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Overview of the State of the Environment

People are at the centre of the environment in Jamaica. Their sheer pressure on the land (216 per sq.km.) has caused the degradation of watersheds, the pollution of ground and surface water, and urban sprawl and blight. All the people of Jamaica, and all sectors of society must share in the burden of rehabilitating and restoring the Jamaica environment. A national effort between Government, the private sector, community based entities and NGOs is required. There is acceptance among the civil society and private sector in Jamaican of the need for their participation in environmental management. Added to this is the presence of an active and expanding environmental NGO community with a commendable track record and international recognition.

Government has shown its commitment to comprehensive environmental management starting with the creation of a Natural Resources Conservation Division (NRCD) after the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment and continuing with the enactment of the 1991 law establishing the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA), the lead environmental management agency in the country. This commitment is currently being demonstrated in the variety of initiatives described in this document, and related activities including the updating of the 1988 Country Environmental Profile (CEP), an important source document for this 1995 JANEAP. It is the intention of the Government to continue its commitment to sustainable development through the implementation and annual revision of the JANEAP.

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