Title: Public Policy and Climate Change: Land-use adaptation strategies in Jamaica
1Public Policy and Climate Change Land-use
adaptation strategies in Jamaica
Ms. Kamille Dwyer
2Public Policy and Climate Change Land-use
Adaptation Strategies in Jamaica
by Kamille Dwyer
Presented at the Climate
Change Impacts on the Caribbean Conference.
Sponsored by the University of the West Indies,
Mona and the Caribbean Community Climate Change
Centre, June 15-17, 2007 University of the West
Indies, Mona.
3Outline of Presentation
- Potential Impacts of Climate Change
- Jamaicas Vulnerability to Climate Change
- The role of Physical Planning in Jamaica
- The Challenges facing Jamaicas Physical Planning
System - The role of Jamaicas Planning System in
facilitating Adaptation Strategies to Climate
Change - The Challenges
- Recommendations
4Projected Impacts of Climate Change
- Expected climatic changes in the region
- include
- Sea level rise
- Saline intrusion into freshwater aquifers
- Coastal flooding and erosion
- Increased temperatures
- Heat stress
- Coral bleaching
- Biodiversity loss
- Increased emergence of vector borne diseases
- Changes in rainfall patterns
- Droughts or floods
- Decreased fresh water availability
- Increased intensity of storm activity
- Direct damage of infrastructure
- Loss of lives
5Jamaicas Vulnerability
- Jamaicas Vulnerability to climate change is due
to - several key characteristics
- Geography
- Small Physical Size and the fact that it is
surrounded by large expanses of water - Proneness to natural disasters
- Large Populations with high growth rates and
densities - Limited financial and human resources, which have
ultimately limited our adaptive capacity
6Sea Level Rise Scenario for the Kingston Harbour
7Physical Planning in Jamaica
- Plannings Primary Goal is to ensure public
health and safety - through the rational use of land.
- In more recent times, planning has adopted a more
modern approach to - facilitating land development, and has been used
to guide economic - development and provide economic incentives aimed
at stimulating growth. In - the last 10 years planning has become a major
avenue for facilitating public - participation.
- Planning has two Functions
- Development Planning
- Development Control
- The Planning System in Jamaica is supported by
three frameworks - Legislative Framework
- The Institutional Framework
- The Administrative Framework
8Current Planning Framework
9Legislative Framework
- The planning legislation of Jamaica provides for
a planning - system with national management (development
planning) and - control of planning (development control).
Enacted into law in - 1957, the Town and Country Planning Act, mandates
planning - though a system of development orders.
- Though not mandated by law, the government saw it
necessary - to prepare a National Physical Development Plan
to inform the - preparation of development orders and local
plans, but more - importantly to guide land development in a manner
considered - rational and sustainable
-
- A Manual For Development was prepared in 1973 to
inform developers - of existing planning standards and guidelines a
strategy aimed at - expediting the approval process. The manual was
reviewed in 1982, - and again in 2005.
10- In addition to the Town and Country Act, other
acts are used to support the - planning framework
- The Local Improvements Act, 1914 setting out
provisions for subdivisions - The Urban Development Corporation Act, 1968
providing the Urban Development Corporation an
exemption from building permitting processes in
its designated areas - The Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act,
1991 providing for environmental permitting and
environmental impact assessments and - The Parish Councils Building Act, 1908 and 1949
providing for parish councils to make bylaws for
building erection, alteration and repair (and
thus enabling councils to control building
development where there are no development orders
in force). -
- Other Acts include the Beach Control Act (1956),
The Wildlife Protection Act (1945), The Public
Health Act (1975), National Heritage Trust Act
(1985), Watersheds Protection Act (1963,
incorporated into NRCA Act of 1991, currently
under review), Water Resources Act (1995), The
Forest Act (1996), the Land Valuation Act and the
Registration of titles Act.
11- National Policy on Ocean and Coastal Zone
Management, and Action Plan (first five years)
2000provides for an integrated approach to
coastal zone management - Mangrove and Coastal Wetlands Protection (Draft
policy and Regulations, 1996)- addresses issues
affecting wetlands in Jamaica - The Natural Resources Conservation Regulations,
2000- regulates activities in the protected
Portland Bight Protected Area - Policy for Jamaicas System of Protected Areas,
1997- management tool used in ICZM and
environmental protection purposes - Towards A Beach Policy for Jamaica (Draft, 2000)-
addresses issues related to beach access and oil
and sewage pollution, solid waste disposal, beach
erosion, coastal water quality and wild life
protection.
12- Towards A Watershed Policy for Jamaica
(1999)provides for watershed management as an
environmental management model for Jamaica. - National Strategy on Biological Diversity in
Jamaica (2000) and supporting Action
Planoutlines plans and programs for the
sustainable use of Jamaicas biodiversity - National Hazard Risk Reduction Policy (2006)-
provides for the integration of hazard
risk-reduction into national development
strategies - Policy on Strategic Environmental Assessment
(2003/6)provides an accepted tool of
environmental management for assessing the
environmental implications of proposed policies,
programs and plans (PPPs), and is used to
complement the EIA, which is more geared towards
a specific project, rather than the PPPs. - Forest Policy and Plan (2001)provides for the
management of Jamaicas terrestrial resources.
13Institutional Framework
- There are several institutions involved in
planning in Jamaica - The leading authority on physical development in
Jamaica is the Town and Country Planning
Authority - Ministry of Local Government and Environment
- National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA)
- Planning Institute of Jamaica
- Cabinet Office
- Local Government Authorities
14Administrative Framework
- Administrative responsibilities are achieved
through the two - planning functions
- Development Planning- developments plans are
comprehensive - plans used to guide development. Development
Plans represent a - vision and statement of criteria for future
development and land-use in - an area - they set out the planning policies and
proposals which - together form a spatial framework which largely
determines where, - how and what development takes place. The
policies set out in the - plan can also have a deeper influence on the
precise design or layout - of developments, the uses they involve, and the
issues which local - authorities will expect developers to tackle or
address in drawing up - their proposals for development.
15- Development Control- Within the Jamaican planning
- system, development control is achieved via the
use of - development orders as the development regulation
- mechanisms during the process of reviewing
applications. The - development orders which are used to address all
matters - related to land use are applicable at the local
and regional - planning level. The development control process
begins at the - local level, where development applications are
received by - local authorities, and where necessitated,
referred to NEPA for - their assessment and recommendations.
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17Challenges Facing the Planning System
- Legislative
- Several Pieces of Legislation governing the land
development process, conflicting and overlapping
responsibilities for the various planning
agencies at the central and local government
level has contributed immensely to the confusion,
neglect of duties, lack of coordination and
unclear responsibilities within the planning
system of Jamaica. - Outdated legislation development plans and
development orders - There is no provision for public participation
- Administrative
- Lack of Financial Support
- Lack of Human Resource capacity
- Limited Skilled Staff, particularly trained
planners - Limited Office Space
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19What should be the Role of Planners?
- Guide development influence where development
ought to take place - Control development/ enforcement
- Helping to build communities
- Provide opportunity for people to participate in
the planning process - Provide a planning system that bridges the gap
between environment and economic development
20Facilitating Adaptation to Climate Change
- Land use planning because of its
multi-disciplinary approach and - functions- environmental planning urban design
and renewal landscape - architecture (built and physical environment)
regional and spatial - planning transport planning and sustainable
development- can - effectively identify and implement climate change
adaptation strategies - ,given that the planning process can provide a
very effective tool for - taking a longer term view on where and when
development should take - place under a changing climate
- Use of Basic Planning and environmental tools
- Development Orders/Plans (Integrated coastal zone
management plans) - Use of setbacks (particularly coastal setbacks)
- Use of Building Codes
- Use of GIS as a planning tool (mapping)
- Strategic Environmental Assessments
- Environmental Impact Assessments
21Challenges
- Political interference in the planning system
- Outdated planning legislation guiding development
- Lack of Government Policies on climate change
- Capacity issues
- size of establishment
- Lack of trained planners and skilled staff at all
levels impedes research capacity etc. - Not enough specialist training in issues to do
with planning - Financial constraints
- The gap between planning and environmental
management has not been bridged (economic vs.
environmental management) - Planning system is supported by reactive
initiatives
22Recommendations
- Develop coordinating mechanisms to ensure that
physical planning and environmental plans are
implemented at the central, local and private
sector level - Introduce national building codes that account
for climate variability and change - Development Comprehensive Land-use plans
- Develop and implement integrated coastal
management plans - Integrate regional disaster mitigation strategies
with national physical planning - Employ a retreat approach to planning and
development in high hazard areas along the
coastline
23- Advocate the use of market-based incentives to
promote sustainable economic development - Link property insurance with construction quality
- Eliminate subsidies and incentives that continue
to promote development in fragile and hazardous
coastal areas - Improve public awareness and education concerning
planning and Jamaicas vulnerability to climate
change - Promote increase use of GIS and remote sensing/
spatial planning applications - Expand Hazard mapping of coastal areas, based on
climate change - Continue to build research capacity by
facilitating long-term monitoring programs.
24We need to start by promoting Compliance!!
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