As Jamaica enters another election season, we, a group of 34 civil society organisations and concerned individuals, note the promises of economic growth and infrastructure projects, while environmental issues, one of the most critical pillars of sustainable development, remain sidelined.

We are now calling on political leaders to demonstrate true leadership by making the environment a central part of their vision for the country’s future.

Communities across Jamaica are grappling with pollution, illegal sand mining, open burning, inadequate waste collection, and development which does not adequately consider the realities of the climate crisis.

The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) receives frequent complaints from individuals and communities who have often already contacted their elected representatives, local authorities, and regulatory agencies like the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), with little or no response.

Speeches by our leaders sometimes acknowledge that Jamaica is facing a triple planetary crisis—climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. But environmental monitoring is weak, and enforcement of environmental laws is inconsistent—especially when violations are committed by government entities or powerful private companies. 

Leadership requires more than responding to public pressure or making broad statements in speeches. It demands proactive planning, clear policies, and the courage to make difficult decisions in the national interest—even when the public isn’t demanding them. Jamaica cannot afford to treat environmental protection as an afterthought. It must be a core part of our development strategy.

“We cannot continue to speak about economic progress and development in such narrow terms. A truly prosperous Jamaica must include a healthy environment, strong enforcement of environmental laws, transparency, and meaningful accountability for breaches,” said Dr. Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, chief executive officer of the Jamaica Environment Trust. “We need to hear clear commitments from our political leaders—promises with timelines and plans that include prosecuting even state entities when they break the law.”

We, the civil society groups and concerned individuals, are calling for election manifestos to include:

• Concrete plans to address ongoing environmental degradation.
• Strengthened enforcement of existing environmental laws and regulations.
• Transparent and accountable environmental governance and the ratification of the Escazu Agreement.
• Specific commitments with timelines to tackle illegal activities such as unregulated sand mining and pollution of rivers.
• Mechanisms for holding all violators—public and private—accountable.
• Review and reform of the governance and legal framework for Jamaica’s national parks and protected areas.

The president of the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council (JCCYC), Dahvia Hylton said, “What we don’t want to hear are all the good things that each political party may have done in the past—we’re more interested in what is planned for the future, so that the next generation of Jamaicans can grow up in a country where the environment is respected, protected, and treated as a priority.”

The environment is not a niche issue. A healthy environment is the foundation of public health, economic resilience, and national development. This election season, we urge all political leaders to treat it as the national priority it truly is—and to show the kind of leadership that the times demand.