Introduction

The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has prepared this National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) to document the major environmental problems facing the country and to formulate the appropriate policy framework, institutional arrangements, legal instruments, strategies, programs and projects to address and mitigate these problems. This JANEAP continues the national environmental management process and initiatives of Jamaica which were significantly influenced by active participation in the Stockholm Conference of 1972, continuing through the preparation of a Country Environmental Profile (CEP) in 1988 and the Jamaica National Environmental Action Plans (JANEAP) of 1991 and 1992. The latest 1994 - 1995 JANEAP initiative takes cognisance of commitments undertaken at the Earth Summit of 1992, incorporated in Agenda 21, and those of the UN Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in Barbados of April, 1994. It lays out a basis for action on environmental issues for the next three years.

This 1995 JANEAP benefitted from the data derived by the current (1993 - 95) initiatives at updating the CEP and should be seen as a part of an environmental planning and management process which is continuous and which will involve participation involving the public sector, private sector and the civil society (including NGOs and community groups). This latest JANEAP was first drafted in June 1994, by a Government team with assistance from the World Bank under the joint management of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). The draft document was based on previous planning documents and other documentation and its development was marked by extensive consultations, discussions and interviews with representatives of a cross section of public and private agencies over the period June 1994 - March 1995. It was then reviewed and modified after consultation with representatives of the private sector, NGOS and the various agencies of Government. In November 1994 it was approved by Cabinet and is being tabled in Parliament as a part of the official documentation accompanying the fiscal 1995 - 1996 budget.

The JANEAP will be reviewed and updated annually following preparation of the annual State of the Environment Report (SOE) by the NRCA. This will be done each year parallel to the annual GOJ budgeting process, so that this and future JANEAPs will duly influence Public Sector programming and budget decisions in fulfillment of its purpose.

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