By
Petre williams
Jamaica Observer
Kingston/Caribbean
sea
Petroleumworld.com
02 26 06
THE
Ministry of Land and Environment will force members of the private
sector to listen as it makes its case for significant investments
in projects geared at helping to assure Jamaica's adaptation
to climate change, through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
of the Kyoto Protocol.
STANBERRY... if Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the mountain
will go to Mohammed.
This
move comes after a poor showing by members of the business community
at a meeting called by the ministry last week to sell its ideas
to potential investors.
While
admitting that the poor turnout was disappointing permanent
secretary Donovan Stanberry said the ministry remained undaunted.
The effort to ensure the island's adaptation to climate change,
while safeguarding its economic development over the long term,
he said, was too important an issue not to follow up on.
"We
are not daunted. We in the ministry are taking this seriously,
and if Mohammed won't come to the mountain, the mountain will
go to Mohammed," Stanberry told the few private sector
representatives in attendance at the breakfast meeting at the
Hilton Hotel.
To
this end, he said the ministry would, over the next few months,
engage the private sector on the issue by outlining the potential
financial benefits.
"Nothing
succeeds like success. Until we can have the kind of demonstration,
people will continue to be reticent," Stanberry continued.
"We have been very evangelical about the environment. But
what really moves business people is when you can demonstrate
that it is not only good for the environment (but also) for
their bottom line," he added.
It
is against this background that the ministry is now preparing
to launch its public education campaign, and to finalise the
establishment of the much anticipated climate change unit, which
is expected to allow Jamaica to gain the maximum benefits from
the CDM.
The
CDM is one of the two project-based mechanisms of the 1997 protocol
of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change. The other
is the Joint Implementation Mechanism that enables developed
countries to invest in other developed countries to earn carbon
allowances to help meet their stipulated emission targets.
These
are designed to help developing countries like Jamaica attain
sustainable development while making it easier for developed
countries, dubbed the Annex 1 countries, to meet reduction targets
for their greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile,
the climate change unit - whose structure and financing requirements
are being assessed by the national Self Capacity Assessment
Project -will work with the private sector to develop projects
in line with CDM guidelines while locating buyers for those
projects.
williamsp@jamaicaobserver.com
