre and Network, and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), among others.

Broadly, the core strategies of the Division are:

• Coordinating the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and mitigation in strategies and policy formulation, development planning and decision-making;
• Promoting the implementation of specific adaptation measures to address key vulnerabilities in Jamaica;
• Promoting actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through fossil fuel reduction, conservation, and switching to clean and/or renewable energy sources;
• Promoting awareness and training regarding climate variability and climate change impacts and the requisite behavioural changes;
• Providing support to be able to access available climate change funding; and
• Supporting climate change research and studies