By GlobalSpa
08-Jun-2024
In the heart of the Caribbean ocean lies the third largest island, Jamaica, and the beauty of the Jamaican landscape is truly unparalleled. The Tainos, the first inhabitants of the island, named the land Xaymaca meaning ‘land of wood and water’.
For SIDS like Jamaica, the marine environment is of high importance for sustainable development. At the national level, sustainable development is implemented within the frameworks of Vision 2030, Jamaica.
Jamaica is addressing marine pollution through a broad waste management strategy that includes collaboration between the government and civil society organisations in raising awareness and changing behaviour, through various campaigns:
Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica aims to improve knowledge and attitudes regarding waste and its impact on public health and the environment.
The Ocean Clean-up Pilot project in the Kingston Harbour: The Ocean Cleanup has partnered with Clean Harbours Jamaica and the GraceKennedy Foundation to deploy a range of Interceptors throughout the city’s drainage gullies, aiming to prevent an estimated 1000 tons of trash flowing yearly into Kingston Harbour, and further into our shared oceans.
NEPA’s Adopt-a-Beach Programme: The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) are mobilizing community-based organizations, clubs and companies to adopt beaches and conduct local beach cleanups in Jamaica.
The Action Plan for the Protection and Restoration of Coral Reefs has been conducting research, mapping and monitoring, reducing pollution and habitat destruction and eventually restoring the coral reefs, as well as keeping the public informed to change potentially damaging behaviour to conservation efforts.
