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
- Develop and implement a comprehensive integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan by 1998.
- Complete a coastal inventory including a survey of beach encroachment; and establish a
coastal zone monitoring programme.
- Establish and enforce regulatory related to coral reefs, mangroves and coastal wetlands
protection, marine development, beach access and mariculture.
- Implement a public beach rehabilitation programme, incorporation local comanagement. Six
beaches are targeted under this programme for 1996.
- Complete the development of the national Coral Reef Initiative Programme.
Watershed Protection and Management
- Re-establish an effective national inter-agency watershed management committee and
appropiate local watershed management arrngements.
- Establish four watershed management areas with local participation with programmes
for their protection and rehabilitation.
- Upgrade watershed legislation and develop regulations. Prepare specific guidelines for
development in selected watershed.
- Demonstrate practical approaches to watershed preservation (such as encouraging fuelwood
and yam-stick plantations) and agro-forestry on hillsides in selected watersheds.
Protected Areas and Wildlife
- Finalize and implement policy on The System of National Parks and Protected Areas for
Jamaica.
- Declare protected areas in Negril, Black River, Yallahs, Port Antonio, Cockpit Country,
the Pallisadoes and Port Royal Cays.
- Prepare species management plans for endangered and threatened species including
crocodile and Sooty Tern (Booby).
- Implement manatee and iguana management plans, and sea turtle action plan.
- Accede to and ratify relevant international wildlife/habitat conventions.
- Complete the delegation of management authority to NGO's for co-management of parks and
protected areas for the Blue Mountain and John Crow Mountains National Park and the
Montego Bay Marine Park.
- Enact regulations governing the import/export and harvesting of selected wildlife
species.
- Conduct population and status survey for the species subject to hunting such as pigeons
and doves
- Prepare and implement management plans for endagered species (manatee, booby or sooty
tern, crocodile, sea turtles, iguana, Jamaican parrot, etc.).
Regulation and Compliance
- Establish an Environmental Enforcement System incorporating full time and volutary staff
and train in procedures for enforcing legislation relating to the environment.
- Develop a capacity for cross-employment of all goverment agencys (such as forest and
park rangers, game and conservation wardens, building and public health inspectors,
inspectors of mines, etc.).
- Develop and implement regulations for beach access, mangrove protection, mariculture,
marine development, wililife import/export and harvest, effluent discharge and air
emission.
- Initiate environmental awareness training programs for the Police and Judiciary.
Environmental Literacy, Education and Infomation
- Strengthen the national framework for environmental infomation dissemination through the
National Environmental Documentation Centre at NRCA, regional resource centre, NGO
collections, school, and the Jamaica Library Service.
- Develop and implement public education and information programmes in callaboration with
NEST and NGOs
- Prepare a series of environmental infomation brochures, poster and audio visual
material.
- Expand the work of The National Environmental Committee, Particularly in relation to
curriculum infusion into the formal education system.
- Publicize pollution control procedures, effulent and emission standards and the
environmental impact assessment process.
- Direct the observance of Earth Day, National Environmental Awareness Week and similar
special events.
Pollution Control and Waste Management
- Reduce industrial pollution by implementing the mandatory permit and licencing system
for effluent discharge and air emmissions.Environmental Assessment will be required for
certain development as of August 1, 1996.
- Establish a National programme of air quality monitoring.
- Develop a comprehensive national policy, and related regulations, on waste management.
- Initiate action to select a site for hazardous waste disposal.
- Develop the incentive scheme for compliance with environmental standards as required by
the National Industrial Policy.
- Achieve accreditation of the NRCA Laborotory.
This State of the Environment Report was prepared by the NRCA with the
participation and support of the following:
- Environmental Control Division,Ministry of Health
- Fisheries Division
- Forest Department/Forestry and Soil Conservation Division
- Institute of Jamaica, Natural History Division,Geology Division
- Jamaica Agriculture Society
- Jamaica Bauxite Institute
- Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association
- Jamaica National Heritage Trust
- Jamaica Public Service Company
- Jamaica Tourist Board
- Metropolitan Parks and Markets
- Mines and Quarries Division
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Ministry of the Environment and Housing
- Ministry of Public Utilities, Transport & Energy
- Ministry of Tourism
- National Housing Trust
- National Water Commission
- NRCA
- Office of Disaster Preparedness
- Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica
- Planning Institute of Jamaica
- Rural Agriculture Development Agency
- Statistical Institute of Jamaica
- Tourism Action Plan
- Underground Water Authority
- University of the West Indies Marine Sciences Unit, Geology Department
- Assistance was also provided by the GOJ-USAID financed DEMO project through Technical
Support Services, Inc.
Photographs - courtesy of the National Library of Jamaica
.
- Write or call the NRCA to tell us how we can make next year's Report more useful to you.
(Deadline, July, 31, 1995)
- Write or call the NRCA to recommend what environmental issues or problems should be
considered as priorities during 1996-97.(Deadline: July 31, 1995)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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
- 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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