PART 4 NRCA's Environmental Strategy for 1995/96

The NRCA is responsible for providing the broad policy framework to guide the actions of many organizations working in environmental management. In developing this framework, and to implement the subsequent programmes, the Agency needs to collaborate with several government agencies which have major environmental responsibilities. Most importantly, environmental management and the goal of sustainable development are not the responsibility of the government alone. Individuals and other groups will be required to participate.

The general strategy is to continue preparation of regulations and prepare policy statements (green papers on beach access, and environmental policy); develop mechanisms for coordination of effort among the various agencies and community groups; prepare management plans for protected areas and protection of endangered species of wildlife; encourage best care practices, voluntary compliance and self monitoring by industry through incentive schemes and increased verification monitoring; develop mechanisms based on the "Polluter Pays" and "User Pays" principles to discourage pollution and waste of resources; develop improved mechanisms for enforcement of environmental laws; and carry out a sustained programme to create environmental literacy.

A significant development priority in 1996 will be the implementation of the Permit and Licensing system under the NRCA Act. Other priorities are shown below.

Coastal Zone Management

Watershed Protection and Management

Protected Areas and Wildlife

Regulation and Compliance

Environmental Literacy, Education and Infomation

Pollution Control and Waste Management


Acknowledgements

This State of the Environment Report was prepared by the NRCA with the participation and support of the following:

Photographs - courtesy of the National Library of Jamaica


Five ways that you can be part of the next State of the Environment Report

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  1. Write or call the NRCA to tell us how we can make next year's Report more useful to you. (Deadline, July, 31, 1995)
  2. Write or call the NRCA to recommend what environmental issues or problems should be considered as priorities during 1996-97.(Deadline: July 31, 1995)
  3. Tell us about individuals and organizations that are taking action and making a difference regarding protection and sustainable us of our land, air, and water. We want to recognize those who played an important role in Jamaica's past, as well as those who are active today. (Deadline: January 31, 1996)
  4. Contribute photographs to be used in next year's Report. The theme will be "land of wood and water". We invite amateur and professional photographers to submit black and white or color prints or slides which in some way capture the beauty and sustainable use of the country's forest and water resources. These will be part of a traveling display, and selected photographs will appear in next year's State of the Environment Report.(Deadline: March 1, 1996)
  5. For schools, make posters which explore the theme "land of wood and water", capturing the beauty and sustainable use of Jamaica's forest and water resources. Each school can submit two posters. They will be included with the traveling photo exhibit described above, and some will appear in next year's State of the Environment Report.Deadline March 1, 1996)

    Send comments, suggestions, photographs, and posters to the following address. For more information please contact by mail or phone the:

    State Of the Environment 1996 Public Education, Information, and Outreach Division Natural Resources Conservation Authority 53 1/2 Molynes road Kingston 10 Jamaica West Indies Phone: 923-5125, 9235166 e-mail: nrca@infochan.com

    Key documents related to Jamaica's environment

    United Nations Conference on Environment and Development Rio de Janeiro, June 1992: A Report
    This conference resulted in several major achievements:
    • Agenda 21 - a comprehensive blueprint for the global actions to affect the transition to sustainable development;
    • The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development - principles defining the rights and responsibilities of States in this area;
    • A set of principles to support the sustainable management of forests worldwide; and
    • Two legally binding conventions aiming to prevent global climate change and the eradication of biologically diverse species.
    Country Environmental Profile
    Jamaica' s first Country Environmental Profile (CEP) was produced in 1988. A comprehensive examination of environmental conditions, issues and recommendations for action, the document remains an important, although somewhat dated and scarce, information source. A revision is underway, to be published later in the year. In future, the NRCA intends to publish a revision every five years.
    Jamaica National Environmental Policy (JANEAP)
    The Government prepares this on an annual basis to document Jamaica's major environmental problems and to formulate the appropriate policy and legal framework and programmes to address these problems. The JANEAP continues the Government's environmental initiatives, recognising commitments made at the Earth Summit in 1992 and at the UNCED Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) Conference in April 1994.
    Green Papers
    From time to time, the Government prepares Green Papers to publicise and elicit comment on proposed policies or issues of national importance. Three were published in 1994, all of which have implications for the environment:
    • Towards an Industrial Policy (May, 1994) which sets forth policies and actions by the Government and the private sector designed to promote investment and increase production of goods and services of higher quality and at lower cost than other countries;
    • Forest Land Use Policy (June 1994) which proposes programs by which the Government will manage the forest estate of the island on a sustainable basis; and
    • Towards a Land Policy for Jamaica (September 1994) which establishes the framework for the proper planning, management, development and use of land. The Land Policy recognises that land, Jamaica' s most fundamental and scarce resource, must accommodate a multiplicity of uses and must not be used wastefully or in a laissez-faire manner.
    Additional Green Papers will be published during 1995, including Policies for Beach Access; Towards a Protected Areas System for Jamaica; and an overall Environmental Policy. These will provide opportunities for exploring means for protecting our natural resources, and for developing a more integrated approach to environmental policies.
    State of the Environment Report
    The Government will publish one each year. In future, the NRCA will prepare the document early in the year for use in updating of the JANEAP parallel with the annual Government budgeting process. Thus, Jamaicans can be informed of progress and new problems in time for their comments to affect deliberations on solutions.

    The UNCED documents, Jamaica's report prepared for the Earth Summit, and other documents mentioned here may be consulted in the NRCA Documentation Centre and are also available through regional resource centres and parish libraries.


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