Conventions

The Government of Jamaica is committed to addressing environmental issues. Jamaica recognises that it faces many environmental challenges as a small island state. Some of these issues include among others:

- Loss of species and biodiversity
- Ozone depletion
- Hazardous waste management
- Pollution from land-based sources

The Government of Jamaica is addressing these international and global concerns through Multilateral and Regional Agreements with other States. By taking steps to ratify or accede to the many environmental Conventions discussed hereafter, the Government is committing itself to adopting administrative policy, and legal mechanisms to implement these Agreements, as one step in promoting sustainable development at the national level.

Key International and Regional Multilateral Environmental Agreements to which Jamaica is a Party

Name of Treaty	Date of Ratification/ Accession	Focal Point	Remarks
International Plant Protection Convention, Rome 1991	Nov. 24, 1969	Shelia Yvonne Harvey (Ministry of Agriculture)
Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone, Geneva, 1958	Oct. 8, 1965		Ratified March 21, 1983.
Convention on the Continental Shelf, Geneva, 1958	Oct. 8, 1965		Ratified in 1965
Convention on the High Seas, Geneva, 1958	Oct. 8, 1965 (Succession)
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources of the High Seas, Geneva, 1958	Mar. 20, 1966(Succession)		Date received March 20, 1966
Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Underwater, Moscow, 1963	Nov. 22, 1991		Signed August 13, 1963
Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies, London, Moscow, Washington, 1967	Aug. 10, 1970		Signed June 29, 1967
Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea Bed and the Ocean Floor and the Subsoil thereof, Washington, 1971	July 30, 1986		Signed October 11, 1971
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxic Weapons and their Destruction, London, Moscow, Washington, 1972	Aug. 13, 1975
Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Paris, 1972 [WCNH]	June 14, 1983 (Acceptance)	National Focal Point - Jamaica National Heritage Trust
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and other matter (as amended), London, Mexico City, Moscow, Washington, 1972	March 22, 1991	National Focal Point - Maritime Authority of Jamaica
International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, London, 1973 [MARPOL ]	June 13, 1991	National Focal Point - Ministry of Transport and Works
Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, London, 1973	June 13, 1991	National Focal Point - Ministry of Transport and Works
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Montego Bay, 1982 [UNCLOS]	March 21, 1983	National Focal Point - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade	Signed December 10, 1982. Ratified March 21, 1983
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974	Oct. 14 1983	National Focal Point - Ministry of Transport and Works
Protocol of 1978 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as Amended (SOLAS Prot 1978)	August 17, 2005

TREATIES THAT ADDRESS ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION

Name of Treaty	Date of Ratification/ Accession	Focal Point	Remarks	Key bodies of the Treaties
Vienna Convention for the Protection of Ozone Layer, Vienna, 1990.	March 31, 1993 (A)	National Focal Point - Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change	NEPA hosts the National Ozone Unit – Ms. N. Walker, National Ozone Officer
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer	March 31, 1993 (A)			- Executive Committee - Assessment Panels (Technology and Economic Assessment Panel, Scientific Assessment Panel and Environmental Effects Assessment Panel)
United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change (UNFCCC) , New York, 1992	Jan. 6. 1995	National Focal Point - Meteorological Services Mr. J. Spooner, Met Service		Adaptation Fund Board – Jeffery Spooner (Member) Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action Compliance Committee Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee Adaptation Committee Standing Committee on Finance
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto, 1997	June 28, 1999	National Focal Point – Met Service Designated National Authority to the CDM – Ms. N. O’Reggio, MWLECC	Ratification/acceptance June 28, 1999

TREATIES RELATED TO THE MANAGEMENT OF BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES

Name of Treaty	Date of Ratification/ Accession	Focal Point	Remarks	Key bodies of the Treaties
Convention on Biological Diversity, Rio de Janeiro,1992	Jan. 6, 1995 (R)	Primary National Focal Point to the Convention - Mr. Jerome Smith, MWLECC SBSTTA National Focal Point – Dr. Elaine Fisher[1] National Focal Point for the Clearinghouse Mechanism – Dr. Suzanne Davis, IOJ National Focal Point to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol – Mr. Peter Knight, NEPA Access and Benefit Sharing Competent National Authority – Dr. Leary Myers[2] Programme of Work on Protected Areas -Carla Gordon , NEPA		Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) Clearing House Mechanism Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Global Taxonomy Initiative Global Strategy for Plant Conservation Programme of Work on Protected Areas Article 8(j) and related provisions (Traditional Knowledge and Customary Sustainable Use)
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, 2000	September 25, 2012	Primary National Focal Point - Leonie Barnaby[3] Biosafety Clearing-House National Focal Point – Dr. Suzanne Davis, IOJ	Policy and Legislative framework being developed. Signed June 4, 2001	Biosafety Clearing-House
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to The Convention on Biological Diversity to the Convention on Biological Diversity			The Protocol has not yet entered into force; Jamaica has not yet signed the Protocol; NEPA and MWLECC collaborating on enabling legislation to facilitate ratification
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)		Primary Focal Point - Ms. Yvette Strong, NEPA Management Authority – NRCA Scientific Authority – Dr. Elaine Fisher (Chair, Jamaica’s Scientific Authority) Enforcement Authority – Mr. Peter Knight, NEPA
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitats [RAMSAR]	Oct. 7, 1997	National Focal Point- Mr. Ainsley Henry (NEPA)	National RAMSAR Committee –IOJ chair (Mr. Keron Campbell)	Standing Committee Scientific and Technical Review Panel
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Paris, 1994 [UNCCD]	Nov. 12, 1997	National Focal Point – Mr. Philbert, Min. of Local Gov’t and Community Development
Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, Cartagena de Indias, 1983 [Cartagena Convention]	May 1, 1987	National Focal Point - Ms. P. Kolbush, NEPA	Signed March 24, 1983. Ratified April 1, 1987
Protocol to the Cartagena Convention concerning Cooperation in Combating Oil Spills in the Wider Caribbean Region [Oil Spills Protocol]	May 1, 1987	NEPA	Signed March 24, 1983. Ratified April 1, 1987	Signatory: Jan. 18, 1990; Not yet ratified
Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife [SPAW] to the Cartagena Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region		NEPA	Signatory: Jan. 18, 1990; Not yet ratified
Protocol on Land-based Sources and Activities to the Cartagena Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region	Oct. 6, 1999		Jamaica to accede to the Protocol by the end of March 2014

CHEMICALS AND WASTES TREATIES

Name of Treaty	Date of Ratification/ Accession	Focal Point	Remarks	Key bodies of the Treaties
Basel Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal [Basel Convention, 1989	Jan 23, 2003 (A)	Focal Point - Ms. G. Guthrie, MWLECC Competent Authority – Ms. Kerrine Senior, NEPA	There is an Amendment to the Convention referred to as the ‘Ban Amendment’ which prohibits the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries. This Amendment has not entered into force; Jamaica has not ratified the Amendment	Open-ended Working Group Implementation and Compliance Committee
Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, Rotterdam, 1998	August 20, 2002	Designated National Authority- Mr. Michael Ramsay, Registar, PCA		Chemical Review Committee
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), 2001	June 1, 2007	Official Contact Point - Ms. Tyesha Turner, Permanent Mission of Jamaica in Geneva	MWLECC acts as the National Focal Point, but this arrangement is to be formalized	POPs Review Committee PCBs Elimination Network – Prof. Tara Dasgupta, UWI (Mona) is one of the representatives for the LAC region on the Network Global Alliance for Alternatives to DDT
Minamata Convention on Mercury			This Convention has not yet entered into force; Jamaica signed the treaty on October 10, 2013

NEPA to be asked to nominee a senior officer to replace Dr. Fisher as National Focal Point for SBSTAA

NEPA/Ministry of Agriculture to be asked to assume the role of Access and Benefit Sharing Competent National Authority (replacing Dr. Myers)

The MWLECC to nominate a senior officer to replace Ms. Barnaby as National Focal Point for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety under the Convention on Biological Diversity