Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, provides details about the outcomes of the 11th Our Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya, during a Post-Cabinet Press Briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday (June 24). Photo: Adrian Walker.
Jamaica signed on to four key international environmental partnerships during the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, held from June 16 to 18.
The agreements are the Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism, the Ocean Acidification Alliance, the Action in Blue Regional Network, and the Mangrove Breakthrough.
Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, provided the details during Wednesday’s (June 24) Post-Cabinet Press Briefing at Jamaica House.
He explained that the Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism is a platform that “shares the burden of environmental management of our shared Caribbean Sea”.
Anchored by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the mechanism places Jamaica in a leadership position to manage many of the issues that face Caribbean nations, he pointed out.
As it relates to Ocean Acidification Alliance, he explained that it is a network of scientists who are “specifically focused on the issue of ocean acidification, which is critical to the health of our coral reefs, fisheries and, indeed, to tourism”.
The nation also joined the Action in Blue Regional Network, which is focused on coordinating the protection of 30 per cent of the Caribbean Sea.
“That is something that Jamaica would have lobbied for from as far back as 2015, when Jamaica joined what is called the High Ambition Coalition for Nature, which led the way in calling for 30 per cent protection of our marine environment,” the Minister stated.
Meanwhile, through the Mangrove Breakthrough, which is managed by an alliance chaired by Colombia and Jamaica, the country will be working with partner nations and institutions to strengthen efforts on mangrove protection and restoration.
The Minister noted that Jamaica needs support in protecting its mangroves, especially along the south coast “where we are exposed to heavy storm surge in times of storms and have low coastal defences”.
Meanwhile, the Minister noted that while in Kenya, he had a bilateral meeting with the Green Climate Fund, which is also currently in Jamaica for a technical mission.
“While there, it was announced that Jamaica was approved for an additional US$2.1-million grant being managed by the CCCCC (Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre), which is the CARICOM unit that manages climate change, to assist Jamaica with getting projects ready for submission for significant grant funding,” Mr. Samuda shared.
The grant is titled ‘Catalysing Climate Action by building Jamaica’s NDA Capacity & Country Investment Platform’.
CARICOM has indicated that it will help Jamaica access international climate financing and develop a pipeline of projects needed to protect its people, economy and environment.
The Jamaica Information Service, 26 June 2026. Article.
