In light of the severe water mismanagement and supply issues, coupled with unpredictable climate changes that have plagued the island in recent years, the Jamaica National Foundation will host a two-day Climate Change, Sustainability, and Innovation Water Summit to educate relevant stakeholders in responsible water consumption, conservation, and management.

The summit, which is expected to take place on May 13 – 14, will take place under the guidance and funding of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

According to the JN Group, the summit aims to obtain a commitment from the Government that it will maintain focus on and carry out water conservation strategies, showcase entrepreneurship in climate resilience, and support the uptake of water efficiency in the Jamaican housing sector.

Addressing the summit’s media launch held earlier today (April 28), Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Pearnel Charles Jr underscored the importance of the event, stating that, “building (climate) resilience in Jamaica is not an option, it is not a choice. It is imperative, it is critical, it is essential, it is a must”.

He added that it is for this reason that “I am here today on behalf of the Government, on behalf of my ministry… to give our 100 per cent support for this summit, because the discussion on climate action is an essential one…”.

The groundbreaking summit is part of a larger initiative between the Jamaica National Foundation and the IDB Bank to provide an impactful, scalable model for greater water efficiency in Jamaica.

The initiative, which is called ‘The Water Project Jamaica’, is an IDB-funded four-year project which began in 2017, that is being implemented by the JN Foundation and focuses on the important role that householders and developers should play in improving efficient water use in the housing sector.

The project leverages US$1,179,400 in non-reimbursable financing for technical assistance to promote the integration of water adaptation measures and address the serious challenges already impacting the country’s water supply and distribution system, such as capital and operational budgetary constraints, aging assets, high non-revenue water, high energy costs, population growth, urbanisation and environmental degradation.