December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
December 2022 - You are accessing an archived version of our website. This website is no longer maintained or updated. The Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform has been migrated here: https://sdgs.un.org/
Jamaica has demonstrated its commitment to achieving sustainable and inclusive development through Vision 2030 Jamaica, the country’s first long-term national development plan. The Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report for Jamaica coincides with the preparation of the 4th successive Medium Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework (MTF) 2018–2021, which is the mechanism for prioritization, planning, review and monitoring of the implementation of Vison 2030 Jamaica. The MTF is underpinned by the three dimensions of sustainable development (social, economic and environmental), inclusiveness and equity, all consistent with the 2030 Agenda. Jamaica’s main messages in the VNR include strong national ownership and commitment to the SDGs; systematic and integrated framework for monitoring and implementation of national development priorities; key development achievements since 2015, and priorities for 2018–2021; inclusiveness and participation of stakeholders; challenges; and next steps.
Vision 2030 Jamaica represents the country’s commitment to good governance, democratic principles and participation of the citizenry in national development. This commitment has been extended to the 2030 Agenda, through national and sector specific consultations with stakeholders to identify and align the country’s development priorities. Localization of the SDGs is framed in Vision 2030 Jamaica, resulting in a seamless integration; additionally there is a 91.3 per cent alignment between both. The Road Map for SDGs Implementation approved by the Cabinet in June 2017 identified the MTF as the primary vehicle for monitoring the implementation of Vision 2030 Jamaica and the SDGs.
The national coordination mechanism for the 2030 Agenda comprises the National 2030 Agenda Oversight Committee (NAOC); the Thematic Working Groups; and the 2030 Agenda SDGs Core Group (Core Group). The NAOC established in 2017, reports through the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to Cabinet and Parliament and provides policy and strategic advice for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the SDGs. The NAOC is a technical body of high-level representatives from government, civil society groups, private sector, academia, trade unions, political directorate and youth. The Core Group comprises the PIOJ, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT), and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
National consultations convened in March 2016, to assess Jamaica’s data and statistical capacity for monitoring the SDGs indicators, highlighted that Jamaica currently produces 66 indicators. STATIN has lead the process to establish a coordinated National Statistics System. Jamaica’s engagement with the Inter-Agency Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGS) provides for continued opportunities to advocate for support to develop national and regional statistical capacity.
A Communications and Advocacy Roadmap 2018–2021 has been developed to inform communications and stakeholder engagement regarding the SDGs. The process of sensitization began in 2017 to “Localise the SDGs”, under the theme “The Jamaica We Want: Vision 2030 Jamaica advancing the SDGs…Leaving no one behind”.
Under MTF 2015–2018, critical strides were made in achieving medium term development outcomes as Jamaica maintained its position among countries with a High Human Development ranking and improved in key indicators of human capital development, made significant gains towards macro-economic stability and improved in key prerequisite areas for growth.
Under MTF 2018–2021, the country will continue the Economic Reform Programme (ERP), which has been credited with macro-economic gains, and provide greater focus to economic growth and job creation. The revision, formulation and implementation of several critical social policies and strategies to address the changing demographics will be pursued to harness the demographic bonus. The country will also advance approaches of climate-proofing for development and continue the pursuit of policies to strengthen sustainable management of the environment and build the country’s resilience to natural and man-made disasters.
Jamaica continues to be affected by challenges, triggered by vulnerabilities and external economic shocks including: the impact of natural disasters, negative effects of climate change, and high levels of indebtedness. Jamaica is challenged to implement policies that will trigger fast and sustained progress towards the goals in a context of limited fiscal space.
Accelerating SDGs implementation will require focus on:
The Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) is an historic conservation initiative that brings together for the first time governments, companies and partners to accelerate action on conservation in the Caribbean. Together, the 9 participating countries and territories have committed to conserve at least 20% of nearshore and coastal environments in marine protected areas by 2020 with the help of private and public sector partners. The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund has been established to support achievement of the CCI commitments by 2020.
(i) Objective: To increase Jamaica's maritime area declared as marine protected area under national legislation by an estimated two per cent (2%) by the year 2019. (ii) Implementation Methodologies: As at 2013, 15.1% of Jamaicas maritime area (archipelagic baseline) has been declared as marine protected areas under national legislation. The country will increase its marine protected areas by an estimated two per cent (2%) by 2019 with the declaration of the Pedro Cays and surrounding waters (area) and the Black River protected landscape/seascape. The Pedro Cays: South-west (Bird) Cay,...[more]
The general objective of the Commission is to promote the effective conservation, management and development of the living marine resources of the area of competence of the Commission, in accordance with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and address common problems of fisheries management and development faced by members of the Commission. 16 of WECAFC's 35 members are considered small island developing States.
The IHO capacity building programme seeks to assess and advise on how countries can best meet their international obligations and serve their own best interests by providing appropriate hydrographic and nautical charting services. Such services directly support safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, efficient sea transportation and the wider use of the seas and oceans in a sustainable way, including the protection of the marine environment, coastal zone management, fishing, marine resource exploration and exploitation, maritime boundary delimitation, maritime defence and security, and o...[more]
The Integrating Water, Land and Ecosystems Management in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (GEF-IWEco Project) is a five-year multi-focal area regional project that will be financed from (i) country GEF STAR allocations under Land Degradation and Biodiversity portfolios for national interventions and supported by (ii) funding from the GEF International Waters and Sustainable Forest Management portfolios for regional-level actions. A total of ten Caribbean countries will be participating in the project.
The Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP) is designed to strengthen the capacity of countries in the Caribbean to invest in climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies, as prioritised in their Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). These technologies will help reduce the dependence on fossil fuel imports, setting the region on a low-emission development path; as well as improve the region’s ability to respond to climate risks and opportunities in the long-run, through resilient development approaches that go beyond disa...[more]
To promote marine scientific cooperation with relevant government departments of small island developing countries and other state holders in the fields of marine environment and biodiversity protection, marine disaster prevention and mitigation, blue economy and other fields of common interests; To promote the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States by providing personnel training, technical assistant etc.
The UNCSD SIDS Partnership in New Sustainable Technologies is an outgrowth of presentations made at UNSIDS in Barbados and UNSIDS in Mauritius. The Partnership held several events at CSD at UN Headquarters which were regarded by the UNCSD staff as the most successful presentations ever held there. The Partnership issued the 40 Chapter GREEN DISC: NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR A NEW FUTURE in partnership with the Jamaican Government at UNFCC in Copenhagen. This multimedia Gibby Green Thin Disc uses innovative web-enabled technology to produce discs that can be rolled up and inserted into magazines, but ...[more]
Objective: To strengthen Jamaica's policy and legislative frameworks governing protected areas, including marine protected areas Implementation Methodologies: To effect the promulgation of the Cays Management Policy, a new protected areas policy and overarching protected areas legislation. The process to finalize these policy and legislative instruments will include consultations with stakeholders, including the general public.
i. Facilitate the preparation and implementation of national SCP Plans and sub-regional coordination planning frameworks for SIDS, including the promotion of lifecycle based and integrated planning methods (e.g. Coastal Tourism Development on the basis of ICZM and Carrying Capacity) into national and sectoral development planning.ii. Seek international financial assistance to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns in SIDS, including, inter alia, in the development of sustainable products and services, sustainable food systems, waste management, marine litter, sustainable publi...[more]
