JAMAICA NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN

1995 Natural Resources Conservation Authority and Planning Institute of Jamaica JAMAICA NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN

1995 - 1998 A Joint Publication of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) with Technical Assistance from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (The World Bank) May 1995 LIST OF ACRONYMS CAST - College of Arts Science and Technology CDC - Conservation Data Centre CEP - Country Environmental Profile CFRAMP - Caricom Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Project

CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species DEMO - Development of Environmental Management Organisations ECD - Environmental Control Division of the Ministry of Health EEZ - Exclusive Economic Zone EFJ - Environmental Foundation of Jamaica EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment ENGO's - Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations GDP - Gross Domestic Product GIS - Geographic Information System GOJ - Government of Jamaica IAI - Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research IDB - Inter-American Development Bank JANEAP - Jamaican National Environmental Action Plan JCDT - Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust UNEP - United Nations Environmental Programme KMA - Kingston Metropolitan Area KMR - Kingston Metropolitan Region LCM - Lead-Contamination Soil and Material LIS - Land Information System NEAP - National Environment Action Plan NEST - National Environmental Societies Trust NFAP - National Forestry Action Plan NGO's - Non-Governmental Organizations NRCA - Natural Resources Conservation Authority NRCD - Natural Resources Conservation Department NWC - National Water Commission PARC - Protected Areas Resources Conservation Project PEPA - Portland Environmental Protection Agency PIOJ - Planning Institute of Jamaica PSOJ - Private Sector Organization of Jamaica RADA - Rural Agricultural Development Authority SPAW - Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife UDC - Urban Development Corporation UNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNEP - United Nations Environment Programme UWA - Underground Water Authority UWI - University of the West Indies

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I. INTRODUCTION 1. The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has prepared this Jamaica National Environmental Action Plan (JANEAP) to document the major environmental problems facing the country and to formulate the appropriate policy framework, institutional arrangements, legal instruments, strategies, programmes 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 1987 and the Jamaica National Environmental Action Plans of 1991 and 1992. The latest 1994-1995 JANEAP initiative takes cognisance of commitments undertaken at the Earth Summit (UNCED) of 1992, incorporated in Agenda 21, and those of the UN Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) held in Barbados in April 1994. It lays out a basis for action on environmental issues for the next three years. 2. 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 is participatory involving the public sector, the 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. 3. 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 the this and future JANEAPs will duly influence Public Sector programming and budget decisions in fulfillment of its purpose. A. Overview of the State of the Environment 4 The environment of Jamaica has been summarized in the past by reference to the country as the land of wood and water. This designation was based on a loose translation of its Amerindian/Taino name -Xaymaca. It is now debatable whether the island can be so characterized today, as significant environmental modification has accompanied the development of the island over the last four centuries. 5. The broad-leaved humid and sub-humid pre Colombian tropical forests have largely

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disappeared. Less than1/ 6-7 percent of Jamaica's land area is still considered to be in natural forest cover. This forested area has been cut one or more times in the past, leaving "ruinate". Deforestation has been reported to be occurring at the rate of more than 3 percent per annum with serious consequences for soil and water conservation as well as biodiversity. This situation has been aggravated by improper hillside farming practices as well as inappropriate construction and development practices which lead to a considerable amount of land and watershed degradation. 6. Water in Jamaica is not what it used to be in terms of streamflow and quality and has become a subject of major concern. Pollution of surface, ground and sea water threatens human health and tourism revenues. Water for domestic purposes is frequently in short supply islandwide. Certain hillside farming practices as well as construction and development activities have contributed to watershed degradation. The degradation of watersheds has led to flooding becoming more frequent and severe, and pollution of ground water resulting in health risks, increases in the cost of infrastructure and reduced agricultural productivity. Topsoil loss in the watershed areas is simultaneously reducing agricultural productivity and increasing siltation of stream channels and damaging offshore reefs. 7. In Jamaica, as with other small island developing states, there is an extremely close relationship between the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Land degradation in the hills is quickly manifested in impacts on marine resources and particularly in damage to coral reef and related ecosystems. In addition, the varied and mountainous inland terrain supports a number of ecosystems unusually rich in biodiversity. Water is the link that ties the terrestrial ecosystems with marine habitats and lowland urban areas. 8. The human settlements of the lowland urban areas and unplanned hillside communities are another important aspect of Jamaica's environment. The unavailability of land for low-income settlements has led to informal overcrowded squatter settlements, short of domestic water and sewage facilities and plagued with public health risks and the other social and economic problems of urban settlements. The urban management and settlement issues are not confined to those of the informal sector, but are compounded by poor adherence to physical planning precepts which has led to the juxtaposition of industries and residential areas. Effluent and emission standards have not been adhered to and the Jamaican industrial sector is now in the process of coming into compliance with the requirements of the NRCA. There is a particular concern for the in relate to agro-processing sector which has traditionally disposed of its waste in streams and sinkholes, and whose impacts on the water resources are significant. 9. 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 Jamaican 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 Jamaica of the need for their participation in / Kelly, D.L. - The Threatened Flowering Plants Of Jamaica - Biological Conservation 46: 201-216, 1988

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environmental management. Added to this is the presence of an active and expanding environmental NGO community with a commendable track record and international recognition. 10. 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 1987 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. B. The Economy

11. As with several other Caribbean countries, Jamaica's economy has been characterized in recent years by low growth. With a current GDP per capita of US$1,554, the economy grew at only 1.4% in 1993 and 1.4% in 1994. This compares to an average real growth of 3.8% during the years 1987-1993, and came in part from the contraction of the bauxite/alumina industry and stagnation in the manufacturing sector. Revised estimates for 1994 point to a GDP increase of about .8%, with projections for modest growth in the short term as the nation continues on its course for macroeconomic stability. Within the medium term, Government has set a goal of 3% annual growth, which would lift Jamaica into the group of lower-middle-income countries, and provide the foundation necessary to fight poverty. 12. The composition of Jamaica's economic product has been slowly shifting, as the service sector has increased from 62.2% of real GDP (exclusive of imputed service charges) in 1986 to a 72.4% contribution in 1994. In 1994 overall, the services sector exhibited a 0.6% growth at constant prices. Agriculture mining, transportation, finance and insurance, were the sectors which grew in 1994. It is expected that small farming in the labour intensive agricultural section will remain. The service sector is the fastest growing segment of world trade, and Jamaica is thinking strategically about where its current and potential advantages are in this market, but in 1194 the service sector declined by 1.5% while the productive sector grew by 1.0% in the same year. Tourism is already an important source of earnings from abroad with good opportunities for expansion in the future. However, Jamaica is already starting to diversify into the growing markets for nontraditional service exports such as offshore data processing, telemarketing, bio-technology, insurance and specialty tourism. Of particular importance to this NEAP is Jamaica's potential for capturing a portion of the fast growing environmental tourism market. To fully exploit this opportunity the nation's natural treasures such as the Blue and John Crow Mountains, the South Coast Wetlands (including the Black River Morass), its dry limestone forests and the coral reefs and related marine ecosystems would first require adequate protection and the development of appropriate management systems. 13. Despite recent problems in the mining, manufacturing and construction sectors, these areas still contributed about 41.6% to Jamaica's GDP in 1992 and 38% in 1994. The 3.6% decline in contribution was attributed to a 2.1% decline in mining a 0.7% in manufacturing and 0.8% in

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construction. Although there was a decline, the contribution of three sectors to the GDP remained an important component of Jamaica's economy. Given the rural makeup of much of Jamaica, and the high levels of unemployment and poverty, it is expected that the labour intensive agricultural sector will remain an important source of employment and potential export growth into the future. Specialty agricultural products, such as Blue Mountain Coffee, flowers and tropical fruits may provide impetus for Jamaica's future development. In this light, and also given the importance of the environment to the tourism industry, the need for strategic planning for protection of Jamaica's natural resources into the future becomes even more critical. 14. The most fundamental aspect of Jamaica's fiscal economy is the large proportion of debt repayment in the fiscal budget. With a foreign debt of about US$3.6 billion, the government will make more than US$500 million in external debt service payments during this fiscal year. The repayment of domestic debt is even larger, and combined debt repayment accounts for almost 50% of the public sector budget, constraining the government's ability to make all the investments in the environment which are necessary. However, the Government of Jamaica has made proper environmental planning and protection a national priority, and will seek multiple avenues to ensure sustainable development, including (1) using economic tools and incentives to encourage efficient use of natural resources; (2) working with the private sector and NGOs in environmental management and protection; and (3) looking to strategic use of external sources of financing and investment for meeting critical needs on the road to sustainable development; (4) looking to population control as a means of reducing the pressure on the natural resources base, some of which is non-renewable.3/ C. Environmental Policy 15. The environmental policy of Jamaica is embodied in a statement of objectives enunciated in the JANEAP of 1992. These objectives include:

· Creating attitudes and behaviour which are responsible and oriented to action in environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources.

· Encouraging the use of non-renewable resources including bauxite, limestone and

other minerals for the greatest social and economic benefit of the Jamaican people while minimizing harmful environmental impacts.

· Ensuring that renewable resources including forests and wildlife are used in a

sustainable manner.

· Ensuring good air quality in Jamaica.

· Ensuring that surface and underground water are in sufficient quantities and quality appropriate for present and future human needs and ecosystem integrity.

3The Statistical Institute of Jamaica - National Income And Product (Preliminary Report) 1994.

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· Ensuring that urban and rural land is used in the most beneficial and sustainable way.

· Providing for the protection and conservation of plants and animal species, particularly endemic species.

· Minimizing the impact of natural hazards and environmental hazards on the

population, the economy and on natural systems.

· Allowing for global environmental co-operation and security with special attention to the needs of developing countries and the circumstances of vulnerable island states.

· Enhancing the natural beauty of the island in natural areas, built-up areas, roadways,

and open spaces on both public and private land.

· Protecting and preserving the marine environment and territorial waters within the exclusive economic zone.

To the above are now added the following objectives:

· Promoting research and development of appropriate technology which is environmentally friendly.

· Promoting socio-economic and technical research as it relates to the development and

use of the natural resources of the environment.

· Promoting the reduction of inefficiency and waste as a method of yielding additional financial resources for environmental management.

· Developing renewable energy sources while seeking to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

It is proposed that during 1995, a National Environmental Policy document will be produced, through a consultative process, to expand upon the above concepts. 16. Since the UNCED Conference in Brazil and the elaboration of Agenda 21, official policy on the environment now explicitly articulates the linking of environment with the development process to ensure that national development takes place in a sustainable manner. In addition, the present national review of the Constitution of Jamaica has accepted in principle that our constitution should address environmental conservation and preservation of ecosystem integrity. Consequently, it is expected that a statement will be framed within the new Jamaican constitution to reflect this. D. Economic Policies and the Environment 17. The Government in 1994 articulated and circulated for public discussion a National Industrial Policy which has set priorities to guide the selection of acceptable economic activities and the economic use of resources. Some priorities in the Industrial Policy are the use of cleaner production

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technologies and the recycling of wastes. It recognizes well that industrialization has economic, environmental and social trade-offs. In the past, whereas emphasis was mainly on the economic benefits of development, now there is also a major emphasis on the environment. Economic policies and instruments will therefore be formulated to promote and support environmental protection and conservation while encouraging environmentally friendly industrialization. This will ensure that Jamaican industry continues to develop on a globally competitive basis taking into account the emerging global concern for environmental quality as a factor in trade. 18. The mining sector which develops the rich mineral resources of the country is one example of a major trade-off between economic development and the damage to the environment. Where there must be trade-offs between environmental preservation and economic development, several alternatives are employed to mitigate those harmful effects. Such actions are required under the existing and currently proposed environmental laws, regulations and economic incentives. The Government recognizes that guiding the economy towards sustainable development will require the use of appropriate economic tools and incentives. These instruments are needed to encourage environmentally responsible decision making by investors, consumers, and other economic actors. This approach is based on the "polluter pays" and "user pays" principles, and is meant to encourage better and more efficient management of natural resources, recover the full costs of pollution control, discourage use of environmentally damaging products, and encourage recycling and reuse of materials. Economic instruments can also mobilize the financing needed for monitoring, enforcement of and investment in environmental management. 19. The "polluter pays" principle makes economic actors aware of the full costs, including the environmental costs, of their decisions by making them pay for the cost of avoiding, abating or cleaning up pollution. This principle is often used elsewhere to recover the full costs of cleanup services such as sewage treatment and the disposal of wastes. In regard to the use or depletion of natural resources, the "user pays" principle attempts to charge fees which reflect the value of the resources being used and therefore ensure that they are not overused or destroyed. 20. Because these principles have not been adequately applied to managing Jamaica's environment, in many areas the current economic incentives are for overuse of resources and underuse of pollution controls. The case of sewage treatment provides an example. In Jamaica, only about 25% of households are served by sewerage and the rest rely on soakaway pits and pit latrines. Due to inadequate treatment plants, wastes from the sewerage system and collections from cesspits are disposed of largely untreated. As a result, high concentrations of nutrients including nitrates have been detected in coastal waters and the stress on coral reefs has increased. The recreational and ecosystem value of various marine sites has been diminished (or lost in the case of Kingston Harbour). 21. To remedy this situation, the National Water Commission has included a number of sewage collection and treatment projects in its investment programme, including projects in Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril. To finance the operating costs and a share of the capital costs of these projects, the Government has increased its tariffs by about 80%. However, even with this increase, the revenue from sewerage fees, which are now calculated as a 45% surcharge of water bills, will only account for about 10% of NWC's total revenues. Yet the total operating and capital costs for sewerage are much greater than those for water supply. Thus, NWC may need to make

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further changes in the tariff structure to fully recover costs from sewerage users, making the polluters pay and reducing the cross-subsidy which water users presently pay to sewerage customers. 22. The same policy of making the polluters pay can be applied to the producers of industrial wastes which exceed the handling capabilities of sewage treatment plants. The Water Quality Sub Committee of the NRCA is currently establishing standards for effluent discharge. Any discharges which exceed these allowable standards will be subject to a discharge fee that needs to be set at a high enough level to motivate industries to treat their wastes and bring them into compliance with the NRCA standards. The existing system of low fees will be replaced with a schedule of fees reflecting the full costs of treatment. 23. The Government will also implement the "polluter pays" principle to improve solid waste collection and disposal. At present, the Parks and Markets Companies, which are responsible for about 80% of waste collection and operate the official dump sites, receive an annual budget from the Ministry of Local Government and Works and charge no fees for their services. Due to a chronic shortage of funds, there is a serious lack of necessary equipment particularly at the dump sites and there are no resources available to establish and operate sanitary landfills. A better approach will be to introduce household refuse disposal fees and tipping fees for disposal of commercial and industrial refuse at dump sites. Based on some preliminary analyses4/, solid waste disposal costs are currently estimated at about US$50/tonne ($30 for collection and $20 for sanitary landfill). These costs provide a guideline to the annual fees which would be required to fully cover the costs of refuse disposal, as an average household can be expected to generate about one tonne of solid waste per year. The introduction of tipping fees (of about $20/tonne) would have to be complemented by measures to control illegal dumping so as not to further encourage that practice. 24. Economic incentives can be used to respond to Jamaica's hazardous waste disposal problems. It is estimated that there are over 122 companies which generate hazardous wastes in Jamaica and, in the absence of an adequate disposal site, are expected to store it or export it. As this situation is not sustainable, the Government proposes to carry out a feasibility study to determine the technical and financial requirements for creating a hazardous waste disposal site. The results of the study will be used to define an incentive framework which encourages a private firm to design, build and operate such a facility. The major feature of the incentive framework will probably be a tipping fee structure based on the disposal costs of each specific type of hazardous waste. Here again, realistic tipping fees will have to be implemented in conjunction with appropriate measures, in terms of enhanced monitoring, fines, and criminal penalties, to control illegal dumping of hazardous wastes. 25. Tax incentives will also be considered for encouraging recycling and the use of environmentally friendly technologies. Economic incentives will be used to promote recycling and reduce the amount of solid waste for disposal. In Jamaica, soft drink bottles are already recycled under a deposit-refund scheme operated by bottlers. There is also a secondary market for certain types of glass, plastics and scrap metal. Additional recycling and recovery activities will be promoted / Cointreau-Levine, Sandra and Robert Donovan, Greater Montego Bay Solid Waste Management Study, Briefing Paper of USAID, 1993, and Niessen, Walter R., Solid Waste Management Practices in Jamaica, West Indies, Report to the IDB (1993?)

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through use of deposit fees charged to buyers of goods such as automobiles, tyres, plastic bags, batteries and cans. Improper disposal of these items threatens the beauty and health of Jamaica's fragile environment and poses a health hazard to its citizens. Deposits would therefore be refunded at the time of proper disposal, which could be at a recycling facility or official landfill. 26. Use of deposit-refund schemes could have another important economic effect -- encouraging the otherwise unemployed to collect litter and lay the basis for development of new recycling industries such as the processing of tyres into tyre derived fuel for boilers, asphalt road additive, or roof tiles and fabrication of recycled plastics and metals. Such a scheme should be operated on a self-financing basis, for example by covering costs from interest earned on a deposit fund. A possible institutional mechanism would be to license these operations to a suitable NGO. 27. Based on the same polluters pay principle, Government will also consider the possibility of levying specific taxes on environmentally damaging products. These taxes would be aimed at reducing application of products whose environmental effects are difficult to monitor and control, such as pesticides, fertilizers, ozone depleting substances (e.g., chloroflurocarbons - CFCs), batteries, fuels, and hazardous substances such as dry cleaning fluids. While the environmental effects of such products are difficult to establish with accuracy, there is already evidence in Jamaica of pesticide residues in the soil, waters, fauna and food, and fertilizer runoff in some rivers and coastal areas. The Government will study the application of an environmental fee which limits the use of environmentally damaging products to their most essential applications. 28. The principle of making users pay for resources has historically been used with Jamaica's mineral resources. The Mining Act (1947) dictates that royalties of US$0.50/tonne of bauxite, J$0.50/tonne of marble, and J$0.90/tonne of silica sand must be paid. For other minerals, a profit tax is applied on a sliding scale from 5% to 8%. The Quarries Act (1983) requires a royalty of 3.5% of sales on gypsum and limestone. In addition, bauxite, Jamaica's most important mineral product, is subject to a production levy currently set at US$5/tonne. 29. Other than for bauxite this approach has not resulted in any significant revenues for the Government, but the Mines and Quarries Division plans to introduce a new regime for capturing resource rents, based on a set percentage of sales prices (to keep up with inflation), and major increases in penalties for unlicensed users (such as illegal sand quarries). These increases in royalties, fees and fines should make a major contribution to covering the costs of increased monitoring and regulation, as well as yield a reasonable share of the cost to Jamaica of resource depletion. 30. Underground water resources account for about 84% of total available water in Jamaica. While total water consumption per year is lower than the country's total available resources, a shortage is already developing in certain irrigated areas along the south coast and in the Kingston Metropolitan Area. In recognition of the growing scarcity value of this hitherto free resource, the Underground Water Authority is planning to introduce a volume-based water extraction charge of J$0.20-0.50/100 m3. This fee should encourage the more efficient use of water, particularly among major users, such as irrigated agriculture and the National Water Commission (where water losses amount to about 70% of total production). The revenue gained from these charges will be used to improve monitoring of water quality and availability.

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31. Recovery of resource costs also needs to be extended to stumpage fees for forest resources. While timber production levels have been greatly reduced due to Hurricane Gilbert, the Forestry and Soil Conservation Department still extracted about 7100 cu. metres (250,000 cu.ft) of timber (including tropical hardwoods and pines) in 1993. However, it only collected about J$436,000 in sales revenues, equivalent to J$61.4/cu. metre (J$1.76/cu.ft). This represents only a fraction of the market value of timber which is currently J$882-1059/cu metre (J$25-30/cu.ft). In view of the major budgetary requirements for forest resource management, the Government will seek to increase stumpage fees levels in line with market rates and in doing so will cover a greater share of this budget. 32. The fisheries of Jamaica are another resource to which these economic incentives will be applied. There has been substantial decline in the quantity of fish being caught while the number of fishermen has increased over the past two decades. At present, insubstantial fees are collected for licensing fishermen and boats, and the penalties for violation of the Fishing Industry Act are at insignificant levels. Increasing efforts at regulation and enforcement, and a pricing policy that reflect the growing scarcity value are the only practical ways to reduce the pressure on this resource. 33. In addition, now that tourism represents a major development sector, a more realistic approach will be taken to determining the value and recovering the cost of use of the country’s resource. A recent initiative in this direction is the Government's adjustments of fees (for beach licences, dredging etc under the Beach Control Act) to a level that realized about J$1.5 million in 1994 and which, if effectively pursued, should yield approximately J$ 2.5 million in 1995. However, this level is still low in relation to management costs and to the value of the beach to tourism and other industries (for example, the highest fee, for hotels with 100 rooms and over, is currently only J$5,000/year). A more realistic schedule, which has been proposed, would be to charge a fee of about US$0.10/overnight stay to be phased in over three installments, equivalent to about J$50,000/year for a 100 room hotel based an estimated 50% occupancy. The revenue generated from these fees will be used to enhance the coastal zone management services within the NRCA and the refurbishing of public beaches. 34. In regard to national parks and protected areas, user fees will be charged at the recently established Montego Bay Marine Park and the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and applied to the maintenance of these facilities and other protected areas. Access and permit fees for visitors, tour operators and users of the parks are expected to cover about 3% of the management budget of about US$1 million annually. The Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT), and Montego Bay Marine Park Trust which are being delegated responsibility for management of these parks, are planning to fund the remainder from Government funds (6%) and from the National Parks Trust Fund (NPTF) based on contributions from national and international donors (91%). While the share of user fees is small to start with , this represents a major change from the present situation in which no access fees are charged. 35. To a great extent, the Government already has in place the legal and administrative framework required to implement economic instruments for environmental management. The implementation of these instruments has fallen behind in part because the departments responsible for collecting these royalties, fees and fines have had little incentive to do so, as revenues in the past were consolidated into the central budget, and because the real value of the payments has been

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undermined by inflation. To remedy this situation, the environmental incentives will have to be adjusted to reflect the true value of the environmental services and resources being provided. In addition, their collection and enforcement must be improved. An important incentive in this regard would be returning the incremental revenue to be collected to the departments responsible for management of that resource so as to finance the collection effort as well as the improved management and regulation of the specific environmental resources (fisheries, forestry, reefs, beaches etc). E. Private Sector, NGO and Stakeholder Participation 36. While this JANEAP is a document outlining Government's commitment to the environment, it is evident that Government cannot take sole management and stewardship responsibility for Jamaica's natural resources. Environmental concerns are pervasive, affecting the quality of life of every Jamaican and reaching into areas as diverse as public health and economic growth. In addition, destruction or degradation of Jamaica's natural assets may reduce the opportunities and choices available for future generations. Government has established the environment as a national priority, and as such it requires that all Jamaicans, whether as individuals or in community groups, parish organisations, service clubs, or private sector firms, act as good environmental citizens. The Government also recognizes that many aspects of environmental management are more appropriately decentralised, managed by local government, handled by the private sector or by community groups, with a coordinating role for central and local government. 37. The Government has already begun to work with the active community of environmental organizations and associations in Jamaica. At the NRCA, a NGO liaison desk within the Environmental Education Public Information and Outreach branch is being made responsible for providing better communications with these groups. This effort will be expanded to enable NRCA to collaborate with all elements of the civil society, to coordinate its programmes with them and facilitate efforts at strengthening community action by groups interested in environmental protection. While Jamaica's NGOs represent a broad set of concerns within the country, they are particularly active in the much needed area of raising public environmental awareness. Some have also identified a need to move beyond educational efforts to local projects and co-management of natural systems such as mangroves and forests. The NRCA will continue to take a leading role - along with the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica - in supporting, informing and facilitating the many Jamaican citizens and organizations that are willing to assist in environmental protection particularly at the local and parish level. 38. NGOs have also become an integral component of Jamaica's system for national parks and protected areas, with the management of the Blue Mountain/John Crow National Park and Montego Bay Marine Park scheduled to be delegated in 1995 to the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) and Montego Bay Marine Park Trust (MBMPT) respectively. This delegation will be done by the NRCA which has the legal mandate for establishment and management of national parks and the authority to delegate parts of its functions to other entities, based on established criteria. Plans for future parks and protected areas ( Port Royal Cays and Palisadoes, Hellshire Hills, Portland Bight, Canoe valley, Black River Morass, Cockpit Country, Negril Watershed and Marine Park, Martha Brae Marshlands, Discovery Bay Scientific Reserve, St Ann Coast Marine Park, Port Antonio-San San Marine Park, Yallahs Pond and Environs etc.,) will

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also allow for management delegation contracts with national, community or parish based ENGOs or other entities. 39. The Government, through NRCA and other agencies, is working with the private sector in support of the environment. For example, the NRCA is represented on the board or grants committees of organizations such as the Canada Green Fund and the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) which provide grants for NGOs and other civil society groups to carry out environmental projects. In addition, strong consultative relationships exist on a formal and informal basis with the premier environmental management consulting firms in the island. The Government is also working with traditional private sector interests on environmental issues, though this effort needs much improvement. At present there is strong private sector representation on the NRCA, and the Executive Director of NRCA is a member of the environmental committee of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ). However, there remains a need for more structured and regular communication and better integration between NRCA and the private sector in order to keep the private sector informed of correct environmental management procedures, and for Government to benefit from private sector ideas and initiatives. A review of proposals for the development of a “Sustainable Development Council” type organisation is underway as this function may be capable of being integrated into an existing body. II. ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES A. Land Use Management 40. The revised National Physical Plan 1978 - 1998 broadly outlined inter alia a National Development Strategy which identified urban growth points, conservation areas (inland and marine parks, wetlands and watersheds) and mining and agricultural areas. The land use decisions have been to a large extent guided by this broad-brush strategy. However, there have been instances in which developments do not conform to this strategy. A contributory factor is the inability of the various agencies concerned with land management to prepare development plans for all the urban areas, delineate conservation areas and establish guidelines for their protection and institute effective monitoring and enforcement measures. 41.. The development pattern of settlements is influenced by the topographic limitations. The existing urban pattern reflects the traditional economic base of agriculture and port activities, but superimposed on this older settlement pattern is an emerging recent trend based on internal migration to the KMR and the tourist sector driven coastal growth points. 42. Land has not been allocated to its optimum use in Jamaica primarily because of the lack of an operational land use policy. A National Land Use Strategy was proposed in a 1970-1990 Government Plan but it has not been implemented. Population growth, coupled with industrial and commercial expansion has resulted in intense competition for land. Approximately 50 percent of the island is over 307.7m (1,000 ft.) above sea level and agriculture and urban uses tend to compete for the scarce arable, flat lands. Over the years, successive policies have not adequately addressed these competing demands for land. In 1994 the GOJ issued a comprehensive "Green Paper" on Land Policy which was subject to a consultative process, and the resultant “White Paper” is expected to be issued in 1995, and will form the basis of a significant improvement in land

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management. 43. There is currently a great deal of conflict among potential users for choice sites and locations and, within the public sector, for government-owned land. Significant tracts of good agricultural land and areas of valuable mineral deposits are being utilized for other purposes by both the formal and informal sectors. Also, in some instances, public facilities are being built in inappropriate locations because of the ease of acquisition of particular sites. 44. The unsatisfactory land use situation has been exacerbated by such factors as:

· An inadequate land information data-base. · Duplication of effort and inefficient use of resources with too many agencies in

Government having responsibility for land management. · The goals enunciated by the National Physical Plan have not been achieved

primarily due to the lack of co-ordination between economic and physical planning, resulting in a tendency for land use planning to be isolated from national economic development strategy.

. Inadequate planning at the national and regional levels. · A low level of participation by elements of the civil society including local

communities, parish and community-based organizations, the private sector and NGOs in the land use planning and monitoring process resulting in a lack of commitment at the implementation stage.

45. Less than optimum land use management has been manifested in rural/urban drift and a plethora of environmental and socio-economic problems in the human settlements of the urban areas; deforestation and the destruction of watersheds; and inefficient, unsustainable agriculture. Forestry, agriculture and human settlements are the three most widespread land uses in Jamaica. Forestry and agriculture are predominant, occupying 87 percent of the land area. Urban and rural residential settlements run a distant third at just over 4 percent of the land area. 46. Agriculture extends over 42 percent of the land area. The three principal types of agricultural use are plantation crops grown mostly for export, mixed farming of food crops for domestic consumption and export, and pasture for beef and dairy cattle for local consumption. Agriculture is not achieving its full potential in providing a comfortable way of life for the majority of farmers nor has it developed to the point where the sector meets local consumption and export demands. Some of the land use issues are:

· Under-utilization of large acreages of arable lands. · Small inefficient farms located on low productivity lands. · Over-intensive cultivation and misuse of steep slopes. · Unavailability of land and security of tenure.

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47. The environmental issues and actions pertinent to human settlements, forestry and agriculture are treated in more detail in later sections. General prescriptions for future land use management are outlined hereunder.

Actions: 48. During the three year period (1995-98), Government will initiate a national Land Resource Data Base project. Detailed information on each parcel of land in Jamaica will be collected for feeding into a Geographic Information System (GIS) which will assist in proper planning and land utilization. 49. Over the next three years, the Government will revise the National Physical Plan in order to rationalize and plan for the sustainable management of the island's limited resources so as to accommodate the demands of the growing population. This plan will recognize the interrelationship between spatial strategies and economic and social policies.

50. Government will take steps to ensure that areas with potential for mining are properly zoned in order to prevent the sterilization of mineral deposits by development activities. More quarrying zones will be delineated in order to monitor more easily and encourage safe quarrying and preservation of the environment. 51. In the area of agricultural land use, all arable lands will be preserved for agricultural purposes as far as is viable and possible. The agricultural mapping system will be reviewed to identify land capability and suitability for various types of crops. Government will also endeavour to bring about a significant reduction in the amount of under-utilized arable land. 52. As far as land policy for "industrial activity" is concerned, Government's new national industrial policy clearly indicates that there will be continuing provision of new industrial land by Government within urban boundaries to form an integral component of settlement development strategy. 53. Over the next two years, Government will review the roles and functions of all the agencies involved in land management and develop institutional modalities that will eliminate inefficiencies and promote coordinated decision-making. 54. Finally, in terms of the planning approval process, Government will harmonize the operations of the Town Planning Department and the NRCA with particular reference to the administration of the country's environmental impact assessment requirements. This EIA requirement, which, through the NRCA Act, is now applicable to public sector developments, will be extended to zoning and plans. 55. The Land Management Council will be institutionalised along the lines proposed in the Land Policy Green Paper so as to harmonise the current efforts at GIS system development in support of environmental and physical planning. The NRCA, Survey Department , Town Planning Department are all in the process of developing such systems.

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B. Human Settlements

56. Jamaica has never implemented a comprehensive settlement policy, and sectoral policies having important settlement implications have been undertaken without consideration of them with the exception of the recommendations in the recent Green Paper #4/94 Towards a Land Policy for Jamaica. 57. Human settlements are plagued with persistent problems as a result of population growth coupled with industrial and commercial expansion which has resulted in intense competition for land. The population of Jamaica is expected to increase to 3 million by the year 2000 and 60 percent of this population is projected to be urban. Current problems in urban settlements include urban sprawl, unplanned development, inefficient use of space, urban blight, scattered development, housing shortages, increasing shortage of land, lack of employment opportunities and disparity in the provision of facilities and amenities. Poverty, economic marginalization and the rural-urban drift result in squatting and unplanned developments which only compound these problems. 58. The absence of integrated urban and rural development has led to a high incidence of rural/urban drift. During the period 1970 - 1982, the number of persons living in urban places increased from 41.2 percent in 1982. The overall settlement pattern is one of virtually no increase within the rural areas and to increasing urban growth. The larger urban areas are tending to sprawl and expand into rural ones. Movements from the central areas of urban areas are tending to augment rural-urban migratory flows, as well as natural increase within peripheral zones. Some settlements are tending to decline as their economic bases become eroded. Former rural areas are acquiring urban characteristics. The location of jobs, services and housing facilities have been found to be the major determinants of migration flows. The greatest pressure for land for urban development occurs in Kingston, St. Andrew and the neighbouring parish of St. Catherine where the two largest concentrations of urban population (Spanish Town and Portmore) outside of the KMA exist. It is in St. Catherine that competition between land for urban and agricultural development is most intense. 59. A National Spatial Strategy was outlined in the National Physical Plan 1970 -1990 and further revised in the 1978 -1998 Plan. This strategy was to guide socio-economic development efforts so that the rural/urban drift to the KMA and other main towns would be minimized and to make the rural communities more attractive as a place of residence. Integrated rural development will go hand in hand with the decentralization of industrial districts, as a priority for future public and private investments, and to stem the rural-urban drift. 60. The strategy has had limited success to date due inter alia, to the fact that some of the most powerful factors affecting urbanization are outside of the strategy, the benefits and cost of undertaking a national decentralization policy have not been measured and national urbanization strategies have tended to operate apart from other social and economic policies. An overview of the National Spatial Development Strategy was recently done by the Town Planing Department under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme/ United Nations Council on Human Settlements (UNDP/UNCHS). The report recommended approaches to be adopted to implement an effective National Spatial Strategy.

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61. Attempts at rural development have been made through the agricultural sector, but these have been very ineffective, largely because of their non-comprehensive nature. Efforts have also been made to influence the direction of growth through the establishment of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), in 1968 to stimulate economic development. Consequently, it implemented redevelopment projects in designated areas. The majority of the Corporation's projects are concentrated in the KMA, Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. Projects in the last three areas have been resort oriented. The agency also been involved in shelter programmes. The Corporation has been implementing the Rural Township Comprehensive Development funded by the Inter-American Development Bank which involves the up-grading of schools, hospitals, health centres, roads and drainage in growth centres identified in the National Spatial Strategy. 62. The heavy flow of migrants into the urban areas has been much greater than the ability of Government to provide serviced lots for low-income settlements. This has resulted in significant residential squatting where the landless have established spontaneous settlements without permission or guidance and without minimum installation of infrastructure. 63. Government has recognized that urbanization and rural development are complementary and fall within a single settlement framework as an integral part of a national development strategy.

Actions: 64. Government will continue to support economic development and employment generation through incentives in the already established hierarchy of district, sub-regional and regional centres. The intent is to make rural communities more attractive as places of socio-economic prosperity so that residents of the principal urban areas will be encouraged to relocate and remain in the communities. Social services will be provided with an emphasis on education and health facilities. 65. Over the next three years Government will accelerate the process of providing land to accommodate a range of shelter solutions to ensure sound health, environmental and construction standards with emphasis on low-income and self-help housing types and tenure patterns. It also will favour high density housing solutions in order to minimize further urban sprawl. 66. Finally, Government will elaborate a comprehensive settlement policy that would establish the framework within which sectoral policies and national investment can be coordinated. This should incorporate the issues of public transport and utilities infrastructure. C. Forestry, Agriculture and Watershed Management 67. Forests and other woodlands cover approximately 45 percent of the country, mostly in areas of rugged terrain such as the Blue Mountains and the Cockpit Country and dry, hilly uplands of poor soils in the southern, western and northwestern parts of Jamaica. Few large areas of virgin forest exist in Jamaica, and most of the forest or other woodlands are comprised of ruinate or second growth. 68. There are five main types of forests: the limestone forests of the John Crow Mountains, central and western Jamaica; the predominantly shale forests of the Blue Mountains and Port Royal

16

Mountains; the alluvial and wetland forests of the coastal plains; dry limestone forests in the southern part of Jamaica and, the anthropogenic forests (forest land altered by the action of man e.g. to create pine plantations). 69. From a commercial utilization standpoint the forest area is divided into three major types - natural forest (29%), ruinate forest (63%), and plantations (8%). Commercial forestry is supported only by the natural forest and the plantations (mostly Caribbean Pine), since the ruinate forest is degraded second growth. Much of the forest land is on steep or rugged terrain with little access. Because of inaccessibility, only about 26 percent of the natural forests can contribute to sustained timber production. The prospects for industrial uses of domestic timber for major forest products are minimal. However, the use of mangroves and other species from both coastal and highland forest for fuelwood and charcoal manufacture, production of yamsticks, and fenceposts has had considerable effect environmentally, particularly as it relates to watershed degradation. The possibility for sustainable development exists if some areas of ruinate are converted to the production of fuelwood on a commercial basis as the research by the Forest Department and PCJ has shown. Of necessity, Jamaican forests are multiple-use forests and employment and revenue streams from the forest is important to the national economy. The current thrust of the government is not only for timber trees but also fruit trees and other orchard crops to be planted within the forests. 70. Of the 26 newly defined Watershed Management Units, 19 have been declared critical, i.e. they have been determined to be very degraded and in need of urgent remedial work to return to an acceptable state of health. Land that should have remained under forest cover has been cleared for other uses, e.g. coffee production, that are not compatible with soil and water conservation. Furthermore, the forest cover has been under serious pressure for the production of yam sticks, and wood for charcoal, resort and residential development, timber extraction, grazing and cropping. 71. One of the most serious aspects of deforestation is the clearing of steep, unstable slopes for cultivation. This is particularly risky when clear stripping and slash and burn methods are employed, as they sometimes lead to the exposure to the elements and subsequently loss of the top soil. The lack of soil and water conservation measures has led to high rates of soil erosion, loss of nutrients, and reduction of water retention capacity in watersheds. Improper road construction and logging operations both legal and illegal, in pine plantations as well as in designated forest reserves, have also contributed to the problem.

72. Over the past 40 years successive governments have tried to address the unacceptable levels of soil erosion and degradation of watersheds caused primarily by the activities of hillside farmers. The approach to solving the problem has been dominated by physical soil conservation methods, designed to allow the farmer to continue to produce annual crops but with reduced erosion. Despite a number of programmes and the expenditure of substantial financial resources, primarily through direct farmer subsidies, little success has been achieved. There is, however, considerable scope for the expansion of agroforestry among hillside farmers since these practices could reduce the rate of erosion and increase overall productivity through the inter-cropping of agricultural crops and woody perennials on the same holding. 73. The Jamaica National Forestry Action Plan (NFAP) of 1990 listed as priority projects, the

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introduction of agroforestry systems in the Blue Mountains and land use control in upper watersheds. Another project involved watershed management, soil conservation and agroforestry in ten watersheds. The NFAP as a whole has not yet been implemented because of funding constraints. However, it is understood that funding has now been secured from the UNDP for the first step of NFAP implementation, namely, a Country Capacity Project. 74. Meanwhile, certain parts of the NFAP relevant to watershed management have been addressed by particular agencies. In 1991, the IDB executed a pre-feasibility study of the reforestation of six watersheds - Yallahs, Rio Minho, Black River, Cave River, Great River and Rio Grande. Negotiations are now underway for immediate investment feasibility studies in forestry, agroforestry and infrastructure development in these watersheds, leaving others to undergo prefeasibility analysis. Also in 1991, the FAO financed a one year project whose purpose, inter alia, was to assist in introducing agroforestry concepts to yam farmers on a community basis. In 1992, CIDA initiated a seven year "Trees for Tomorrow" Project to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Forest Department to plan and implement sustainable forest management and to carry out other soil and water conservation measures in a selected watershed (Buff Bay). Phase I of the project is currently being evaluated internally by CIDA before starting Phase II. 75. Other projects presently at the pre-implementation phase include:

· the Northeast Jamaica Watershed/Agroforestry Project funded by the Dutch Government which includes work in the watersheds of Rio Grande, Swift River, and Spanish River.

· the European Community EC funded watershed project in the Yallahs and Morant

Watersheds which will involve agroforestry on private lands and reforestation on Government lands.

The NRCA, NGOs, and other agencies are presently in the process of formulating action programmes to heighten people's awareness of the importance and the proper practices to be followed when working in watersheds. These initiatives are being given particular attention in the light of the possible removal during 1995 of the long standing subsidy on domestic kerosene. A comprehensive Action Plan for this sector including strengthening of appropriate institutions, establishment of nurseries and a national tree planting drive as well as specific proposals for establishment of fuelwood forests is to be finalised and implemented early in fiscal year 1995-1996.

Actions: 76. The Government is committed to a programme of watershed rehabilitation and will continue to support the implementation of those aspects of the NFAP. This will include those NFAP projects concerned with community fuelwood and reforestation on private lands so as to take the

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pressure off the forested areas and reverse the trend of watershed degradation. The NRCA will integrate and co-ordinate planning and development of managements plans for watersheds and have the oversight for the major watershed areas through its own Watershed and National Parks System programmes. The NRCA will establish Watershed Management Area Councils to facilitate local inputs into watershed management. The reinvigorated Forestry and Soil Conservation Department will directly manage government owned forest lands, the Water Resources Authority (to be created in 1995) will monitor and regulate the use of surface and underground water resources in the watersheds. RADA which is responsible for improving cultural practices on farmed lands will continue to foster appropriate inter-agency linkages which will enhance environmentally sound practices in the field within the watersheds. 77. Government will continue to train hillside farmers to adopt agroforestry systems that are environmentally friendly and economically beneficial to them and will provide support by ensuring that the necessary facilities for agricultural production, such as credit facilities and security of tenure, are readily available. 78. The new Forestry Act will be completed and the Forest Land Use Policy Green Paper issued in 1994 will be finalised and promulgated in 1995. Government will conduct the necessary feasibility study in order to establish and declare Forest Management Areas on public and private lands to facilitate better monitoring and enforcement to prevent deforestation. Economic Policies for Forestry Management: 79. In view of the major budgetary requirements for forest resource management, within the next two years, Government will seek to increase stumpage fee levels in line with market rates in an effort to cover a greater share of this budget. D. Waste Management 80. The management of all wastes poses serious environmental problems in Jamaica. Solid waste collection and disposal operations present many serious environmental, public health, social and liability problems and risks. A growing number of urban and rural households lack satisfactory sanitation conditions. This causes pollution of groundwater, rivers and marine environments, and the threat of water borne disease. Technologies for non-polluting, on-site sanitation do exist and have been introduced in a few areas.

Table I. Generation and Disposal of Solid Waste

Type of Waste

Amount Generated (approx.)

Disposal Methods

Municipal

2775 tonnes/day (2726 tons/day)

Dump sites

19

Ship-genera-ted

5310 tonnes/day (1992) (5215 tons/days)

National dump sites

Industrial

572 tonnes/day (562 tons/day)

Dump sites/on-site solid waste landfills

Agricultu-ral

No data available

On-site and some reuse in feeds and fertilizers

Source: IDB 81. As much as 50 percent of the solid waste generated in the country is attributed to the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA). Approximately 80 percent of the total waste generated in the country is collected by five Parks and Markets Companies, private companies wholly-owned by the Government. The quality of their service has been deteriorating because of budgetary constraints. Approximately 20 percent of the generated waste is handled by private collectors. 82. Official waste disposal sites in Jamaica all have a high potential for contributing to pollution of soil, water and air. They lack conventional solid waste disposal site equipment, resulting in inadequate and improper burial of solid waste. Unauthorized dumpsites proliferate and these can usually be found in remote areas where detection is difficult. These are often created by private waste disposal contractors who sometimes despoil waterways and beach lands. 83. Substantial installation and/or upgrading of waste management facilities are required for both public and private sectors. The Government has targeted the Kingston Metropolitan Region (KMR), Montego Bay and the other tourist resort towns as areas for priority attention. 84. Ship-generated waste is also a concern as the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) requires that home ports must have port reception facilities to treat and dispose of these wastes Ship-generated waste is expected to increase with more cruise ships coming to the island and with other developments such as floating restaurants and house boats. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established a regional centre in Trinidad to assist Jamaica and other Caribbean nations in dealing with this problem. 85. The national average sewage generation has been put at over 455 million litres daily (100 MGD). Of this about 25 percent is collected and treated in established treatment systems and the remainder disposed of by way of on-site disposal systems (pit latrines, soak-aways, septic tanks, etc.). The major urban centres of Kingston and St. Andrew, Montego Bay, South East St. Catherine and Clarendon account for approximately 50 percent of the waste generated. Treatment facilities in these areas are inadequate, with the most critical environmental manifestation being the pollution of Kingston Harbour. 86. Improper sewage treatment and disposal is the main contributor to pollution of Kingston Harbour. In this regard, the infrastructure for sewage disposal needs improvement. The Government has recognized this need and there is a programme design underway for clean-up of

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the Harbour funded by the World Bank, International Development Agency and United Nations Environment Programme and involving a sewage collection and treatment system for the Kingston Metropolitan Area. The government has also embarked on projects to improve sewage treatment and disposal systems in two tourist resort towns, Ocho Rios and Negril, with funding support from the European Development Fund of the European Community. 87. Special wastes such as medical waste, tyres and hazardous wastes pose particular problems in Jamaica. The present system of incinerators for medical waste appears plagued by poor design, poor operation and inadequate and irregular maintenance. The implications for waste handlers and scavengers are serious. Scrap tyres in landfills tend to deteriorate very slowly and provide for mosquitos breeding grounds. Hazardous waste often ends up at dump sites with other solid waste material because of the absence of a hazardous waste dump facility in the country. 88. Critical concerns related to waste management in Jamaica include:

· delays in implementation of appropriate waste management schemes due to the lack of a comprehensive waste management policy;

· application of waste management technology has not been sufficiently responsive to

changing conditions;

· inadequate attention is paid to specific physical characteristics of the island (alluvial soils, protection of coastal resources or very permeable limestone); and

· lack of awareness in the general population of the importance of proper waste

management practices.

Actions: 89. Government will develop a comprehensive policy and regulatory framework for management of waste. In this regard, Government will address the fragmented approach of several agencies having responsibility for various aspects of waste management. Specific strategies to address each of the issues will be developed through the advisory body on waste management established by the NRCA and in consultation with the Ministry of Local Government, the Underground Water Authority, the Environmental Control Division (ECD) of the Ministry of Health and other related agencies such as the Scientific Research Council and the University of the West Indies. 90. In the next year, Government will carry out a full feasibility study to determine the technical and financial requirements for creating a hazardous waste disposal site. The results of the study will be used to define an incentive framework which encourages a private firm to design, build and operate such a facility in compliance with environmental standards. The draft procedures and requirements for permitting and operation of waste disposal facilities will be finalized. In addition promotion of on-site sanitation has begun and will be extended under the Government’s initiatives for provision of housing land.

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Economic Policy Actions for Waste Management: 91. Within the next two years, the National Water Commission will commission a study of the costs of sewerage services and review its tariff structure with a view to making from costs recovery. 92. Within the next year, Government will complete a set of standards for industrial waste discharge and establish a fee structure based on the quantity and quality of the discharge, including penalties that are set at an appropriate level to discourage illegal discharges. 93. Within the next two years, Government will develop a system of cost recovery for solid waste collection and disposal which covers the full costs of these services through the use of household disposal fees and a tipping fee system for industrial refuse. In conjunction with these cost recovery measures, efforts will be strengthened to eliminate illegal dumping. 94. Throughout the next three years, Government will create an incentive framework for recycling and reuse of materials through study of returnable deposit fees to buyers of goods such as automobiles, tyres, plastic bags, batteries and cans. Government will also work to create incentives for local industries to process these products for recycling. E. Pollution - Air, Land and Water 95. Deterioration of air quality in the major urban population centres of Kingston, Spanish Town, and Montego Bay, and in the Santa Cruz mountains southwest of Mandeville, has been a persistent cause of concern. Principal contributors to this problem have been stack emissions from oil refineries, power stations, chemical processing facilities, the Kingston-area cement plant, as well as bauxite mining and processing, sugar production, and other industrial operations. The burning of garbage at municipal dumps, and vehicular emissions also contribute to the problem. The consequences of these emissions are frequent high particulate levels in these urban areas, and potential adverse health impacts on local populations. 96. Major issues regarding air pollution include:

· the need for a national air quality monitoring programme and an air quality monitoring system in critical urban and industrial areas to control stationary sources of air pollution;

· the need for national standards for ambient air quality and for stack emissions on an

industry-specific basis;

· the need for coordination with energy and land use policies, such that a zoning policy based on maintenance of certain quality or improvement in quality characteristics can be developed;

· the need for a clear definition of an anti-degradation policy; and

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· the need for regulation and control of pollution from motor vehicles and other mobile sources.

. the need for regulation and control of noise from motor vehicles, sound systems and

factories. 97. Water supply sources and connected downstream wetland, estuary, and marine ecosystems are being contaminated by sediments, pathogens, and chemicals. This contamination primarily results from deforestation of upper watersheds, improper disposal of liquid and solid wastes, and runoff contaminated by agrochemicals. The principal consequences of this water pollution are noticed in human health impacts and degradation of downstream habitats. Inadequate planning of urban developments, and the expansion of numerous illegal housing and other developments is a major factor contributing to water pollution. Many of these legal or illegal structures do not have access to reliable piped water systems or waste disposal services. 98. Routine water quality monitoring is conducted by several agencies. The parameters analyzed on a routine basis differ among the agencies but include BOD, pH, total coliform, faecal coliform, and nitrate-nitrogen. There is no routine monitoring of heavy metals, pesticides or fertilizers so the contribution to the pollution load from agricultural activity and some industries is not known. 99. Several factors contribute to the present delay in implementing pollution control schemes, among them, design and cost of clean technology as well as management deficiencies or weak organizational structures. 100. In the area of land pollution, the main concerns are associated with the agricultural and industrial use of the land. Specific instances in the past have resulted in contamination caused by a metal refinery plant and illegal lead-smelting backyard operations, and the power generating facilities at a specific location, Hunts Bay. 101. The metal refinery plant and the associated illegal backyard smelting operations resulted in the contamination of soil in the Red Pond District of St. Catherine. Lead-contaminated soil and material (LCM) were removed for disposal. An estimated 3000 cubic yards of LCM was deposited in a specially prepared landfill.

Actions: 102. Over the next year Government will finalize air quality standards, either as national standards promulgated by the Bureau of Standards or as technical regulations under the NRCA Act. 103. In the coming year Government will initiate a national emissions study and finalize stack emissions standards and vehicular emission standards. 104. Through the routine water quality monitoring programme of the NRCA, the government will expand the number of parameters tested to include heavy metals, pesticide residues, and other organic chemicals. The NRCA laboratory will be upgraded by the end of 1995 to undertake these

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tasks. 105. In the coming year, Government will finalize standards for trade effluent, sewage effluent, ambient water quality, potable water, irrigation water and recreational water (pools and beaches). 106. Over the next year, Government, through the NRCA, will collaborate with the Pesticides Control Authority (PCA) in their public education programme in respect of the effects of pesticide abuse on water pollution. Through RADA and the PCA, it will promote an Integrated Pest Management Programme which will result in a reduction in reliance on chemical pesticides in agriculture.

Economic Policy Actions for Pollution Control: 107. Within the next two years, Government will consider possibilities for levying specific taxes on environmentally damaging products as well as the banning of some from usage. These taxes would be aimed at reducing application of products whose environmental effects are difficult to monitor and control and will be designed to limit the use of such products to their most essential applications. 108. Within the next year, the Underground Water Authority (soon to become the Water Resources Authority) will introduce a system of volume-based water extraction charges to encourage the more efficient use of water, particularly among major users. The revenue gained from these charges will be used to improve monitoring of water quality and availability. F. Coastal and Marine Resources Management 109. Jamaica possesses a varied and irregular coastline which gives rise to a unique ecosystem formed by the integration of coastal features that include harbours, bays, beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, mangrove swamps, cays, and coral reefs. These natural features provide a coastal resource base that contributes significantly to the economic well-being of the country through tourism. More significantly, most of the Jamaican people live in coastal plains and ipso facto the majority of the economic activities within the country occur there, making coastal zone management very important for the country. 110. Numerous sandy beaches around Jamaica's coastline and on several inshore cays are invaluable to the tourism industry and for the enjoyment of locals. This resource is under threat from pollution, erosion and illegal sand mining. The erosion of Jamaica's shoreline may be attributed to several factors. The degradation of coral reefs and mangrove forests have exposed the sandy beaches to increased wave action, and the illegal but common practice of mining sand from beaches has exacerbated the problem. Both recreational and fishing beaches have been fouled by the pileup of refuse, debris and fish offal, as well as by occasional offshore and nearshore oil spills. The quality of the water around several recreational beaches is deteriorating due to pollution, particularly from human waste, which makes sea bathing unpleasant. 111. The wetland areas are important to the coastal ecosystem in that they provide habitat for a wide variety of organisms (e.g. birds, crabs, oysters), a nursery area for fish and lobsters, and provide protection to the shoreline from wave action. The area of Jamaica's wetlands (mangrove forests and

24

salt marshes) has been steadily decreasing, with a corresponding decrease in fish and wildlife and an increase in coastal erosion. In the past, the importance of wetland areas (then called swamps) was not recognized. Considered eyesores and breeding grounds for mosquitos, many were drained or dumped up and acres of mangrove forest were cut down to make way for the construction of houses, hotels or other structures. At the same time, mangroves provided an income for small-scale harvesters of timber. Today, the pressure on the mangroves has increased tremendously. Mangrove poles are used for fuelwood, to make charcoal, as fence posts, stakes, yamsticks, scaffolding and construction material. New harvesting technology (chain saws) has dramatically increased the quantity of timber harvested, and clear-cutting is making natural regeneration difficult. In addition, wetland areas are still targets for construction projects. 112. Jamaica has extensive coral reefs which are important as habitat for a complex mixture of fish, invertebrates and algae. Jamaica's coral reefs are commercially important for two main reasons: most of Jamaica's artisanal fishers use traps aimed at capturing reef fish; and the reefs are important dive sites for water sports operators in the tourism industry. Recent years have seen extensive degradation of Jamaica's coral reefs, leading to decreases in fish catches and increases in visitor dissatisfaction. Recent hurricanes (particularly Allen in 1980 and Gilbert in 1988) have caused major structural damage to Jamaica's coral reefs. This is an unavoidable occurrence, from which the reefs are normally able to recover; however other factors are hampering reef restoration. Pollution of the marine environment by sewage has promoted the growth of algae which are stifling the coral organisms (eutrophication). The sea urchins, major reef grazers who can usually be expected to keep algae growth in check, were almost wiped out by a viral disease in the 1980s, which promoted reef death. The reduction of fish grazers (e.g. parrot fish) due to overfishing has also made a significant contribution to eutrophication. The widespread use of fishing methods such as dynamite and certain toxic substances are destructive and avoidable. 113. The importance of sea grass beds in the growth cycles of fish, lobsters and other commercially important species is recognized by scientists but has not been fully explored. 114. Jamaica's marine environment is notoriously overfished; indeed the CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Programme (CFRAMP) has declared Jamaican waters to be the most overfished in the English-speaking Caribbean. A study conducted by Thompson in 1945 reported the island shelves (North and South) to be overfished by fishers using unmotorized canoes. As a way of increasing the catch he recommended expanding the area fished to include the almost unexploited inshore and offshore banks, which would require motorization. Since then, developments in fishing technology (including motorization and the introduction of SCUBA gear) have resulted in overfishing on the inshore and offshore banks. Government initiatives have led to substantial increases in fishing effort while there is inadequate institutional capacity to plan for, manage and monitor the fishing industry. Jamaica's catch of marine fish has declined from 10.89 million kg (24 million lb) in 1964, to 7.71 million kg (17 million lbs) in 1980, despite an expansion into new fishing grounds. Not only has overall catch weight declined but so has the average size of fish caught. The species composition of the catch has also declined, towards less favoured varieties and trash fish. The mesh used in fishpots is usually 2.5 cm (1") or 3.125 cm (1.25"), which traps fish before they are of age to spawn (juveniles); thatched pots covered with wire mesh used in certain parts of Jamaica, have an effective aperture of 1 cm (0.4"), which is very destructive of fish populations. Dynamite destroys fish habitat, as do certain toxic substances currently in use and

25

certain seine and trammel nets. Other nets are destructive of fish (e.g. gill nets) and the mesh in most nets is quite small. 115. Wild stocks of a few species of invertebrates have been traditionally exploited by artisanal fishers. Lobster, shrimp and crabs (crustaceans), conch and oysters (molluscs) were generally lightly harvested, but in recent years, increases in demand have led to great increases in fishing pressure. A lucrative export market for lobster and conch has brought big business into the fishery, and now these stocks are overfished. The government is making efforts to manage these wild stocks. For example, closed seasons for lobsters and conch have been imposed and quotas for the harvesting of conch have recently been established The emergence in recent years of local oyster bars has led to over-harvesting of the mangrove oysters. Stocks of the more popular cup oyster (Crassostrea rhizophorae) have declined considerably, and the oyster harvest is now predominantly of the flat oyster (Isogamon alatus). Many invertebrates are caught by hand using SCUBA or Hooka equipment. 116. Some varieties of agar-bearing seaweed (Gracilaria spp.) locally called Irish moss are also harvested from the wild as the main constituent in a variety of drinks popular with Jamaicans at home and abroad. Due to poor harvesting techniques, the yield has decreased in recent years, and now the wild stocks are unable to satisfy the local and export demand for Irish moss. Large quantities of a carrageenan-bearing substitute (Euchuma spp.) are now being imported to address this deficiency. Poor harvesting techniques are fast reducing the wild stocks of Irish moss. Instead of cutting the algae with a knife leaving the rest to grow again attached by the holdfast, the standard procedure is to rip the plant off the substrate. 117. Arising out of Jamaica’s concerns at the state of coral reefs and related ecosystems, Jamaica has been actively associated with the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), co-sponsoring the resolution in 1994 establishing the Initiative. Jamaica has remained actively involved in the planning of the ICRI International Consultation scheduled to be held in the Philippines at the end of May 1995 and hosting a regional consultation planned for early July 1995. Coastal Zone Management is being given significant attention with the execution of a project emphasizing an integrated approach to Coastal Zone Management with support from the Government of Sweden. The national interest also requires that Jamaica support research and monitoring of global warming and its effects such as sea level rise which is of critical importance for management of the coastal zone, given the current patterns of population density and dispersal on the island. The prospect of increasing sea level rise poses serious implications for the re-siting of important social, economic and other infrastructure.

Actions: 118. Government will involve the stakeholders in both policy formation and enforcement. This will relieve the pressure on Government's human and financial enforcement resources. Stakeholder involvement in enforcement would be cheaper, and would have the best chance for success. Government will promote the formation and strengthening of stakeholder groups (fishers, charcoal burners, etc.), and provide the information necessary for sound environmental management. 119. Over the next three years, Government will rationalize the utilization of the country's mangrove resources. It will promote the organization of mangrove cutters into local groups that will

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be offered permits to cut based on sustainable harvesting techniques and quotas. All red mangroves and certain key wetland areas (e.g. Portland Bight) will be protected and a mangrove replanting programme will be developed. 120. More structured coral reef management and protection based on the ICRI call for action will commence in 1995. Government will revive the sea urchin populations through seeding. Legal minimum mesh sizes will be established and anchoring on reefs will be prohibited. 121. Over the next three years, Government will exercise greater control over fishing activity. It will license all fishers and promote their organization into groups with management responsibility shared with the government. Only limited entry to overfished areas will be permitted. Net and trap mesh size will be restricted. Fishermen will be encouraged to take a more active role in monitoring and managing the resources they use (at sea and at the fishing beaches) . Cage culture of marine species will be promoted alongside capture fishery. Mariculture of lobster, conch and marine shrimp will be promoted to reduce dependence on reef fishery. 122. There will be designation of fish sanctuaries and reserves, with active management of at least five such areas by 1996. Where possible, such areas will be included in marine/coastal parks to ensure proper management. 123. Research programmes in fisheries management, resources enhancement, and mariculture are to be developed by the Fisheries Division in collaboration with NRCA. 124. There will be instituted, an improvement in the institutional capability of the Fisheries Division to monitor the fishing industry, and to provide information on the biological and economic status of the industry. 125. Approaches and mechanisms to involve the tourism sector in coastal conservation projects will be formulated. 126. There will be zoning of intensive-use areas such as Ocho Rios and Negril, followed by the determination of the carrying capacity for such areas. 127. There will be selection of new sites to be used in the development of ecotourism. 128. Steps will be taken to expand the present Contingency Plan, concerning oil and chemical spill incidents, to operational levels in all parishes by 1996. 129. Development of guidelines for the design and placement of structures in areas known to be susceptible to storm surge will be undertaken. 130. Government will also focus on rehabilitation of areas of severe degradation, such as Kingston Harbour. 131. Community-based projects will be developed as mechanisms for promoting conservation while allowing income-generating activities.

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132. Training of personnel coastal zone management at all levels. . POLICY ISSUES IN COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT 133. The outstanding policy issues which will be addressed include:- a) The finalization of the Clean Sea Bill b) Development of policy guidelines and regulations related to the use of wetland resources. c) Development of regulations and guidelines proposed in the Fisheries Management Plan prepared by the Fisheries Division. 134. Government will become a member of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to improve its understanding and response to the phenomenon of global warming and sea level rise. 135. Government will develop, within the next two years, a comprehensive coastal zone management plan incorporating all the necessary measures, to facilitate more effective management of the natural resource base.

Economic Policies for Coastal Resources Management: 136. The Mines and Quarries Division of Government has introduced a new regime for capturing resource rents, based on a set percentage of sales prices (to keep up with inflation), and major increases in penalties for unlicensed users such as illegal sand quarries. 137. A new schedule of fees and rates for licences and activities under the Beach Control Act has been developed. The revenue generated will be used primarily for coastal zone management and upgrading of public beaches. G. National Parks, Protected Areas and Wildlife 138. Jamaica boasts a rich natural heritage that combines scenic beauty with a variety of ecosystems that includes wet and dry forests, rivers, caves, mineral springs, sandy beaches, rocky shores, mangroves, herbaceous swamps, swamp forests, salinas, mountains and plains. The island has an unusually high level of endemism and has been rated fifth in islands of the world in terms of endemic plant species. 139. In recent years, the biological diversity of terrestrial and marine ecosystems has been adversely affected by deforestation and consequent soil loss, contamination of soil and water resources from improper disposal of liquid and solid wastes, improperly planned urban developments, and wildlife harvests in excess of ecosystem carrying capacities. Underlying all of these factors have been the persistent problems of poverty and limited public awareness of the issues. The results of these

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actions are primarily evident in the increasing number of plant and animal species that are threatened, endangered, or extremely sensitive to further changes. 140. The documentation of the threat to natural habitats in the Country Environmental Profile of 1987 led to the launching of a USAID-funded Protected Areas Resources Conservation Project (PARC) in 1989. The executing agency for the project was the NRCA. Phase I of the Project was implemented over a three year period in collaboration with the Planning Institute of Jamaica which managed the project and the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT). Together, they successfully established the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and the Montego Bay Marine Park, sensitized the Jamaican community about conservation and preservation of the environment, and provided the foundation for a National Parks and Protected Areas System. This Phase also saw the establishment of a Conservation Data Centre (CDC) based at UWI. 141. Phase II of the PARC Project will be conducted as a component of a broader USAID-funded project for Development of Environmental Management Organizations (DEMO) which was initiated in October 1993. PARC II will provide further assistance for the establishment of two additional National Parks; the Black River Lower Morass National Park, and the Cockpit Country. The two new Parks will form a corridor of protected areas. PARC II will also address institutional strengthening of the NRCA and the JCDT so that the System can be properly implemented. PARC II will also address the financial sustainability of the system through aggressive fundraising efforts. The Government intends to delegate the management of national parks to NGOs and will also support NGO in the establishment and management of additional national parks. Attention is being given to conservation within the context of botanical gardens, as well.

Actions: 142. In addition to the activities of PARC II, Government over the next three years will develop a System Plan and initiate management plans for individual priority protected areas. The implementation of management plans will be pursued by granting contracts to NGOs, community groups and other capable institutions. Government will also put in place modalities for policy development, management plan reviews and the development and implementation of delegation instruments. 143. Over the next three years, Government will provide adequate institutional capacity and human resources for the National Parks, Protected Areas and Wildlife branch of the NRCA, to regulate, monitor, facilitate and catalyze the development of the system. 144. The Government will develop and implement permit and licensing systems so as to have effective cost recovery for services rendered and benefits obtained from the use of Jamaica's natural resources. H. Public Awareness 145. Government recognizes that public awareness of environmental issues is critical to gain

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support for environmental protection, environmental cost-recovery and sustainable development of resources. An effort is being made to generate this widespread support from the population by motivating a change in behaviour and attitudes among individuals through effective public education and awareness programmes. The Environmental Education, Public Information and Outreach Branch of the NRCA will be conducting programmes to accomplish this goal. A National Environmental Education Committee, (the focal point of the Government's strategy for public awareness and education), has been established, and currently the NRCA is in consultation with the Ministry of Education and Culture to incorporate environmental issues within the school curriculum. Progress is being made in this direction. 146. Efforts are being made also to promote awareness and understanding of environmental issues through the media. Radio, print and television programmes have proven popular. Earth Day is observed as well as National Environmental Awareness Week, in collaboration with the NGO community as well as with private sector groups in manufacturing, commerce, construction, transport and other related services. There are plans to target other important groups such as the police and judiciary to further sensitize them to environmental issues. 147. The efforts of the Jamaica Conservation Trust (JCDT), the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ), the Portland Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA), Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society, National Environmental Societies Trust (NEST) and other NGOs both within and outside the umbrella of NEST have done much to create environmental awareness and provide education. The Government recognizes the valuable contribution which these and other agencies are making. The Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, The Canadian Green Fund, and local organizations such as the ICWI Foundation, and the Service Clubs have provided grants to several groups for environmental programmes. The NRCA provides technical assistance and resource material in supporting NGO's and community-based organizations involved in environmental awareness programmes.

Actions: 148. During the next three years, the Government will continue to develop its Public Outreach and Education Programme by working with NGOs and the National Environmental Education Committee. In particular, Government will support efforts to create stakeholder associations and promote alternative economic activities which are environmentally sound among charcoal burners and other similar groups. The NRCA will also continue to work to see environmental issues included within the schools curriculum. 149. The NRCA has prepared a Directory of Environmental Education Activities in both the formal and informal sectors, National co-ordination of all environmental education activities has been reinforced and will be carried forward toward the development of a National Environmental Education Programme. 150. The NRCA will develop and implement a National Environmental Education Policy and act as the focal point for a National Environmental Education Network. 151. Government through the NRCA will continue to maintain regional linkages through the

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Caribbean Conservation Association and the UNESCO-UNEP Caribbean Environmental Education Programme, so as to maximise the use of available resources and learn from as well as contribute to the experience of others in this field. It will also comply with international environmental treaty obligations and use Public Education and Awareness programmes to obtain compliance. III LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT A. Legal instruments and Enforcement 152. Jamaica has a variety of statutes dealing with the environment. Fifty-two have been identified which have direct or indirect jurisdiction over matters of the environment. These range from public health to physical planning and land use for many cases there are overlapping responsibilities among Ministries. 153. The enactment of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act of 1991 (NRCA Act), has begun the process of rationalization and prioritization of these statutes. This Act binds the Crown and therefore enforcement can be applied to public sector entities as well as private citizens. 154. The principal environmental laws are those dealing with public health, watersheds, beaches, forestry, fisheries, surface and underground water, clean air, national heritage sites, wildlife protection, national parks, mining, petroleum and quarries control. 155. The Government of Jamaica recognizes the need to draft additional regulations and strengthen existing ones for more effective enforcement of its environmental laws. "The Community Right to Know " needs to be included under the NRCA Act. The Forestry Act is being modernized with funding from the Trees for Tomorrow Project to provide for broader functions for the Forestry Department and for conservation and management of forests according to up-to-date principles. The penalties under the Act are also to be increased. This will enable better management and development of Forests. Other statutes which are either now being revised it is intended to revise are the Fishing Industries Act, Local Improvements Act, Town and Country Planning Act, Beach Control Act, and Water Resources Act. 156. While they confer the authority to perform physical planning and the control of development through an administrative process of approval, neither the Town and Country Planning Act, the Local Improvements Act or the Land Utilization Act, require an environmental Screening or impact assessment of development projects. This system is being put in place however, by the NRCA, as the NRCA Act requires environmental impact assessments and screening of developments within prescribed areas. The proposed declaration of the entire island as a prescribed are will pave the way for the NRCA, which is the chief environmental management organization, to require environmental impact assessments for developments being planned anywhere within the island and not only within special, more vulnerable locations as was originally intended by law. 157. The main environmental statutes are identified in Table II.

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Table II. Principal Environmental Laws

Environmental Law

Authority

Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act

To protect and manage natural resources and control pollution

Watersheds Protection Act

Watersheds protection

Public Health Act

Environmental health, waste management, pollution control

Clean Air Act

Control of air pollution

Forest Act

Declaration and management of forest reserves

Jamaica National Heritage Trust Act

Preservation and management of historical sites, buildings and artifacts

Fishing Industry Act

Development and management of Fisheries

Morant and Pedro Cays Act

To protect the cays from unauthorized exploitation of species

Water Act

To establish a water board and water courts

Underground Water Act

To protect underground water resources

Beach Control Act

Control of sand removal from beaches

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Table II. Principal Environmental Laws (Continued)

Environmental Law

Authority

Wildlife Protection Act

Control of hunting of wildlife

Marine Park Regulations under NRCA Act

To protect marine resources and establish marine parks

National Park Regulations under NRCA Act

To establish national parks and protect their natural resources

Mining Act

Control of mining

Petroleum Act

Control of petroleum as a hazardous substance

Quarries Control Act

Control of quarrying activities

Town and Country Planning Act

Physical planning and building control

Local Improvements Act

Amelioration of poor infrastructure amenities in communities

Land Utilization Act

Land use planning and development control

Urban Development Corporation Act

Urban physical planning and development

Pesticides Act

Control of importation, use and disposal of pesticides

Litter Act

Control of litter in public places

Harbours Act

Control of harbour pollution (oil spills)

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158. The resource management laws generally provide adequate authority to protect, conserve and manage the environmental resources which they cover. Where these laws tend to fall short is in the very low level of fees and fines that they provide for (e.g. a fine of twenty dollars per day for encroachment on the foreshore and floor of the sea), an absence of or inadequate regulations and, a lack of their consistent enforcement. The Government is cognizant of these matters and is working to address them within the short run.

Actions: 159. During the next three years the Government will strengthen the existing legal foundation to provide an adequate legal and regulatory framework for the management of the environment and the achievement of sustainable development. It will also seek to harmonize this framework within the wider regional and sub-regional context. At the same time that the Government is strengthening its regulatory framework, and improving enforcement, it will also be taking steps to promote voluntary compliance as an alternative to costly enforcement action. The necessary legislative and regulatory actions will include the following:

(a) Enactment of a new Forest Act.

(b) Enactment of a Water Resources Act

(c) Development of regulations under the NRCA Act for the prescription of areas

and activities which require permits, environmental impact assessment, hazardous waste management, standards for air and water quality, and for watershed management, among others.

(d) The amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act to include adequate provisions

for protection of flora.

(e) A review of the provisions under the Beach Control Act

(f) Amendments of the Mining Act to increase its penalties. 160. NRCA will work with other public sector agencies and where necessary, the power under section 40 of the NRCA Act will be exercised to amend other Acts (with the advice of the Attorney General's office), as the NRCA sees to the strengthening of other organizations to carry out their environmental management responsibilities for the sustainable development of Jamaica. 161. Government will fulfil obligations under international treaties of significant importance to the environment. Jamaica is a party to several treaties including:

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the

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Wider Caribbean Region Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol

Climate Change Convention

Convention on Biological Diversity

162. Steps are now being taken with regard to accession to the following treaties:

(a) Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat (RAMSAR).

(b) Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. (c) Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (d) Convention of Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western

Hemisphere. (e) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

(CITES). (f) Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their

Disposal B. Institutions - Public, Private and NGOs Public Sector 163. Jamaica has a long history of institutionalizing its environmental concerns by legislating measures to address them. A number of laws have been passed that give several agencies the authority to regulate and manage the environment. Unfortunately, the piecemeal basis on which these laws were created over the years has resulted in overlapping of the responsibilities of some institutions. 164. The natural resources management functions of Government (eg. management and administration of national parks and protected areas, forestry, wildlife and fisheries) are conducted mainly by the NRCA and by the Ministry of Agriculture's Forestry Department and Fisheries Division. The vast majority of Government lands are nevertheless, administered by the Commissioner of Lands. 165. The recent establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Housing has brought together under one Ministry, responsibility for environmental protection and management, physical planning, land management, estate management and housing( projects as well as the implementation of Operation Pride). 166. It is expected that there should be better coordination of the agencies (including the NRCA, Town Planning Department and the Commissioner of Lands) which have a key role to play in national and physical resource management.

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167. It is the NRCA which has primary responsibility for environmental management in Jamaica, and functions as the government umbrella agency for environmental protection. It has broad powers of enforcement for environmental law under the NRCA Act of 1991. These include issuing of enforcement notices and immediate cessation orders, as well as ordering prosecution of offending persons before a Resident Magistrate. The Authority has a Regulatory and Compliance Division which specifically carries out environmental monitoring and enforcement. The job of environmental monitoring is also conducted routinely by each of the technical divisions within the NRCA under their respective portfolios and non-compliance reported to the Enforcement Division for enforcement action to be taken. 168. The NRCA, a statutory body, is also structured to interrelate environmental with physical planning. The NRCA, as well as the Ministry of Health's Environmental Control Division, is represented on the Town and Country Planning Authority. At present a coordinated development approval system is in place which is to be widened in scope to include an environmental screening system which will require environmental impact assessments of certain developments. 169. The NRCA is empowered under Section 10 of the NRCA Act to request environmental impact assessments of any development, construction or enterprise in a prescribed area or of a prescribed description or category which in the opinion of the Authority is likely to have an adverse effect on the environment. The EIA process will involve wide public participation and the views of local communities will be taken into account. 170. The documentation for the EIA system is being prepared and a list of prescribed categories or description of activities has been developed along with an Application Form for a Permit to undertake development, construction of enterprise in a prescribed area. 171. A draft brochure outlining how the system works including review of the EIA report and public participation in hearings and a flow chart of the steps involved from application to grant/denial of the permit has been prepared. Guidelines for conducting an EIA and Sample Terms of Reference have also been developed. The NRCA Act provides for an appeal to the Minister by the applicant if a permit is denied, and the criteria for granting or denying permits are now being developed. 172. Jamaica's environmental health/pollution control functions are conducted by the Ministry of Health through the ECD and the NRCA which are currently focussing on control of hazardous and infectious wastes, solid wastes and sewage disposal, industrial pollution and water quality monitoring, especially in fragile coastal zones and tourism related areas. 173. The NRCA requires companies to submit information on pollution control as it relates to waste generated and the waste management practices of the entities. In order to supply this information, the entities need to conduct an environmental audit. 174. Coastal resources management and beach protection are also the purview of the NRCA which intends to review and raise fees for permits and licenses as well as introduce creative environmental cost-recovery mechanisms, as it seeks to strengthen its enforcement and management capabilities in all areas.

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175. Forestry, soil conservation and watershed management are in the main, the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture through its Forestry Department and RADA. NRCA also has responsibility for watershed management and protection and in a planning capacity, works closely with the Forestry Department which has responsibility for implementation. 176. The promotion of conservation and proper use of underground water resources and monitoring of the surface and groundwater resources is the responsibility of the Underground Water Authority. With the current review of Water legislation, this entity is to be replaced by a Water Resources Authority for which new legislation is pending. 177. The Scientific Research Council conducts research and develops appropriate and environmental friendly technologies for use in industry. The Bureau of Standards develops and enforces standards for manufactured products thereby ensuring elimination or minimization of negative impacts on human health and the natural resources. The UWI Centre for Environment and Development conducts research on the interrelationship of human and natural resources and development. 178. The main co-ordinating mechanisms which can provide a measure of cohesiveness among government environmental agencies are the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Environment and the Inter-agency Technical Advisory Committee which are currently functional. The former consisting of all members of the Cabinet, has responsibility for ensuring environmental policies and programmes and other initiatives are supported by the GOJ. The Inter-agency Technical Advisory Committee is comprised of senior personnel of sectoral agencies and services the Inter-Ministerial Committee and the members of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority. Both committees can provide institutional coordination, by ensuring the rational and efficient allocation of scarce resources and reducing duplication of effort, and the conflict of interests among these overlapping agencies. There is a need to ensure that regular meetings are kept of these committees and a concerted effort made, due to their critical importance. In the case of the Technical Advisory Committee, the intention is to operate through sub-committees which will deal with specific assignments. 179. Coordination with the Local Government authorities, otherwise known as the Parish Councils, is being strengthened. Traditionally these entities are not considered among environmental agencies. They however, have numerous responsibilities related to environmental management, including land use and subdivision control, solid waste management, cleansing, local physical planning and municipal parks. Consequently, an effort is being made by the NRCA to work more closely with them and bring them into the mainstream of planning, and at the initial stages of project development. The NRCA will encourage consultation and collaboration between local government, NGOs, community groups and the private sector to ensure community participation in the decision-making process, contributing to successful implementation of its policies and projects at the local level. 180. There is also close coordination with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) which is the government central planning agency.

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181. The NRCA sits on the Pre-selection Committee of the PIOJ which reviews all government projects before inclusion in the Public Sector Investment Programme. PIOJ is the implementing agency for the PARC project under DEMO which is establishing national parks and a system of protected areas, and for which NRCA is the executing agency. It recently completed the pilot phase of this project, as PARC I. The PIOJ also implemented the National Forestry Action Plan. 182. The NRCA also coordinates closely with the Ministry of Education, the University of the West Indies (Mona) and the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) through a committee established by the NRCA called the National Environmental Education Committee. This committee has representation from a wide cross-section of Government and NGO agencies and is concerned with developing a national strategy for environmental education. It is expected that the Ministry of Education will include environmental issues within the schools' curriculum at every level. The University (UWI) and CAST have well established environmental programmes. Recognition of the importance to the environment at the UWI has led to the creation of two chairs there, one in Sustainable Development and one in Environmental Management, respectively, within the field. 183. The activities of Government agencies are hampered by the down sizing of the Public Sector, inadequate financial resources and inability to attract scarce technical skills due to uncompetitive wage levels. NRCA has put in place all its senior technical staff and has put in place major institutional strengthening projects with the assistance of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The GOJ/USAID sponsored DEMO - Development of Environmental Management Organizations - Project will establish National Parks and a system of protected areas, and provide institutional strengthening for the NRCA as well as environmental NGO's working through their umbrella agency - National Environmental Societies Trust. Private Institutions and NGO's 184. The private sector is the engine of economic growth and development in Jamaica. Economic development and its accompanying environmental degradation makes it imperative for the private sector to share the concern and responsibility for preserving the environment. The Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) which is a membership, umbrella organization for private sector entities has established an environmental sub-committee in recognition of this fact and as a form of commitment. 185. The main private institutions however, which are concerned with the environment are the private voluntary organizations which play a vital role in research, financing, management, and public awareness and education and sustainable community-based development. The lead agencies among this group are NEST, their umbrella organization, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) which offers grant funding, and the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) which is involved with the development and management of National Parks. The emergence of parish and community based organizations has added a bottom-up approach to environmental management at the local level and these groups continue to implement local environmental improvement projects. Under NEST, many of these groups are attempting to provide a more coordinated and consistent approach to environmental management activities.

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186. The NRCA has established a close working relationship with the private sector and NGOs. It has representation from both on its Board of directors and vice-versa. It sees the development of broad national consultation and consensus spanning the public and private sectors and communities, as being part of a national strategy for sustainable development. It is further intended to have an NGO representative on the Government Boards with environmental responsibility. These nominations will be done through the already established environmental NGO umbrella organization. Fora such as round tables will also serve as mechanisms to broaden participation and collaboration between Government and NGOs. Government intends to increasingly work though NGOs to implement projects since they have broad-based community support, and intends to strengthen NGO capabilities through close liaison, consensus building and programmes for institutional strengthening.

Action: 187. The national environmental institutional framework is fairly well in place. Over the next three years, Government will therefore focus primarily on institutional strengthening under the following projects and allowing scope for increased public participation:

· GOJ/USAID DEMO Project · CIDA (Environmental Action) ENACT Project · IDB Institutional Strengthening Project (Phase II) · Implementation of EIA Screening system for developments

involving public participation. 188. Within two years, Government will designate at least one full-time, senior level position within NRCA to provide a liaison to both NGOs and private sector groups. Beyond the role of simply informing the public of Government policies, this staff member would facilitate discussion on Government policies, and coordinate and support private environmental initiatives. 189. Within two years, Government will make regular presentations to the private sector through such organizations as the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ). To the extent feasible, Government will seek an open dialogue and consult the private sector in its preparation of regulations and incentives for responsible environmental management. 190. Within the next year, NRCA will complete and make publicly available clear descriptions of Government policies and procedures for new developments, including straightforward guidelines for environmental impact assessments. These procedures will include the requirements of NRCA and all other relevant planning agencies. The Government recognizes that to encourage investment and maintain the confidence of the private sector a clear and transparent set of ground rules for sustainable development must be firmly set in place. 191. Within the next three years, the Government will work to strengthen the court system's ability to enforce Jamaica's environmental statutes, by creating more enforcement regulations, higher penalties for breaches and non-compliance and sensitizing judges more to environmental issues, among other measures. It will also provide a more effective avenue for resolution of any disputes, and a voice for stakeholders in the sustainable development process.

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192. During the next three years, as Government's role in Jamaica's economy is reshaped, a number of important environmental services will be transferred to the private sector through management contracts for such activities as water and sewerage meter reading and waste disposal. IV. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION 193. With Jamaica's large agenda for environmental action and constraints on resources for investments in the short term, the Government will need to focus very clearly on the priorities it has set out for the next three years. At the same time, Government will be working over the longer term to institutionalize the ideas of environmental management into the governmental process. The purpose of this section of the NEAP is to specify that set of actions which are Government's objectives for the short term, and in particular, those actions for which the Government may seek external support. 194. The following matrix is designed to present such a programme in summary form. Where appropriate, a short project profile has been placed in the Appendix to indicate the objectives, scope and financial or technical assistance requirements for successful completion of these actions.

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SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS

Priority Area

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Land Use Management

Update National Physical Plan Institute National Land Resource Data Base Project Delineate mining and quarrying zones

Develop national land use strategy Review agricultural mapping system Review roles of land management agencies

Implement national land use strategy Harmonize administration of EA requirements

Human Settlements

Elaborate settlement policy Implement low-income land delivery scheme under PRIDE

Develop rural socio-economic infrastructure, e.g North Coast Development Project, etc.

Continue to develop rural socio-economic infrastructure

Forestry, Agriculture and Watershed Management

Finalise and implement bridging project to the NFAP Country Capacity Project

Implement relevant NFAP projects

Continue to implement relevant NFAP projects.

Waste Management

Develop policy and regulatory framework

Develop guidelines and codes of practice, standards and management plans for specific wastes Identify hazardous wastes disposal site

Institute economic policy actions such as discharge fees. Initiate actions and regulations required because of International Conventions

Pollution - Air, Land & Water

Finalize air quality standards Implement licence system under the NRCA Act

Collaborate with Pesticide Control Authority in public awareness programmes Continue to upgrade

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Initiate emissions study Upgrade NRCA laboratory Finalize standards for effluent & water

NRCA laboratory

Marine and Coastal Resources

Development of stakeholder programmes; Policy formulation (beach, mariculture and wetlands); development of guidelines; resource mapping and assessment

Legislation review, drafting and enactment and development of management plans for selected regions. Establish coral reef management programmes

Synthesis of policy, guidelines, management plans into an integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. Rationalize fishing activity

National Parks, Protected Areas and Wildlife

Continue PARC II implementation Adopt System Plan Develop permit and licensing systems Strengthen CDC

Preparation of management plans for priority areas

Implementation of management plans

Legislation

Review legislation, enact regulations and develop legislation to support accession to international treaties Strengthen legal foundation

Continue

Continue

Institutions

Improve coordination of environmental institutions

Establish within NRCA an NGO/Private Sector liaison desk Strengthen NRCA/private

Delegation of some management functions to non-governmental organizations

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sector consultations Public Awareness

Include environmental issues in school curricula Coordinate implementation of national environmental education programme

Testing of Caribbean based Environmental education curriculum guide for schools and teachers

Strengthen regional environmental linkages

Enforcement and Compliance

Provision of institutional strengthening for NRCA's Regulatory and Compliance Division through CIDA (ENACT) and other projects. (2-10 yrs) Increase monitoring and enforcement through involvement of local communities and NGOs. On-going strengthening of legal foundation and efforts to promote enforcement and compliance such as targeting of specific sub-groups of the society with Public Education & Information Programmes Implement permit system under the

NRCA employs more Enforcement Officers for field work. Monitoring by staff and through Stakeholders Associations. Implement training programmes on monitoring and enforcement procedures for NRCA personnel, other regulatory bodies, NGO members and volunteers.

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NRCA Act.

APPENDIX: PROJECT PROFILES

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PROJECT NAME: National Land Resource Data Base PROBLEM: Proper land use management is being hampered by the absence of a national land resource data base. There is a need to collect information on and review the status of all parcels of land in Jamaica as a prerequisite for overall planning and optimum land utilization. Such information would be the building blocks of a land information system that could be the basis of a more comprehensive Geographic Information System. OBJECTIVE: To prepare a data base with detailed information on each parcel of land in Jamaica. DESCRIPTION: Project activities will include: 1. Design of land information system (LIS). 2. Initiation of public information campaign. 3. Training of registration officers. 4. Establishment of cadastral mapping centres. 5. Establishment of field registration units. 6. Collection of information on location, legal status, and size of land parcels. 7. Training of Town Planning Department Staff in the use of a LIS. 8. Conversion of data into a LIS. 9. Incorporation of LIS into GIS. DURATION: 5 years COST: NATIONAL AGENCY: Town Planning Department in collaboration with the NRCA and the Office of the Prime Minister. PROJECT NAME: Management of Public Lands for Fuelwood Production

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PROBLEM: There is presently an increasing demand for fuelwood and charcoal as the price of cooking gas and kerosene increase to match the devaluation of the Jamaican Dollar. This has led to a situation where there are increasing rates of deforestation to meet the demands for fuel. There are tracts of public lands available to produce the fuel demanded on a sustained basis, while providing opportunities for the development of local enterprise. OBJECTIVE: To develop and through the Forest Department sustainable management systems in collaboration with the communities to provide a constant source of fuelwood for charcoal production without the concurrent degradation as is presently the case. DESCRIPTION: The project activities will include: 1. Development of four model management areas. 2. Development a management and marketing system for each area. 3. Applied research on silvicultural techniques for fuelwood production. 4. Establish 200 ha. of fast growing species. 5. Develop manual for managing public forests for energy purposes. 6. Develop a plan for expanding the programme. 7. Develop a plan for expanding the programme. DURATION: 5 years COST: NATIONAL AGENCY: The Forest Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Utilities and Transport. PROJECT NAME: Development of Coastal Zone Management Plan PROBLEM: The need to provide guidelines for resource use and development in the coastal zone

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and for improved management of coastal and marine resources, to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable development. OBJECTIVE: To facilitate decision-making on coastal and marine resources development and exploitation. To strengthen the resource management capability of the NRCA. DESCRIPTION: 1. Identification, mapping and assessment of coastal resources to determine their capacity for development: - Studies of coastal dynamics and shoreline stability, environment, sensitivity mapping, coastal water quality mapping, foreshore encroachment mapping and of the population benthic species. 2. Training of Jamaicans in Coastal Zone Management, remote sensing and GIS development. 3. Production of a Coastal Zone Management Plan. DURATION: 3 Years (started February 1995) COST: US$ 1.0 million NATIONAL AGENCY: NRCA in collaboration with Environmental NGO's and Government agencies. PROJECT NAME: A NATIONAL WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME PROBLEM: While Jamaica has sufficient water to meet all demands

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in the foreseeable future, contamination of water resources, deforestation and environmental problems can reduce availability of resources. It is necessary to assess the quality of the resource, delineate problems and determine the solutions if sustainable development is to be achieved. OBJECTIVE: (1) Provide a nationally consistent description of current water quality conditions of the Island’s water resources. (2) Define long term trends (or lack of trends) in water quality. (3) Identify, describe and explain, the major factors that

affect observed water quality conditions and trends, and (4) Devise efforts to mitigate pollution. DESCRIPTION: The following will be done:- (1) All 10 hydrologic basins will be investigated for both surface and ground water quality. (2) Persons familiar with each basin (basin specific knowledge) will be so assigned. (3) The programme will focus on water quality conditions that are prevalent or large in scale and persistent in time. (4) Chemical measurements will focus on a set of target variables. (5) Biological measurements will be used for several purposes in the assessment. (6) The programme will make use of available water quality data to supplement field studies. (7) Both surface and ground water investigations will be designed as follows:-

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Surface Water Investigations Three (3) major types of sampling activities:- (1) Fixed station sampling (2) Synoptic sampling, and (3) Studies of selected stream reaches Ground Water Investigations Three (3) major types of sampling activities:- (1) Regional sampling (2) Targeted sampling of known or suspected water quality problem areas (3) Long term sampling to determine long term trends in ground water quality. (8) The programme will provide regional and national scale information concerning the Nation’s water quality. These will include:- (a) statistical descriptions of water quality conditions and their changes with time; (b) geographic distribution of various contaminants by hydrologic river basins and aquifers; (c) key factors that affect water quality that can be related to different hydrologic environments, land uses and human activities. DURATION: 5 years - First 2 years intensive - 5 years long term programme. COST: J$2,225,000 + US$150,000 NATIONAL AGENCY: Underground Water Authority in collaboration

with the Natural Resources Conservation Authority, National Water Commission, Environmental Control Division, Jamaica Bauxite Institute and Centre for Nuclear Science.