Source: Socioeconomic metabolism of Biomass in Jamaica in the Context of Trade and National Food Security: A time series biophysical analysis (1961-2013)

Source: Source: Socioeconomic metabolism of Biomass in Jamaica in the Context of Trade and National Food Security: A time series biophysical analysis (1961-2013)

Primary crop harvest for Jamaica from 1961 to 2013 as reported by FAO

This spreadsheet contains data on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) composition or other waste types (household, plastics) compiled by Jasmine McHugh under the supervision of Dr. Simron Singh (University of Waterloo, Canada) between September and December 2025.

Food stability relates to the extent to which food is uninterruptedly available, accessible and properly utilized over time, at the national and household level. It is impacted by natural (natural disasters, pandemics and pests), as well as man-made factors (conflicts, praedial larceny, environmental degradation and economic shocks). The Caribbean region is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of weather-related natural disasters, exacerbated by climate change in the last 20 years, and manifested in significant losses in GDP, loss of livelihoods, agricultural production capacity and increased imports of food. The Caribbean however, has had little experience with agricultural insurance, except for some export crops in Jamaica and for banana in the Eastern Caribbean, due to the predominance by small players and multiple cropping in the region. At the same time, all of these crop insurance schemes ceased to exist in the face of more frequent and intense adverse weather episodes in recent years. Caribbean governments have therefore been paying greater attention to comprehensive risk management planning encompassing preparedness, prevention, response and recovery. Within this framework, emphasis is being placed on ex-ante risk financing strategies for the agricultural sector, such as parametric agricultural insurance models, as in Jamaica, and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, which is pooling the risks and resources across countries, to provide quick budget support to countries in times of disasters. The region continues to search for innovative solutions, such as the use of debt swaps to fund investments in building resilience.

<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>The COVID-19 pandemic and recent international crises including the Russia-Ukraine conflict have resulted in significant disruptions along multiple segments of the Caribbean’s agri-food system, thus compromising regional food security. These impacts are still ongoing with the potential to worsen. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sociodemographic factors on consumers’ knowledge of food security along with their attitude, and perception towards the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security in the Caribbean Small Island Developing States.</p></sec><sec><title>Method</title><p>A cross-sectional on-line survey was conducted between January 1 and November 30, 2021. The sampled population included consumers from nine Caribbean countries (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). Survey data were analyzed using Chi-square, one way analysis of variance, and univariate logistic regression.</p></sec><sec><title>Results and discussion</title><p>A total of 237 consumers participated in the survey. Consumers were generally knowledgeable about food security and had favorable attitudes and perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on household food security. Significant associations (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) and significant differences (<italic>p</italic>&lt;0.05) were obtained for consumers’ knowledge, attitude and perception among the sociodemographic variables assessed. The results suggest that there were different levels of vulnerability to food insecurity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among economically vulnerable households. Policies that support disadvantaged households and ensure adequate employment opportunities are important to support Caribbean consumers throughout and post the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.</p></sec>

Our resource-use dynamics have contributed significantly to the improvement in global material standards of living through the provisioning of essential societal services. Nonetheless, these dynamics have also impacted on the already limited natural resource-base of the Earth system on which we depend. Moreover, the characteristics of a global self-perpetuating resource-use linearity, the growing demand for finite raw materials, the high waste generation that remains unrecovered, and the increasing negative effects of climate change further exacerbate the Earth system’s vulnerabilities and exposure to risks. As such, the resource-use dynamics is posited as an important example of complex systems in need for better understanding, particularly in advancing towards sustainability and build system’s resilience. For resource-stressed settings like small island nations, the analysis of these complex systems is not only crucial, but urgent. Small Island Developing States are often characterized by sustainability challenges like limited resource-bases, reduced waste absorption capacity, a strong dependency on external resources to meet their basic needs, geographic isolation from markets which impact connectivity and resource supply, and natural and built environment that is progressively been threatened by the negative effects of climate change, which amplify the pre-existing vulnerabilities and risks for these territories. Thus, dealing with sustainability would require a deeper understanding of the interactions and trade-offs between the resource-use dynamics and the influences that internal/external factors like climate change have over these. By doing so, the system will have the ability to both contribute to global environment change, but also determine their own vulnerability or resilience to those changes. This thesis analyzes resource-use dynamics from a socio-metabolic research perspective in the context of small islands to enhance resource security and build system’s resilience, by looking into the way in which natural resources are interconnected, influenced, and managed. The analysis is spread across three main empirical Chapters, each of which contribute to advancing the arguments that arise from this work. First, in Chapter 3, the thesis analyzes the shifting resource-baselines of water, energy, and food, emphasizing the intra- and interconnected nature between essential resources and socio-metabolic risk, which builds the foundations for deeper analysis on current and future sustainability in small islands. Then, in Chapter 4, the thesis analyzes and identifies the size and make-up of material and energy flows specific to an individual case study, bringing important quantitative and qualitative insights on the potentials that reconfigured resource-use patterns may offer to minimizing or reducing socio-metabolic risk in small islands. Next, in Chapter 5, the thesis analyzes the role that critical material stocks play in driving resource-use and in furthering sustainable development, emphasizing climate change adaptation strategies to build system’s resilience. The overall framework of this thesis has demonstrated how a better understanding of resource-use dynamics may offer an opportunity to achieve resource security and self-reliance as a resilience building measure in the island context. Finally, this thesis encourages for the development and application of holistic and long-term resource management strategies through inclusive, climate and nature-based solutions that consider the trade-offs and synergies between different resource-use dynamics.

The multi-hazard vulnerability of Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean has underpinned the repeated saga of destructive natural and anthropogenic events that have disrupted land, livelihoods, the economy, and society over the past several decades. Preparedness and response have been the focus of national governments and regional entities and the repeated battering calls into question the concept of recovery and ‘building back better’. This paper examines the concept of recovery and ‘building back better’ in the context of the Caribbean, paying particular attention to the experience of the selected countries of Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These nations have recently been impacted by different disasters, ranging from storms to earthquakes to volcanic eruptions. This paper also explores the similarities among the recommendations concerning recovery needs, presenting key insights into suggested approaches for an inclusive people-centred recovery process that ‘builds back better’.

Small island economies are highly dependent on food imports. Self-sufficiency through food localization is therefore often advocated. Can a small Caribbean island nation localize its food system? To answer this question, we conducted socio-metabolic research on four Caribbean nations: Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, and Jamaica. Derived indicators from a diachronic biomass flow accounting from 1961 to 2019 suggest a declining trend in local food production for all cases. While in Barbados and Jamaica this decline already began in the 1960s, for Dominica and Grenada, this did not start until the late 1970s–1980s. The physical trade balance of biomass is similar across all cases: from net exporters at the start of the study period to net importers as countries developed, albeit at different time periods. By disaggregating biomass flow data to crop level, Barbados and Jamaica indicate a trend that is moving away from food localization, while Dominica and Grenada appear to be modestly moving toward localization in recent years. Given the many resource security challenges small island economies face, this study provides a biophysical perspective to the Caribbean's food security debate and questions the extent to which food localization is possible in a small island context, and whether other strategies are urgently needed.

The Developing Organizational Capacity for Ecosystem Stewardship and Livelihoods in Caribbean Small Scale Fisheries ( StewardFish ) project recognized that there were a number of challenges hindering the engagement of fisherfolk and their organizations in the sustainable management of fisheries in the Caribbean region, including limited capacity of fisherfolk organizations to participate effectively in fisheries governance; insufficient capacity and knowledge of ecosystem stewardship practices for fisheries sustainability among fisherfolk ; inadequate public awareness of ecosystem approaches to support best practices and ensure compliance; inadequate documentation of successful experiences and practices for sustainable fisheries livelihood strategies; and inadequate management and collaboration mechanisms to support fisherfolk leaders in monitoring and evaluating projects. In addressing these constraints, the project supported the implementation of the ten year Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the Sustainable Management of the Shared Living Marine Resources of the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CLME+) in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by empowering fisherfolk throughout fisheries value chains to engage in resource management, decision making processes and sustainable livelihoods, with strengthened institutional support at all levels.

This dataset showcases physical trade and domestic extraction within Jamaica between 1961 to 2019. This dataset summarizes biomass flows, including domestic extraction (crops, residues, grazing, and fisheries), consumption within the region, and trade balances for crops, livestock, feed, and fish. It provides an overview of local use and trade.

This dataset showcases physical trade and domestic extraction within Jamaica between 1961 to 2019. This dataset summarizes biomass flows, including domestic extraction (crops, residues, grazing, and fisheries), consumption within the region, and trade balances for crops, livestock, feed, and fish. It provides an overview of local use and trade.

Jamaica, like most Small Island Developing States around the world, is at high risk of coastal hazards due to its exposure to tropical storms, high levels of coastal development, vulnerable coastal communities, and the predicted impacts of climate change. Environmental degradation has been linked to increased vulnerability to disasters. Nature-based Solutions, although not formally present in the literature, are being implemented at various scales in Jamaica. This paper presents an overview of three marine and coastal Nature-based Solutions being utilised in the country: protected area management (Special Fishery Conservation Areas); mangrove restoration; and coral restoration. The paper briefly reviews their current application in Jamaica before arguing that these conservation projects that traditionally focused on biodiversity have co-benefits as Nature-based Solutions for disaster resilience. The paper closes by outlining several research objectives that should be explored in the future to further the implementation of Nature-based Solutions for disaster resilience in Jamaica.

While excessive use of electronics and the resulting e-waste is a global problem, the situation is even more acute on small islands as bounded systems and the enormous costs associated with shipping it elsewhere. Dumping e-waste on islands can cause pollution of ground and surface water and degradation of coastal and marine resources. Yet, research that supports island governments to deal with their e-waste is scarce. This paper explores the viability of a circular economy (CE) and asks whether this could be a promising solution for islands to tackle their e-waste challenge. In pursuit of this aim, the CE potential of e-waste is analyzed on five Caribbean islands: Aruba, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The resource quantity of e-waste generated between 2020 and 2025 is estimated, and the economic value is assessed for the embedded materials. Using sensitivity analyses, three scenarios of exploitable e-waste and their potential economic values were calculated, considering the recovery of 20%, 50%, or 100% of e-waste stocked on the islands between 2001 and 2019. Expert interviews were conducted to identify existing e-waste management practices, if any. The results reveal that more than 317.4 kt of secondary materials would be available for recovery, comprising a significant amount of base and precious metals, such as aluminum, copper, silver, gold, and palladium. The estimated economic value of these materials is estimated to be more than $546 million. However, according to the sensitivity analysis, if these islands had started the recovery of resources in early 2001, this value would almost triple to $1,430 million - equivalent to nearly 30% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) from mining and quarrying in the entire Caribbean community, from just these five islands. Due to economies of scale that limit smaller nations, regional co-operations and initiating industrial symbiosis would be essential for desirous islands to shift to a CE. CE can support resource self-sufficiency on islands and bring several social, environmental, and economic benefits. This research is the first to provide an island-specific perspective to help decision-makers manage e-waste flows by including participatory CE implementation methods.

This database showcases the e-waste generation amount from EEE (Electrical & Electronic Equipment) in Jamaica over the period 1966 to 2025. It breaks the waste generated within EEE products including large household appliances, electrical and electronic tools, and medical devices. The dataset seeks to provide the amount of waste generated as these products reach their end-of-life stage.

This database showcases the amount of EEE products sold or PoM (Put-on-Market) in Jamaica during the period of 1965 to 2025. PoM refers to the quantity of EEE products sold, distributed, or otherwise made available for use in the commercial market, whether for payment or free of charge. This database showcases the consumption-based flows of EEE on Aruba; PoM is estimated as the net import (i.e., Imports – Exports).

This database showcases the material composition of e-waste in Jamaica within the timeframe of 2020 to 2025. It includes key materials found in e-waste such as plastic, glass, and metals like gold, silver, and iron.

This dataset showcases Jamaica's energy profile during 2018. It includes data for wind, solar, and hydropower energy sources, detailing installed power capacity in gigawatt hours, barrels of oil equivalent displaced, avoided costs in US dollars, and avoided carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes.

Tracking the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, Jamaica’s updated 2020 NDC doubles ambition and moves towards an economy-wide target by adding the land-use change and forestry sector and deepening emission reductions in the energy sectors. Actions highlighted in Jamaica’s NDC include projects on community-based climate resilience in the fisheries sector and integrated watershed management. According to the NDC, the availability and transfer of technologies that are environmentally sound and which support low-carbon and climate-resilient development is paramount.

This dataset provides an overview of the energy consumption and mix in Jamaica for the year 2018. It includes data on petroleum-based fuels and various alternative energy sources (including natural gas, coal, hydropower, wind, solar, and bagasse), with quantities expressed as percentages of total energy use.

Over the years, Jamaica has experienced sporadic cases of dengue fever. Even though the island is vulnerable to dengue, there is paucity in the spatio-temporal analysis of the disease using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing tools. Further, access to time series dengue data at the community level is a major challenge on the island. This study therefore applies the Water-Associated Disease Index (WADI) framework to analyze vulnerability to dengue in Jamaica based on past, current and future climate change conditions using three scenarios: (1) WorldClim rainfall and temperature dataset from 1970 to 2000; (2) Climate Hazard Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) rainfall and land surface temperature (LST) as proxy for air temperature from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for the period 2002 to 2016, and (3) maximum temperature and rainfall under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 climate change scenario for 2030. downscaled at 25 km based on the Regional Climate Model, RegCM4.3.5. Although vulnerability to dengue varies spatially and temporally, a higher vulnerability was depicted in urban areas in comparison to rural areas. The results also demonstrate the possibility for expansion in the geographical range of dengue in higher altitudes under climate change conditions based on scenario 3. This study provides an insight into the use of data with different temporal and spatial resolution in the analysis of dengue vulnerability.

This paper examines a pathway for small islands to replace fossil fuels by renewable sources, such as wind and solar, up to 100% to economically achieve energy security and satisfy The Paris Agreement to limit temperature rise as close as possible to 1.5 °C, in an economically beneficial manner. Using Jamaica, as an example, it is shown that the introduction of intermittent renewable energy to an island grid, which is electrically isolated, relying totally on itself for backup, causes serious frequency fluctuations and load shedding. Simulations show that a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) using Li-ion batteries can be employed to economically overcome these problems. It is also noted that the cost of batteries with longer discharge capacity is on the decline and their use is expected to be become economical in about 10 years. Looking at the reported pathway to satisfy The Paris Agreement, a 2-phase pathway is suggested. In the Phase 1 (2020–2030) 30% integration of intermittent renewables with BESS backup can be implemented in a manner that is not economically burdensome whilst the remaining fossil fuel system can provide the firm energy needed. In Phase 2 (2030–2055), more renewables can be implemented, provided sufficient long term storage, including batteries, can be added to provide firm energy. By 2030 the cost of such storage is expected to fall resulting in increased deployment without a financial burden to the islands. Ideally, during the period 2020 to 2055, there should be no new additions of fossil fuel plants and retiring plants should be replaced by renewable energy plants; although an account is necessary for plants already in the planning and development stages. The leeway period of 2020–2030 should be used for the preparation and planning of adding up to 100% renewables in all sectors.

Sustainability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is a growing concern particularly under climate change scenarios. Under the Ecosystem Service (ES) framework, we analyse the performance of five Caribbean countries (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago) regarding environmental and socioeconomic indicators, specifying how far each country is from an ideal threshold (Boundary Point – BP). Furthermore, the analysis provides an estimation of the potential of each country to deliver ecosystem services. Building on an existing ecosystem service’s value database, we developed the Ecosystem Services Potential Index (ESPI) to compare possibilities in each country. Linking the ESPI of each country to its distance to the BP (Boundary Point Distance – BPD), helps us detecting shortcomings and providing recommendations on what could be improved to move towards achieving self-sufficiency with high quality of life at the lowest environmental cost. However, none of the countries analyzed fall within the ideal situation where human needs are met without overexploitation of ecosystems. Nonetheless, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaica are the countries closest to achieve that goal. We conclude our findings with some recommendations to adopt Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) as a leverage point towards self-sufficiency in the Caribbean.

This study examines the social and environmental performance of five Caribbean nations (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba) using the Safe and Just Space (SJS) framework proposed by Kate Raworth (2012). For each country, values for 11 social and 7 environmental indicators are calculated. This is the first study that uses the Safe and Just Space framework for the Caribbean region, and with a focus on small island states. Johan Rockström and colleagues first proposed the Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework in 2009, where they identify the urgency to remain within nine biophysical planetary boundaries if humanity must continue to thrive. The authors claim that by crossing these boundaries we would significantly risk our own survival and cause large-scale, abrupt or irreversible environmental changes. In 2012, Kate Raworth added the social dimension to the Planetary Boundaries framework, which she defines as the Safe and Just Space (SJS). She argues that humanity must not only remain within biophysical thresholds, but as part of the sustainability mandate, also aspire to achieve quality of life where no one is left behind. In other words, how can humanity achieve an acceptable quality of life at the lowest environmental costs, or in Raworth’ s words, “can we live within the Doughnut?” Drawing on the SJS framework, this study calculates 11 social and 7 environmental indicators for the 5 Caribbean nations to assess their sustainability performance. To this end, the method proposed by O’Neill et al. (2018) is taken as a starting point. The 11 social indicators include Life Satisfaction, Social Support, Nutrition, Assess to Electricity (Energy), Access to Improved Sanitation, Health and Life Expectancy, Income, Equality, Democratic Quality, Education and Employment. The 7 environmental indicators are: Climate Change (represented by CO₂ emission), Phosphorous Flows, Nitrogen Flows, Blue Water, eHANPP (embodied Human Appropriated Net Primary Production), Ecological Footprint and Material Footprint. The results suggest that none of these five nations is in an ideal position within the doughnut of the environmentally safe and socially just space. Four of the nations (Trinidad Tobago, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba) exceed at least four out of seven planetary boundaries and none of them achieve more than half of the social outcomes. Haiti exceeds the boundary for CO₂ emission and functions slightly under the eHANPP boundary (that measures the intensity of use of biomass), but achieves none of the 11 social outcomes. While the relationship between the environmental and social variables is multi-metric, a few patterns and correlation between environment and social indicators can be observed. In general, the achievement of most social outcomes such as access to electricity, sanitation, income, nutrition, employment, education, social support and life satisfaction are positively related to emission or material consumption, such as CO₂ emission, especially from emission from fossil fuels, phosphorous flow, eHANPP, ecological footprint and material footprint. Based on performances of these five nations, the achievement of social outcomes is not closely related to blue water as one of the environmental performance indicator. There does not exist clear positive relationship between environmental indicators and social indicators such as healthy life expectancy, equality and democratic quality.

Despite recent calls to limit future increases in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C, little is known about how different climatic thresholds will impact human society. Future warming trends have significant global food security implications, particularly for small island developing states (SIDS) that are recognized as being among the most vulnerable to global climate change. In the case of the Caribbean, any significant change in the region’s climate is likely to have significant adverse effects on the agriculture sector. This paper explores the potential biophysical impacts of a + 1.5 °C warming scenario on several economically important crops grown in the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Also, it explores differences to a > 2.0 °C warming scenario, which is more likely, if the current policy agreements cannot be complied with by the international community. We use the ECOCROP niche model to estimate how predicted changes in future climate could affect the growing conditions of several commonly cultivated crops from both future scenarios. We then discuss some key policy considerations for Jamaica’s agriculture sector, specifically related to the challenges posed to future adaptation pathways amidst growing climate uncertainty and complexity. Our model results show that even an increase less than + 1.5 °C is expected to have an overall negative impact on crop suitability and a general reduction in the range of crops available to Jamaican farmers. This observation is instructive as increases above the + 1.5 °C threshold would likely lead to even more irreversible and potentially catastrophic changes to the sustainability of Jamaica’s agriculture sector. The paper concludes by outlining some key considerations for future action, paying keen attention to the policy relevance of a + 1.5 °C temperature limit. Given little room for optimism with respect to the imminent changes that SIDS will need to confront in the near future, broad-based policy engagement by stakeholders in these geographies is paramount, irrespective of the climate warming scenario.

There is an urgent need to mitigate climate change-induced heat stress in livestock and poultry in the Caribbean, given the deleterious effects it has on food and nutrition security. The temperature humidity index (THI) was used to assess the potential for heat stress on four types of livestock and poultry (broiler and layer chickens, pigs and ruminants) for three different agro-ecological locations in Jamaica. The THI was formulated specifically to each livestock type and was examined for 2001–2012 for seasonal and annual patterns of variability. Differences in THI were observed between summer (July to September) and winter (December to February) with some moderation due to agro-ecological location. Our results suggest that animals in ambient field conditions in Jamaica may already be experiencing considerable periods of heat stress even during the relatively cooler northern hemisphere winter months. Future patterns of heat stress relative to a 1961–1990 baseline were derived from a regional climate model when mean global surface air temperature is 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. At 1.5 °C, marked increases were noted in THI and almost persistent year-round heat stress is projected for Caribbean livestock. Conditions will be exacerbated at the higher global warming states. Possible response strategies such as cooling technologies are discussed.

This contribution presents an assessment of the potential vulnerabilities to climate variability and change (CV & C) of the critical transportation infrastructure of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It focuses on potential operational disruptions and coastal inundation forced by CV & C on four coastal international airports and four seaports in Jamaica and Saint Lucia which are critical facilitators of international connectivity and socioeconomic development. Impact assessments have been carried out under climatic conditions forced by a 1.5 °C specific warming level (SWL) above pre-industrial levels, as well as for different emission scenarios and time periods in the twenty-first century. Disruptions and increasing costs due to, e.g., more frequent exceedance of high temperature thresholds that could impede transport operations are predicted, even under the 1.5 °C SWL, advocated by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and reflected as an aspirational goal in the Paris Climate Agreement. Dynamic modeling of the coastal inundation under different return periods of projected extreme sea levels (ESLs) indicates that the examined airports and seaports will face increasing coastal inundation during the century. Inundation is projected for the airport runways of some of the examined international airports and most of the seaports, even from the 100-year extreme sea level under 1.5 °C SWL. In the absence of effective technical adaptation measures, both operational disruptions and coastal inundation are projected to increasingly affect all examined assets over the course of the century.

Long dependent upon imported fossil fuels, the islands of the Caribbean have recently been targeted by initiatives meant to hasten a shift to more renewable forms of energy. In this paper, we provide an overview of this ongoing energy transition, focusing on the experiences of Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean. To do so, we develop the concept of the ‘island energy metabolism’ as a way to conceptualize relationships between the biophysical properties of different energy sources and the distinctive territorial, infrastructural and geopolitical characteristics of islands. We trace the development of the prevailing fossil fuel-based metabolism in the Caribbean region, and highlight some of the resulting energy dilemmas faced by island territories in the region. We then turn our attention to the ongoing renewable energy transition, focusing on the opportunities and barriers posed by islands. We highlight the role of island imaginaries in attracting international interest, and point to the ways in which island geographies can hinder the transition. Drawing on examples gleaned from fieldwork in the Caribbean, we discuss the financial, logistical and infrastructural challenges posed by the region’s fragmented sovereignty and island territoriality, and suggest how a metabolism lens can shed light on the trajectories of low-carbon transitions.

It is now widely recognized that climate change is likely to have detrimental impacts across the Caribbean region, with the burden likely to fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable segments of society. It is therefore an appropriate time to ask whether the frameworks that lie behind climate change discourse and policy are consistent with the demands of social and environmental justice. In this paper, we use climate justice as a lens for evaluating three prominent frameworks for addressing climate change, those of adaptation, resilience, and vulnerability. Each of these discursive frameworks, we argue, can contribute to our understanding of climate change, but they do not all incorporate justice concerns to the same degree. In order to illustrate this, we examine the justice implications of using each of the three frameworks to assess a case study of agricultural transformation in Southwestern Jamaica. Farmers in this region have adapted to changing climate conditions in a variety of ways, including the use of new agricultural technology. The ability of many farmers to take advantage of such innovations, however, is constrained by the underlying landscape of vulnerability within the region. After interpreting this example from the perspectives of adaptation, resilience and vulnerability, we conclude that all three paradigms are capable of calling attention to climate justice issues, but only in the vulnerability perspective are such issues intrinsic. We believe, therefore, that a greater attention to vulnerability within Caribbean climate policy holds the potential to advance the goals of climate justice within the region.

<p>Vulnerability is an indispensable component of climate justice discussions, especially as it functions to identify the worst off in procedures and distribution framed in a Rawlsian interpretation of justice as fairness. Yet, vulnerability is a term replete in varying interpretations and analytical approaches; and choices in interpretation and approach are consequential to policy-making. Recent policy is constructed with disproportionate reference to biophysical conceptions of climate change, which, albeit useful, can lead to an overlook of the geographic and social context of vulnerability. In addition, when considering that this context is differentiated between and within scales, it is apparent that a multi-scalar framework provides a comprehensive approach to vulnerability studies. Small island developing states (SIDS) are often noted as being among the most vulnerable to climate change. This work assesses that claim through a multi-scalar examination of the political, geographic, and socio-economic conditions that engender vulnerability. What starts as a global scale case study of the political context of SIDS vulnerability is then focused upon a regional study of the socio-economic and geographic context of Caribbean, the most tourism-intensive economy of the world; the latter examination is pursued further with a national scale analysis of contextual vulnerability in Jamaican tourism and agriculture, referencing to local scale examples of adaptive capacity. By this multi-scalar framework, justice and contextual vulnerability are revealed to be inextricable, and a re-evaluation of how these terms are operationalized in policy is suggested.</p>

This thesis presents a novel study on the historical evolution of socioeconomic metabolism of biomass in Jamaica in the context of trade and national food security. The goal of this study was to provide empirical insight into the structure of Jamaica biomass system by analyzing biomass material flows (domestic extraction, imports, and exports) from 1961 to 2013, and on this basis establish a link to the issue of national food security in Jamaica. A biomass material database in time series was constructed for Jamaica based on Eurostat methodological guidelines and general principles of economy-wide material flow account and analysis (EW-MFA). The constructed database allowed for the characterization of biomass production and consumption using the calculated material flow indicators- domestic extraction (DE), domestic consumption (DMC) and physical trade balance (PTB). The degree of import dependency was also calculated. To establish a link between patterns of biomass metabolism, trade and national food security, the scope of MFA was expanded to conduct a time series analysis of national food availability and progress towards food self-sufficiency based on analysis of dietary energy supply (DES) and dietary energy production (DEP) in Jamaica. Results obtained revealed a declining trend in both metabolic scale and metabolic rate of biomass use in Jamaica. MFA calculated indicators showed two alternating phases of growth and decline in the evolution of biomass use- peak growth (1966 and 1996) and steep decline (1981 and 2006). Primary crops dominated DE (48%) and DMC (47%). Cereals (74%) dominated physical imports flows and export flows were dominated by sugar cane (76%). Jamaica agro-food system is characterized by export oriented production as the share of mainstay food crops in overall primary crop extraction was less than 10%. A high food Import dependency ratio was observed. Food energy availability has significantly improved since 1961 from 1740 kcal/cap/day to 2470 kcal/cap/day in 2013. Jamaica is yet to achieve food self-sufficiency as DEP remains critically below the minimum dietary energy requirement threshold for Jamaica. This study contributes to the growing body of research on material flow analysis and socioeconomic metabolism. It offers a starting point for methodological enhancement of the MFA framework towards adapting it for food security studies.

This thesis presents a novel study on the historical evolution of socioeconomic metabolism of biomass in Jamaica in the context of trade and national food security. The goal of this study was to provide empirical insight into the structure of Jamaica biomass system by analyzing biomass material flows (domestic extraction, imports, and exports) from 1961 to 2013, and on this basis establish a link to the issue of national food security in Jamaica. A biomass material database in time series was constructed for Jamaica based on Eurostat methodological guidelines and general principles of economy-wide material flow account and analysis (EW-MFA). The constructed database allowed for the characterization of biomass production and consumption using the calculated material flow indicators- domestic extraction (DE), domestic consumption (DMC) and physical trade balance (PTB). The degree of import dependency was also calculated. To establish a link between patterns of biomass metabolism, trade and national food security, the scope of MFA was expanded to conduct a time series analysis of national food availability and progress towards food self-sufficiency based on analysis of dietary energy supply (DES) and dietary energy production (DEP) in Jamaica. Results obtained revealed a declining trend in both metabolic scale and metabolic rate of biomass use in Jamaica. MFA calculated indicators showed two alternating phases of growth and decline in the evolution of biomass use- peak growth (1966 and 1996) and steep decline (1981 and 2006). Primary crops dominated DE (48%) and DMC (47%). Cereals (74%) dominated physical imports flows and export flows were dominated by sugar cane (76%). Jamaica agro-food system is characterized by export oriented production as the share of mainstay food crops in overall primary crop extraction was less than 10%. A high food Import dependency ratio was observed. Food energy availability has significantly improved since 1961 from 1740 kcal/cap/day to 2470 kcal/cap/day in 2013. Jamaica is yet to achieve food self-sufficiency as DEP remains critically below the minimum dietary energy requirement threshold for Jamaica. This study contributes to the growing body of research on material flow analysis and socioeconomic metabolism. It offers a starting point for methodological enhancement of the MFA framework towards adapting it for food security studies.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2014 - June 19, 2015

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2015 - July 29, 2015

The Jamaican tourism industry is very climate sensitive, and, like most Caribbean islands, Jamaica's main tourism product is coastal, centered on “sun, sea and sand”. The island is susceptible to many risks posed by climate change, including sea level rise and extreme events, with resultant impacts such as beach erosion, flooding, saline intrusion into aquifers and general coastal degradation. This paper evaluates the relative vulnerability of beach versus non-beach tourism in Jamaica, using 43 pre-determined literature-linked indicators. These comprise bio-geophysical, social, technological, economical, technological and institutional factors. Four case areas are assessed using multi-criteria decision analysis to derive vulnerability scores for each area. The study finds that non-beach tourism operations should not be automatically perceived as less vulnerable than beach-based operations. Sustainable adaptation options are complex and numerous, and overall beach tourism businesses have better insurance, emergency savings, disaster plans and backup power facilities, among others. They also have the advantage of being in business longer than the inland resorts, a firmer business structure and an extensive marketing budget. In the long term, better adaptation and planning by inland businesses could change this balance.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2013 - June 26, 2014

Present-day (1979–2003) and future (2075–2099) simulations of mean and extreme rainfall and temperature are examined using data from the Meteorological Research Institute super-high-resolution atmospheric general circulation model. Analyses are performed over the 20-km model grid for (1) a main Caribbean basin, (2) sub-regional zones, and (3) specific Caribbean islands. Though the model’s topography underestimates heights over the eastern Caribbean, it captures well the present-day spatial and temporal variations of seasonal and annual climates. Temperature underestimations range from 0.1 °C to 2 °C with respect to the Japanese Reanalysis and the Climatic Research Unit datasets. The model also captures fairly well sub-regional scale variations in the rainfall climatology. End-of-century projections under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change SRES A1B scenario indicate declines in rainfall amounts by 10–20 % for most of the Caribbean during the early (May–July) and late (August–October) rainy seasons relative to the 1979–2003 baselines. The early dry season (November–January) is also projected to get wetter in the far north and south Caribbean by approximately 10 %. The model also projects a warming of 2–3 °C over the Caribbean region. Analysis of future climate extremes indicate a 5–10 % decrease in the simple daily precipitation intensity but no significant change in the number of consecutive dry days for Cuba, Jamaica, southern Bahamas, and Haiti. There is also indication that the number of hot days and nights will significantly increase over the main Caribbean basin.

Caribbean Tourism Organization - Latest Statistics 2003

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2004 - April 12, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2006 - April 12, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2011 - April 11, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2012 - June 4, 2013

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2010 - July 27, 2012

Scenarios of rainfall and temperature changes for the period 2071–2100 under the A2 and B2 Special Report on Emissions scenarios are examined using the Hadley Centre Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies regional climate model. The model simulates ‘present-day’ (1979–1990) rainfall and temperature climatologies reasonably well, capturing the characteristic bimodality of Caribbean rainfall and the boreal summer maximum and winter minimum temperatures. Seasonal spatial patterns are also reproduced, but rainfall amounts are underestimated over the northern Caribbean island masses, including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. Temperatures over the region are also overestimated by 1–3 °C. For the period 2071–2100, temperatures are projected to increase across the region by 1–4 °C for all months irrespective of the scenario. The rainfall response varies with season with one of the more robust changes being an intensification of a gradient pattern in November–January, in which the northern Caribbean (i.e. north of 22°N) gets wetter and the southern Caribbean gets drier. There is also a robust June–October drying signal. The results point to changes in the regional circulation patterns due to the human-induced climate change and warrants further investigation. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2008 - June 28, 2010

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2009 - August 26, 2010

Visitor Arrival Summary 2010

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2007 - August 21, 2009

Visitor Arrival Summary 2009

CARICOM Capacity Development Programme (CCDP) 2000 Round of Population And Housing Census Data Analysis Sub-Project, Jamaica

The study of Caribbean climate pre-1990 focused almost exclusively on attempts to link spatial patterns in climatic variables to physical processes. Much of this research assumed a 'simple' regional climate, warm year round with a wet season dominated by tropical cyclones, but researchers soon found that a precipitation regionalization of the Caribbean was not as straightforward and simple. Consequently, a satisfactory understanding of the regional precipitation climate has eluded researchers for much of the second half of the twentieth century. Recently, with the increased availability and quality of satellite and precipitation data, researchers have begun to use gridded data sets to identify the spatial boundaries of the bimodal precipitation region and the atmospheric processes associated with the two maxima and minimum in precipitation. The fi ndings of these most recent studies can be combined to construct a fi ve part (North Atlantic high pressure, low level Caribbean jet, subsidence caused by Central America convection, basin wide increased wind shear, and divergence around Jamaica) conceptual Caribbean precipitation model that begins to address spatial variability in the bimodal structure of annual rainfall and the development of the midsummer minimum in precipitation. Such a regional precipitation climate model provides hypotheses to be tested and investigated in future research. Further, researchers must work towards a more effective and clear communication of the bimodal nature of Caribbean precipitation and the associated summer decrease in precipitation, integrate upper air analysis into the current working hypotheses, and further examine the interannual to interdecadal variability of the Caribbean midsummer drought for prediction purposes.

The objective of this study was to compare the life-cycle environmental impacts of changed production structures for two consumer goods (high-density polyethylene (HDPE) shopping bags and beds) in Jamaica. A scenario technique was used to construct three alternative production structures for each product; each scenario reflecting an increase in local production in Jamaica which depended on an increased supply of input materials which may be sourced: (1) externally from overseas suppliers, (2) from post-consumer recycling, and (3) locally on the island of Jamaica. These three constructed scenarios were then compared to the existing supply chain or reference scenarios of the products. The results showed that for both case products the recycling scenario was most preferable for localising production, resulting in the lowest environmental impact. This was because the production of raw materials accounted for the largest effect on total environmental impact. As such, the most immediate environmental improvements were realised by lowering the production of virgin materials.

CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION LATEST STATISTICS 2005 - May 21, 2007

Tourism Highlights for 2007

Tourism Highlights for 2006

Tourist Arrivals in the Caribbean by Destination

Visitor Arrival Summary 2004

A January 2001 workshop held in Kingston, Jamaica, brought together scientists and data from around the Caribbean region and made analysis of indices of extremes derived from daily weather observation in the region possible. The results of the analyses indicate that the percent of days having very warm maximum or minimum temperatures increased strongly since the late 1950s while the percent of days with very cold temperatures decreased. One measure of extreme precipitation shows an increase over this time period while the one analyzed measure of dry conditions, the maximum number of consecutive dry days, is decreasing. These changes generally agree with what is observed in many other parts of the world.

Caribbean Development Bank Annual Report 2001

Many coral reefs have been degraded over the past two to three decades through a combination of human and natural disturbances. In Jamaica, the effects of overfishing, hurricane damage, and disease have combined to destroy most corals, whose abundance has declined from more than 50 percent in the late 1970s to less than 5 percent today. A dramatic phase shift has occurred, producing a system dominated by fleshy macroalgae (more than 90 percent cover). Immediate implementation of management procedures is necessary to avoid further catastrophic damage.