Community Adaptation Plan Port Antonio, Jamaica

Transcription

Community Adaptation Plan Port Antonio, Jamaica
1
Community Adaptation Plan
PORT ANTONIO, JAMAICA | 2015
Prepared by The CARIBSAVE Partnership with funding from
The Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB/MIF)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The CARIBSAVE Partnership wishes to thank all of the persons who contributed to the completion of this
Community Adaptation Plan and to the Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience
and Knowledge (C-ARK) project as a whole; through which this Plan was produced. We greatly appreciate the
contribution of time, assistance, information and resources provided to ensure that this document helps
communities adapt to effects of climate change.
Specifically, we want to acknowledge some of the key organisations and agencies for their collaboration and
support throughout the project:

Social Development Commission - Portland

Portland Environmental Protection Agency

National Environment and Planning Association

Travel Foundation

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
The CARIBSAVE Partnership would also like to extend its deepest thanks to the vision and commitment of the
Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank (MIF/IDB) for funding the Climate
Change, Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience & Knowledge (C-ARK) project.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................... 3
ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................. 6
1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 8
1.1 Purpose ................................................................................................................................................... 8
1.2 Why focus on climate change adaptation in Port Antonio? ................................................................... 8
1.3 Scope of the plan .................................................................................................................................... 9
1.4 How this plan was developed ............................................................................................................... 11
1.5 How this plan is organised .................................................................................................................... 12
2
CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW .................................................................................... 14
2.1 What is Climate Change? ...................................................................................................................... 14
2.2 What causes Climate Change? .............................................................................................................. 15
2.3 What are the effects of Climate Change? ............................................................................................. 16
2.4 Who is affected by Climate Change? .................................................................................................... 16
2.5 What does Climate Change mean for the Caribbean?.......................................................................... 17
2.6 What is the link between Climate Change and how we look after our natural environment? ............ 19
2.7 What can be done about Climate Change? .......................................................................................... 20
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PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE ........................................................................... 22
3.1 What climate change has meant for Port Antonio so far ..................................................................... 22
3.2 Summary of potential climate change impacts and risks ..................................................................... 23
4
OUTCOMES OF THE PORT ANTONIO COMMUNITY ADAPTATION PLAN .......................... 26
5
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS ................... 28
5.1 Goal 1: To improve the public’s environmental awareness and to encourage behaviour change
especially with respect to exacerbating the negative effects of climate change. ................................ 28
5.2 Goal 2: To improve livelihood opportunities by using local community resources to create new
or diversified businesses and by strengthening local infrastructure .................................................... 31
5.3 Goal 3: Engage in, or encourage, activities that aid in habitat restoration and natural resource
preservation ......................................................................................................................................... 34
5
6
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED? ........................................................................ 38
6.1 Collective Action for Implementation ................................................................................................... 38
6.2 Keeping track of progress and results ................................................................................................... 39
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RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................ 43
7.1 Asset Map for MSMEs in Port Antonio ................................................................................................. 43
7.2 Documents ............................................................................................................................................ 45
7.3 Toolkits.................................................................................................................................................. 46
7.4 Videos ................................................................................................................................................... 47
7.5 Music videos/Edutainment ................................................................................................................... 48
8
GLOSSARY .......................................................................................................................... 51
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ACRONYMS
C-ARK
Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience and
Knowledge
CBA
Community Baseline Assessment
JAS
Jamaica Agricultural Society
MSME
Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises
NEPA
National Environment and Planning Agency
ODPEM
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
PEPA
Portland Environmental Protection Agency
RADA
Rural Agricultural Development Authority
SDC
Social Development Commission
U Tech
University of Technology
UWI
University of the West Indies
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1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
Purpose
Why focus on climate change adaptation in Port Antonio?
Scope of the plan
How this plan was developed
How this plan is organised
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INTRODUCTION
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Purpose
Climate change1 is affecting livelihoods in coastal communities throughout the Caribbean. Across the
region, communities need to find ways of coping now and adapting in the future. Port Antonio in
Portland Jamaica is no exception. This Community Adaptation Plan is a positive step by the residents
of Port Antonio towards developing their community response to climate change.
The Plan is intended to help the tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and craft sectors in Port Antonio adapt
to climate change and thereby strengthen the community as a whole. It is a guide for community
members in taking appropriate measures to minimise harm to their environment, improving their
businesses and lifestyles, and coping with the impacts of a changing climate so that the local economy
in Port Antonio can be sustained for future generations.
The Port Antonio Community Adaptation Plan was prepared as part of the Climate Change, Coastal
Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience and Knowledge (C-ARK) Project, which is being
implemented by The CARIBSAVE Partnership between 2012 and 2015. The project is being carried out
in two communities in each of four countries, namely Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica.
1.2
Why focus on climate change adaptation in Port Antonio?
Port Antonio is considered the birthplace of the tourism industry in Jamaica. The steamers that
transported bananas away from this coastal town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought
visitors to the island; and hotels and other infrastructure to accommodate them sprouted in the area.
Today, Port Antonio may be less popular than some of Jamaica’s better-known resort areas, but it is
still a key tourism destination, known for its many nature-based and eco-tourism activities (beaches,
rivers, and waterfalls), which are supported by accommodation and recreation facilities and a marina.
Its waters offer excellent fishing grounds; less than a nautical mile offshore the underwater terrain
features submerged mountains and a shelf edge where fishing is best. The livelihoods of many of the
town’s residents have direct or indirect linkages to tourism.
But tourism is sensitive to climate; the popular nature-based tourism activities in and around Port
Antonio such as hiking, sightseeing, and marine recreational activities depend on stable and reliable
weather conditions. Extremes in heat, rainfall or ocean turbidity can have a negative effect on visitor
experience and even influence the decision to participate in these activities in the first place.
The second most important sector after tourism in Port Antonio is agriculture. Like tourism, this
sector is sensitive to weather and climate conditions, as is fishing, which supports a smaller number of
1
The meaning of this word and others in italics throughout the text can be found at the end of the document.
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INTRODUCTION
people than tourism and agriculture, but is locally important nonetheless. Farmers in the area have
observed declines in their agricultural production as a result of shifts in seasonal weather patterns,
and fishermen, whose catches are becoming smaller and smaller, are reporting a decline in the heath
of coral reefs and an increase in (i.e., warmer) sea surface temperatures. While climate change is not
the only factor that is affecting the fisheries in Port Antonio and other parts of Jamaica, it could make
an already bad situation worse.
Port Antonio is the capital of the parish of Portland and much of the parish’s important infrastructure
is located along the coast. The seat of local government, the court house, and the parish headquarters
of many agencies, including those that provide essential services such as water and electricity are
located in Port Antonio along or near the threatened coastline.
Steadily changing climate conditions in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean (see Section 2) mean
that Port Antonio, and other communities, cannot afford to ignore current trends. The time to take
action in order to minimise the negative impacts of climate change and build community resilience is
now. This Community Adaptation Plan is Hopkins Village’s response to changing conditions.
1.3
Scope of the plan
This Community Adaptation Plan has been developed for the Port Antonio area, extending from
Boundbrook in the west to Bryan’s Bay in the east (see Map on the following page). The Plan aims to
make Port Antonio a climate resilient community. But this is a very broad aim and it is not one that
can be achieved overnight. Making Port Antonio climate resilient will require a series of actions that
build on each other over time. It will also require all members of the community to do their part in
taking practical and positive steps to prepare for expected climate change impacts in Port Antonio.
The Community Adaptation Plan describes the climate threats and vulnerabilities that Port Antonio
faces and explains why a climate change adaptation plan is needed. It sets out three key goals along
with strategies and supporting actions that will help sustain the main livelihoods of the community’s
residents and build resilience to climate change.
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INTRODUCTION
Figure 1: Aerial image of Port Antonio, Jamaica showing demarcation of plan area
The three goals are:
Goal 1:
To improve the public’s environmental awareness and to encourage behaviour
change especially with respect to exacerbating the negative effects of climate change.
Goal 2:
To improve livelihood opportunities by using local community resources to create
new or diversified businesses and by strengthening local infrastructure.
Goal 3:
Engage in, or encourage, activities that aid in habitat restoration and natural resource
preservation.
These goals seek, in the long term, to increase the adaptive capacity of the community’s systems
(built, natural, financial and human) and reduce vulnerability to natural shocks, so that the
environment can be protected and sustained for future generations. This plan covers the period 2015
– 2017. The long-term nature of these goals means it may not be possible to meet them all by 2017.
For this reason, the goals have been broken down into more manageable strategies and actions that
can be tackled overt the life of this plan.
Towards the end of the life of this plan, the community and partners will review progress made in
implementing the activities of this action towards meeting these goals with a view to coming up with
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INTRODUCTION
a new multi-year plan to build community climate change resilience. The review will also be an
opportunity to see if the goals remain relevant to Port Antonio, or if they need to be changed.
Responsibility for implementing the plan and ultimately ensuring that it meets the overarching
objective of building a more resilient community in Port Antonio lies with of all the area’s residents.
1.4
How this plan was developed
This Port Antonio Community Adaptation Plan is the result of a collective effort and the contributions
of a broad range of stakeholders. It reflects the experiences, voices, and shared visions of those who
live and work in Port Antonio. The Plan was developed through a six-step process, which is described
below.
Step 1. Inventory of local stakeholders & MSMEs in community:
Working together with the Port Antonio Social Development Commission (SDC), C-ARK team members
compiled a list of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) operations within the tourism,
craft, agriculture, and fisheries sectors in the Port Antonio community.
Step 2. MSME owners interviewed:
Specially designed surveys were administered to fifty randomly selected business operators across all
four sectors to find out what business operators knew about climate change, their concerns about the
issue, and to get an idea of how their enterprises were affected by a changing climate.
Step 3. Community Baseline Assessment developed:
A Community Baseline Assessment (CBA) reported the data and information gathered from the survey
instruments about the small-business operator’s personal and household circumstances, and other
details related to his/her business, such as how many employees the business has; what assets (tools
of the trade) are owned; how climate has impacted their operations; and how they have coped (or
not) with climate-related impacts.
Step 4. Needs analyses, climate risk & adaptive capacity assessments
established from community consultation/workshop:
The findings of the CBA were brought back to the people of Port Antonio and presented at a
community consultation to make sure that what we found from the surveys was really true for the
whole community.
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INTRODUCTION
Step 5. Development of Community Adaptation Plan…this document!
The information gathered through the previous processes was compiled and analysed and draft
versions of the plans for each community were produced.
Step 6. Community Adaptation Plan Validation Workshop:
Information from the draft version of the plan for Port Antonio was presented to the community in a
workshop for final validation.
1.5
How this plan is organised
This plan is made up of 6 main sections. Section 1 introduces the plan and its purpose. A brief
introduction to climate change in Section 2 will help readers understand key concepts. This section
presents a brief, easily-understood overview of climate change, its causes, and its effects. Section 3
briefly examines what climate change has meant for Port Antonio thus far and what it could mean for
the community in the future. Section 4 presents the expected outcomes of the Community
Adaptation Plan. Section 5 gets to the heart of the matter and presents the goals, strategies and
actions of the plan. Section 6 looks at how it will be implemented and includes a section on
monitoring and evaluation.
The resource section includes a community asset map and lists a number of documents, toolkits and
videos that can be used to support community education and outreach activities. The list is not
intended to be comprehensive but rather to serve as a starting point.
A glossary at the end of the document lists terms that may not be familiar to all readers.
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INTRODUCTION
2
CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
What is Climate Change?
What causes Climate Change?
What are the effects of Climate Change?
Who is affected by Climate Change?
What does climate change mean for the Caribbean?
What is the link between Climate Change and how we look after our natural
environment?
What can be done about Climate Change?
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
2
CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
2.1
What is Climate Change?
The earth is getting warmer. Over the past hundred years, the earth’s average temperature has gone
up by approximately 0.8°C or 1.5°F. The earth has got warmer in the past, but what is different this
time is that it is warming much faster now, and the changes we are seeing are bigger than before. This
warming is the result of human activity that puts more heat-trapping gases into the air around the
earth (the atmosphere) than natural systems can absorb. Warmer temperatures are causing other
changes on land and in the sea such as more extreme storms, rainfall and floods; longer periods
without rain, extreme heat and fires; melting snow and ice; and rising sea levels.
Weather and climate: what is the difference?
Weather is what we experience on a day to day basis. Weather refers to the conditions at a particular time
and place, and can change from hour to hour, day to day, and season to season. Weather is what is
happening outside right now. Climate, on the other hand, refers to the long-term average pattern of weather
in a place.
Weather is measured by temperature, humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, and
precipitation (rain, snow etc.). Climate is the average, or typical, weather conditions of a given area observed
over a long period of time, usually 30 years or more.
For example, we might say that the tropical climate of Belize is warm and humid, although the weather on a
particular day could be quite different from that.
CDEMA.2011. Climate Smart Community Development Module. Facilitator’s Handbook. Prepared for the
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute.
Bridgetown, Barbados
These shifts in temperature, rainfall patterns and sea levels that have been taking place over a long
period of time tell us that the climate is changing. It is normal to have some short-term variation in
climate, but the longer-term trends that we are now seeing are outside of what the scientists consider
normal. When we talk about “climate change”, therefore, we are referring to long-term changes in
the weather, usually over a period of thirty years or more.
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
2.2
What causes Climate Change?
Climate change is caused by the build-up of heat trapping gases, known as greenhouse gases, in the
atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases come from burning wood and the fossil fuels (oil, coal and
natural gas) that power our vehicles, factories, businesses and homes. Carbon dioxide is the main
greenhouse gas that is produced in this way. There are other greenhouses gases, such as methane
and nitrous oxide, which are produced by the agricultural sector. Agricultural production has had to
scale up over the past 200 years to keep pace with the earth’s growing population, and the
greenhouse gases the sector produces has also increased.
Several greenhouse gases are produced naturally and nature has a way to absorb them through trees,
plants, the soil, and even water. But when we change land use, for example by cutting down forests to
make way for farms and housing, this contributes to the amount of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. Our use of energy and need for land space all over the world has increased so sharply
over the past 100 – 200 years that we find ourselves in a situation where human activity is leading to
more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than nature can cope with.
Greenhouse gases form a thick blanket in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the sun to warm the
earth. We need these gases; without them and their warming effect it would be too cold for us to live
on earth. But when the layer of gases becomes so thick that less and less heat escapes, over time the
planet begins to get warmer than usual. The increase in the temperature in the air around us also
causes the temperature in the sea to rise.
But climate change does not mean that the increase in temperature is steady from one day to the
next or even one year to the next. The temperature goes up and down, and weather conditions are
not consistent. Heavy rains and flooding one year may be followed by intense drought, or a very hot
year maybe followed by a cooler one. What is significant is that when the scientists look at the overall
pattern or trend, they see day and night time temperatures increasing. They also see more frequent
intense (or extreme) weather events, like long-term droughts and torrential downpours of rain. In
fact, the scientists say over the past 50 years the total amount of rainfall globally has increased by 7
per cent, but much of this rain is coming in more frequent, heavy downpours.2
We sometimes hear the term climate variability being used in discussions about climate change.
Climate variability describes when local climatic conditions that are different from the average or
what is thought to be “normal” conditions. For example, the average annual rainfall in Barbados is
1,413 mm (55.6 inches). Some years below average rain may fall; in other years, the level may be
above average. This departure from the average is referred to as variability. With the warming of the
2
Huber, D. and J. Gulledge. 2011. Extreme Weather and Climate Change. Center for Climate and Energy
Solutions.http://www.c2es.org/publications/extreme-weather-and-climate-change
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
earth’s temperature, we have been experiencing more variability in addition to the overall trend of
long term changes in climate.
2.3
What are the effects of Climate Change?
Climate change doesn’t just mean a change in weather; there are a number of other effects and
trends that have been experienced worldwide. These trends include:




Higher temperatures worldwide, including more hot days and nights. Since the 1950s, for
example, there have been more heat waves.
Rising sea levels: Sea levels around the world have been getting higher due to melting glaciers
and sea ice and the expansion of the water in the oceans as the sea surface temperatures get
hotter. Some islands in the Pacific have already lost a lot of land to the sea.
More unusual and frequent extreme weather: Extreme weather events such as heat waves,
droughts, floods (and the landslides that often accompany them), storms, hurricanes, coastal
surges, and cold snaps, are becoming not only stronger, but more frequent too. Severe
weather that would have been experienced once in every 100 years, for example, might now
be experienced every 10 years, or even more frequently.
Changes in precipitation (rainfall and snow): Drought conditions last longer; more places are
now affected by drought; and rain and snow sometimes fall at unexpected times.
Each of the trends described above affects people, plants and animals, and alters many complex
relationships in nature.
2.4
Who is affected by Climate Change?
All countries in the world are affected by climate change. How they are affected might differ
depending on their geography, natural climate conditions, and the strength and resilience of their
natural and physical systems. The countries that use the most energy are the biggest contributors to
greenhouse gas emissions; and where land is being converted from forests to other uses, this is also
adding to the problem as nature’s way of absorbing some greenhouse gases is being weakened.
Many of the countries that are worst affected by climate change are not large producers of
greenhouse gases. Small island states, like the countries of the Caribbean for example, are among the
most vulnerable to climate change because they depend heavily on the coastal and other natural
resources that are affected by climate change, and have a lot of their important infrastructure, like
roads, airports, commercial towns and cities, located along the coast.
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
2.5
What does Climate Change mean for the Caribbean?
The climate trends in the Caribbean have mirrored what is happening globally. Temperatures are
increasing; rainfall has become more variable with more drought and flood conditions throughout the
region; and sea levels are rising.
Scientists who study the climate tell us the future will bring more of the same.




They predict that temperatures will continue to rise, possibly between 1 - 5°C by 2099.
Overall the Caribbean will be drier by 25 – 35%. This does not mean there will be no rain;
rather less rain is likely to fall in general, especially during the traditional rainy season
between May and November.
Sea levels will continue to go up. Because we are close to the equator, scientists expect that
sea level rise may be higher than in other parts of the world. When the sea level goes up,
beaches are lost and there is coastal erosion. Coastal ecosystems, like mangroves and
seagrass beds are also lost, as is infrastructure, like roads, bridges and buildings, along the
coast line.
Storms and hurricanes are expected to be more intense, that is to say they will bring more
rain and have stronger winds.
Table 1 shows some of the ways in which these trends are affecting, and will continue to affect, our
lives and everything around us:
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
Trend
Impacts
Temperature

Precipitation/Rainfall
↓
Health
 Increase in heatstroke, especially among small
children and the elderly.
 Increase in some diseases carried by insects and
rodents, like dengue and leptospirosis.3
Agriculture
 Less water available during certain times of the year.
 Changes in the rain-fed growing season.
 Heavy downpours and storms could lead to land
degradation and soil erosion
 Heat stress in animals.
 Lower crop yields because temperatures are not ideal
for plant growth and development.
Marine life
 Migration of some fish species, like tuna and
parrotfish, which could go in search of cooler waters.
 Coral bleaching4
 Migratory species, like whales, change their breeding
habits and spend less time in the Caribbean Sea.
 Change in the sex ratio (number of females to males)
among egg-laying marine reptiles - turtles and
crocodiles.
Forests
 Landslides
Water resources
 Unable to meet demand for water during low rainfall
periods in:
o Homes
o Fields
o Factories
o Schools and business places.
3
Warmer temperatures cause the Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries dengue fever and the chikungunya virus
to breed faster. Higher temperatures alone do not lead to increased dengue outbreaks, but they are a
contributing factor. The region had one of the worst ever dengue outbreaks in 2007. Floods and heavy rains are
favourable for the spread of water-borne diseases and diseases associated with water, like leptospirosis.
Guyana, for example, had an outbreak of leptospirosis after heavy flooding in 2005. Rats carry leptospirosis, but
it spreads through water contaminated by their urine.
4
Warmer waters cause corals to expel the small plant organisms (algae) that live in them. When this happens
the corals go white or ‘bleach’. Bleached corals can eventually die. Strong hurricanes also put pressure on the
reefs, most of which are already damaged by pollution from the land, overfishing and disease. In 2005, the
Caribbean had a record-breaking hurricane season and a massive coral bleaching episode.
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
Sea level

2.6
Coastal areas
 Increased coastal flooding and storm surge affecting:
o Infrastructure
o Homes
o Businesses and livelihoods.
 Increased coastal erosion.
 Saltwater contamination of ground water (saltwater
intrusion).
 Erosion/loss of beaches.
Plants and animals (wildlife) along the coast and in the
sea
 Loss of mangroves.
 Loss of breeding grounds and habitats for fish, turtles,
and other marine animals.
What is the link between Climate Change and how we look after our
natural environment?
Throughout the Caribbean many of the natural systems that form part of the islands’ defences against
bad weather conditions, like the forests, coral reefs, and mangroves, have been damaged or even
completely destroyed through poor environmental practices. Some of these poor environmental
practices include:







Dumping garbage in gullies, rivers and other waterways that flow to the sea;
Using high levels of pesticides and fertilisers near rivers and waterways;
Failing to treat sewage properly or at all before it runs off into waterways and the sea;
Cutting down mangroves and other forests;
Removing cover from hillsides causing the soil to erode;
Building too close to the shoreline; and
Damaging coral reefs with boats, anchors, fishing gear, or the illegal use of dynamite.
Once the natural systems are weakened, they are less able to protect us and withstand the impacts of
storms and other extreme weather. For example, coral reefs that have been weakened by anchor
damage and pollution are less able to stand up to wave action that comes with a severe storm.
Without coral reefs to break the waves and reduce their energy, powerful waves hit the coastline with
great force. The damage is usually greater when reefs are not able to play their shoreline protection
role.
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
2.7
What can be done about Climate Change?
There are two main things that can be done about climate change. One is to reduce the amount of
heat-trapping greenhouse gases that are being put into the atmosphere. The second is to take actions
to cope with and prepare for the impacts of climate change.
Countries that are large producers of greenhouse gases have a responsibility to reduce the quantity of
gases they produce by encouraging energy conservation and switching their energy sources from
fossil fuels to renewable or clean sources like the sun, wind, and waves. Doing this is called mitigation.
Countries that are currently feeling the worst effects of climate change and are expected to continue
to do so, like the islands of the Caribbean, have a responsibility to prepare for changing conditions
and to take actions to make their natural and physical systems stronger. Doing this is called
adaptation.
Adaptation is everybody’s business...
It is not just countries that need to adapt to climate change; communities
and even households can take steps to ensure they are ready to deal with
the effects of changing conditions.
Even though small islands and other countries that are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate
change need to focus on adaptation measures, there is room for them to play a role in mitigation, or
reducing the quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. No matter where in the world
greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, it benefits everyone. These countries should also switch to
cleaner energy sources and reduce the use of oil and gas. Not only does this help with the collective
effort to reduce greenhouse gases in the air, it has the added benefit of helping to save money on
energy costs.
The residents of Port Antonio are already keenly aware of the importance of managing their
environment responsibly, and are taking steps to address the impacts of climate change in the
community, but more is needed. This Community Adaptation Plan will help you understand what
more you and your community can do and how you can benefit
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CLIMATE CHANGE: AN OVERVIEW
3
PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE
3.1
3.2
What Climate Change has meant for Port Antonio so far
Summary of potential Climate Change impacts and risks
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PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE
3
PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE
3.1
What Climate Change has meant for Port Antonio so far
Port Antonio is experiencing the effects of climate change in a number of areas. These are
described below:

Storms and extreme weather have put homes, business places and livelihoods at risk.
The eastern end of Jamaica, where Port Antonio is located, is often the first hit by
hurricanes and storms that form in the Atlantic and approach Jamaica from the east.
Residents of Port Antonio report having experienced an increase in impacts from
hurricanes, flooding, and higher sea levels over the past 10 years – a period
characterised by greater storm intensity, linked to climate change. Hurricanes have
caused damage to homes and businesses and residents have increasingly had to put
measures in place to deal with the negative effects of these events. More people in
the area have installed hurricane shutters, for example.

The agriculture and fishing sectors have experienced changes in productivity due to
changes in climatic conditions. Agriculture is the second most important economic
sector in Port Antonio after tourism. Both farming and fishing are sensitive to the
impacts of climatic changes. Farmers in the area report decreased agricultural
production caused by shifts in seasonal weather patterns, hotter temperatures,
longer dry periods and more intense rain and wind events. This has affected the
quality and quantity of their crop yields and the market price for produce, which goes
up when items are scarce because of low production. Fishers are particularly
vulnerable to any extreme weather event that destroys the physical (coral reefs,
mangroves, seagrass beds) and technical (their gear, boats) resources that support
their livelihood since they are already challenged by the loss of marine biodiversity
and unpredictable unfavourable weather conditions. As previously mentioned, fishers
say the health of the area’s coral reefs is getting worse and they have noticed warmer
sea surface temperatures. Many factors are contributing to the poor health of coral
reefs as explained in section 2.5 above, but warmer temperatures are also making
them weaker and causing changes in the fish populations (Table 1 above).

Changing rainfall patterns and increased frequency and severity of dry spells are
contributing to water shortages. Residents report longer dry seasons that have
resulted in people not having enough water for use at home and in their fields.
Flooding is a major concern for to community and is getting worse.
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PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE
3.2
Summary of potential climate change impacts and risks
Port Antonio’s very location makes it vulnerable to many of the impacts of climate variability
and climate change. The reasons for the area’s vulnerability are due to the following:

The geographic location of this community along the coast and on the eastern end of
the island makes it specifically vulnerable to the effects of intense hurricanes and
storm impacts of climate change. A large number of people live and work in low lying
areas in near the coast. Residents and business owners have already experienced
negative and even devastating climatic impacts such as hurricanes and flooding. This
has caused members of the community to pay closer attention to the need for
adaptation measures.

The main roadway though the town of Port Antonio runs parallel to the coast line in a
number of places and is susceptible to flooding from storm surge and high energy
waves in times of unsettled weather. This is potentially very disruptive to businesses
and hence livelihoods in the area. It could also disrupt the provision of services by the
local authority and other agencies based in the Portland parish capital.

The Port Antonio community has seen a large increase in the population of an
invasive fish species called lionfish (Pterois volitans) and like other communities in
Jamaica, it has not been able to get them under control. Lionfish are a problem
because they rapidly consume other important marine species and disrupt the natural
balance of the marine environment. Over time the situation could get worse because
of climate change. Scientists suggest warmer sea temperatures may cause the lionfish
to breed faster, while at the same time these same warmer water temperatures are
causing some of the fish species that they feed on to migrate in search of cooler
waters. The overall effect would be loss of marine biodiversity (an attraction for
divers) and an even greater reduction of fish stocks (a blow to fishers). What is more,
with its thorny, poisonous spines, the lionfish is a danger to recreational divers and
fishers. An out of control population could also affect the area’s tourism industry.

Port Antonio’s nature-based tourism product could be a climate change loser. As
previously mentioned the activities in and around Port Antonio, such as hiking,
sightseeing, boating, recreational fishing, and other marine recreational activities,
depend on stable and reliable weather conditions to attract visitors. Extremes of
either heat, rainfall or ocean turbidity will have a negative effect on visitor experience
and even influence the decision to participate in these activities in the first place.
24
PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Many buildings and other infrastructure found in Port Antonio date back to colonial
times. While this gives the area a certain historical charm, many of these building are
in dire need of repair or restoration. Many will have to be retrofitted if they are
expected to withstand adverse weather conditions associated with climate change.
The town’s roads, public buildings and transport are poorly maintained, therefore
increasing the risk of the impact to the community if a hurricane or other intense
climate event were to occur.

Public infrastructure and small businesses located directly on or near the coast line
are exposed to storm surge, sea level rise and coastal erosion. Home and business
owners along the coast have indicated the need for buildings and building materials
that can withstand the strong and salty offshore winds and the powerful action of
waves and storm events. The public infrastructure includes:
o Airport - Ken Jones Aerodrome
o Yacht marina
o Pier and Seafront Park
o Musgrave Market
o Port Mall
o Police Station
o Fire Station
o Schools
Residents depend on the town’s infrastructure for the services that they offer.
.
25
PORT ANTONIO AND CLIMATE CHANGE
4
OUTCOMES OF THE PORT ANTONIO COMMUNITY
ADAPTATION PLAN
26
OUTCOMES OF THE PORT ANTONIO COMMUNITY ADAPTATION PLAN
4
OUTCOMES OF THE PORT ANTONIO COMMUNITY
ADAPTATION PLAN
The outcomes below reflect the main changes in practices and conditions that the Community
Adaptation Plans is expected to bring about in the Port Antonio community in the short to
medium term.

Uptake of climate change adaptation measures within households and businesses in
the Port Antonio community.

Livelihoods in the agriculture, farming and tourism sectors are able to withstand
climate-related shocks.

Increased resilience of key ecosystems in the Port Antonio community.
27
OUTCOMES OF THE PORT ANTONIO COMMUNITY ADAPTATION PLAN
5
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS,
STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
5.1
5.2
5.3
Goal 1: Uptake of climate change adaptation measures within households and
businesses in the Port Antonio community.
Goal 2: Livelihoods in the agriculture, farming and tourism sectors are able to
withstand climate-related shocks.
Goal 3: Increased resilience of key ecosystems in the Port Antonio community.
28
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
5
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS,
STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
5.1
Goal 1: To improve the public’s environmental awareness and to
encourage behaviour change especially with respect to
exacerbating the negative effects of climate change.
STRATEGIES

Develop a local campaign to build public awareness about climate change and its
impacts, the hazards and threats that are specific to Port Antonio and what
businesses and residents can do to cope now and in the future. Talking points and key
messages should be specific to the area and reflect local issues and concerns. The
success of the campaign will require partnerships with key community groups and
stakeholders to get the message out.

Develop education and communication materials that respond to local needs and
reflect the local context. Locally generated outreach materials and tools can be used
help provide a better understanding of climate change, its impacts and how its risks
can be fully managed can prove to be beneficial for persons of all ages and from all
walks of life. These materials can include a series of videos and/or booklets that
examine various aspects of the challenges that Port Antonio faces. Other related
topics of environmental concern such as pollution and littering can also be discussed
in the material produced. These tools should be suitable for use with community
groups as well as in schools at the primary and secondary levels.

Integrate climate change messages into ongoing disaster risk reduction
communication and outreach, particularly through the offices of the Parish Disaster
Coordinator of the Portland Parish Council, in the context of the Portland Disaster
Plan.
29
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
ACTION PLAN TO SUPPORT GOAL 1
Develop public awareness campaign using traditional and popular
communication media (such as television, radio, community shows and
drama, music) as well as social media (Facebook, Twitter, SMS
messaging, YouTube) etc.
How?
Who?
When?


Adopt short videos for documenting
community experiences of both the
effects of CC and how the community is
adapting.
Lead:
Share in a community space on YouTube
and use in sector workshops and
community outreach as well as in any
school environmental programmes that
may exist.
Support:






Portland Parish
Council/Parish Disaster
Coordinator
SDC
Portland Environmental
Protection Agency
(PEPA)
Jamaica Red Cross
ODPEM
Years 1 - 3
Campaign activities
to reflect themes
as follows:
Jan – March:
disaster risk
reduction (fire,
earthquake,
tsunami) drills
April – May:
training and
planting
June – Nov:
hurricane, flooding,
storm surge,
landslides
Develop outreach materials of relevance to the community
How?

Who?
Create draft/template documents in the Lead:
 CARIBSAVE with local
key areas based on findings of CBA.

Share with relevant groups and ask for
their assistance in providing material to

complete the template.

Prepare final drafts.

Approval from community.

Disseminate through community
networks.



school teachers and
other community
groups.
SDC
Portland Parish
Council/Parish Disaster
Coordinator
Jamaica Red Cross
ODPEM
When?

Year 1
30
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
ACTION PLAN TO SUPPORT GOAL 1
Community sensitisation workshops and vulnerability assessments
How?
Who?
When?

Lead:
 Portland Parish

Partner with churches and other
community organisations to deliver
workshops to community members as part
of these organisations’ regular schedule of
activities.

Organise a community climate change
symposium.

Vulnerability assessments.

Community drills and simulation exercises.
Council/Parish Disaster
Coordinator
Support:
 SDC
 CDC/DAC and member







CBOs
Jamaica Red Cross
ODPEM
PEPA
Schools
Churches
Jamaica Fire Brigade
Jamaica Constabulary
Force
Years 1 - 3
Campaign
activities to reflect
themes as follows:
Jan – March:
disaster risk
reduction (fire,
earthquake,
tsunami) drills
April – May:
training and
planting
June – Nov:
hurricane,
flooding, storm
surge, landslides
31
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
5.2
Goal 2: To improve livelihood opportunities by using local
community resources to create new or diversified businesses and
by strengthening local infrastructure
STRATEGIES

Empower community members to diversity their livelihood strategies through
targeted, appropriate training in a range of areas. The tourism sector has potential for
expansion by capitalising on the nature-base/eco-tourism potential of the Blue
Mountains. While Port Antonio is known for its nature-based offerings that go beyond
see and sand, there is the potential for the area to develop a stronger brand as a
prime ecotourism destination. At the same time, some in the sector have expressed a
need for increased professionalization. Within the agricultural sector, there is the
potential for the production of value-added items from the area’s abundant fruits and
vegetable crops, such as jams, jellies, and preserves.
Residents have identified areas in which training is desired in order to help increase
livelihoods options and these include: business management; accounting and bookkeeping; agro and ecotourism product development, branding, and marketing; and
project management. Training will target small business owners and existing or
potential tourism and agricultural sector entrepreneurs. Enhance capacity among
MSMEs to access and manage finance.

Strengthen community infrastructure that protects or has the ability to enhance
livelihoods and economic development with an emphasis on the following:
o
Protecting coastal zone infrastructure by building a retaining wall/sea wall along
the coast to reduce the effects of storm surge and coastal erosion on area
businesses. While there is a need for improving “soft” skills for livelihood
enhancement as described above, there is also the need for “hard” engineered
coastal defence systems. A sea wall can help protect the areas of the town where
people live, have their business, and go about leisure activities from the action of
tides, and waves.
o
Improving water management and services by harnessing water resources and
channelling water to businesses and residents of Port Antonio so that local
businesses can yield the economic benefits of having a reliable water supply.
32
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
ACTION PLAN TO SUPPORT GOAL 2
Capacity development training for small business owners, tourism and
agricultural sector entrepreneurs
How?
Who?
When?


Conduct full assessment of training
needs/demand and baseline capacity
assessment.
Develop training programmes (business
management; agro and ecotourism
product development, branding, and
marketing; project management etc.) and
offer training courses in partnership with
relevant training agencies
Lead:


Years 1 - 3
SDC
Support:




Heart Trust NTA
Small Business
Development Agency
Jamaica Business
Development
Corporation
Member CBOs of the
CDC
Support for lionfish market development
How?
Who?
When?

Safe handling workshops for fishers.


Taster and information events for
consumers and restaurant owners to raise
the profile of lionfish as an edible, tasty
fish.
Lead:
 SDC

Establish linkages with seafood
distributors.
Years 2 - 3
Support:
 Fisheries Division
 Jamaica Business
Development
Corporation
(Also see “Annual lionfish tournament” under
Goal #3)
Sea wall for coastal defence
How?


Who?
Conduct feasibility assessment, including Lead
community consultations.
 Portland Parish Council
 National Works Agency
Proceed to design and implementation
guided by feasibility study.
When?

Year 2 - 3
(This will likely be a
long-term
endeavour that
goes beyond the
life of this action
33
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
ACTION PLAN TO SUPPORT GOAL 2
plan. This will be a
costly undertaking;
time and effort will
be needed to raise
the necessary
funds.)
Stony Hill/Shotover centralised water catchment and gravity feed
How?
Who?
When?

Lead:



Review and update existing feasibility
study as necessary, including through
community consultations.
Update implementation strategy, as
needed.
Seek funding from relevant agencies.


Portland Parish Council
Lords Benevolent
Society
Support:
 National Water

Commission
SDC
Years 1 - 3
(This will likely be a
long-term
endeavour that
goes beyond the
life of this action
plan.)
Agro-processing factory (re-tool Boundbrook bag factory)
How?
Who?
When?

Lead:
 SDC

Prepare feasibility study, including
assessment of farmers, corps and
production methods.

Seek funding from relevant agencies.

Training and capacity building for
individual farmers.
Support:
 Member CBOs of the



CDC
HEART Trust – NTA
UWI
U Tech
Year 2 - 3
(This will likely be a
long-term
endeavour that
goes beyond the
life of this action
plan. This will be a
costly undertaking;
time and effort will
be needed to raise
the necessary
funds.)
34
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
5.3
Goal 3: Engage in, or encourage, activities that aid in habitat
restoration and natural resource preservation
STRATEGIES

Promote community responsibility for keeping the environment clean: Many Port Antonio
residents are familiar with dengue, and have either had the fever themselves or know
someone who has been infected. The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, which is new to
Jamaica and the Caribbean, poses a new threat to the community. Increases in the
mosquito population the community can lead to outbreak of these two diseases. Litter,
especially receptacles that hold water, provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The
litter in the area and the pollution that flows from upriver take away from the beauty of
Port Antonio and affect the area’s natural systems. Keeping our environment clean
ensures that our surroundings are beautiful and that the natural systems can support us
with clean water and air, and helps keep the populations of pests and vermin, like
mosquitoes and rats, in check. Clean-ups also prevent wildlife from being killed by debris
and keep gullies and waterways clear so they can drain freely when it rains. A clean
environment, especially the beach area, encourages visits from tourists and other tourism
activities that help bring revenue to the community.

Encourage rainwater harvesting: Rainwater collection and storage is a key adaptation
measure that will help ensure there is a supply of water in homes and on farms, especially
in times of drought or water shortage.

Promote mangrove restoration and tree-planting: Restoring and planting new mangrove
forests along the coastline and other trees in the upland areas will contribute to the
removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Replanting mangroves also supports
adaptation to climate change through the strengthening of natural sea defences and
supporting coastal zone biodiversity.

Get rid of invasive species that weaken environmental systems: Invasive species such as
lionfish can destroy the delicate coral reef ecosystems if left unchecked. This fish has no
predators in Caribbean waters; the best we currently know of controlling the population
is by catching them. Local communities in coastal areas can play a big role in this.
35
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
ACTION PLAN TO SUPPORT GOAL 3
Beach and community clean ups
How?
Who?
When?

Lead:

Establish a rotating Adopt-A-Beach Scheme
among schools.

Years 1 - 3
NSWMA
Support:



Participate in the Annual International Coastal
Clean-Up Day (each September).
PEPA
School and/or
community groups
Lead:

PEPA
Support:



Organise quarterly community clean-up
workdays that rotate locations (market,
Prospect, Land Settlement, Boundbrook,
Foreshore Road).
Jamaica Environment
Trust
NSWMA
Lead:

NSWMA
Support:



PEPA
SDC
Civic groups and
service clubs
Community recycling programme
How?
Who?
When?

Identify a recycling coordinator/committee.
Lead:


Survey current solid waste situation.

Identify potential markets for recyclables.

Establish community collection points.

Develop a supporting outreach and
communications campaign.

PEPA
Support:



SDC
Churches
Police Youth Clubs
Years 2 - 3
36
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
ACTION PLAN TO SUPPORT GOAL 3
Rainwater harvesting scheme
How?
Who?
When?

Lead:
 Portland Parish

Identify potential rainwater domestic and
agricultural harvesting methods and assess
which is/are the most appropriate for Port
Antonio.

Establish demonstration sites and
build/supply infrastructure.

Conduct community workshops/training
sessions.
Years 2 - 3
Council
Support:
 RADA
 PEPA
Mangrove restoration/tree planting
How?
Who?
When?

Organise at least 1 community National Tree
Planting Day event (October).
Lead:
 PEPA


Organise at least 1 mangrove planting event
on World Wetlands Day (2 Feb).
Support:
 NEPA
 Forestry Department
 UWI
Year 1 – 3
(Annually)
Lionfish culling tournaments and cook-off
How?
Who?
When?

Lead:
 PEPA
 Fisheries Division

Organise annual lionfish capture competition
and cook off in collaboration with local and
surrounding tourism interests (hotels and
restaurants).
(See also “Support for lionfish market
development” under Goal #2)
Support:
 SDC
 Port Antonio Chapter
of the Jamaica Hotel
and Tourism
Association
Year 1 – 3
(Annually)
37
PORT ANTONIO’S CLIMATE ADAPTATION GOALS, STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
6
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?
6.1
6.2
Collective Action for Implementation
Keeping track of progress and results
38
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?
6
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?
6.1
Collective Action for Implementation
This plan was developed by representatives of the Port Antonio community for all the people
of Port Antonio; and while all members of the community have a role to play in its
implementation, someone will have to take responsibility for making the plan come to life.
The Social Development Commission spearheaded the process of developing this plan
through its role as lead on-the-ground collaborator with the CARIBSAVE Partnership. The
Social Development Commission will continue to play a lead role in animating community
partners to put formal structures in place to implement the plan. This will include circulating
the plan to all community groups and agencies that have a role to play or a broad interest in
implementing the plan. This is particularly important in the case of those agencies and
community groups that are being called upon to play a role in implementing the plan and may
not have been part of the process to develop the plan.
Stakeholder Group
An important first step will be the establishment of a Stakeholder Group to guide
implementation of the plan. Membership of the Stakeholder Group should be drawn from the
community organisations and local and central government agencies in Port Antonio and
should include representatives from the agriculture, fisheries, and craft sectors.
The Stakeholder Group will be responsible for reaching out to other community organisations
that have a particular interest in the implementation of the plan, particularly the CDC. It will
also provide oversight to ensure that the activities of the plan are carried out on time and
within budget. It will provide leadership in monitoring, evaluation and fundraising.
Once the Stakeholder Group has been formed, members should agree on how the group will
operate and on their roles and responsibilities.
Secretariat
The Stakeholder Group should identify a lead organisation to act as the Secretariat and within
that organisation or group; a specific person should be given responsibility to lead
implementation.
Working Committees/Groups
The Stakeholder Group should decide how it would like to be assisted by the wider
community or other organisations in implementing the plan. It may, for example, decide to
39
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?
form Working Committees or Groups that will have responsibility for implementing specific
activities or sets of activities.
Fundraising
Funding will be needed to implement this plan; fundraising will therefore be an important
responsibility of the Stakeholder Group or a designated working group.
Reporting on progress to the community
The Stakeholder Group will engage the CDC and DAC to receive monthly reports from
participating CBOs on implementation and report on progress to DAC.
6.2
Keeping track of progress and results
Over the life of the Community Adaptation Plan it will be important to not only monitor
implementation of activities against the proposed time frame but also to track
accomplishments and results in the medium term.
Recording climate impacts locally is an additional tracking activity that will add value to the
implementation of the plan as it will help the community and relevant authorities and state
agencies better understand what climate change means at the local scale in Port Antonio
below.
Monitoring the plan
Monitoring the plan will help the Stakeholder Group and Working Committees/Groups keep
track of progress in implementing the plan. Monitoring will help control and supervise the use
of funds and rate of expenditure as well as performance in terms of the quality of activities
and outputs.
The regular meeting of the Stakeholder Group will provide an opportunity for ongoing
oversight, but the groups should set aside time at regular intervals to assess overall progress
in implementation against the plan. The intervals for these dedicated monitoring meetings
should be one of the things the Group decides on.
It will be important for the Stakeholder Group to define their monitoring questions in advance
so members and the implementers of activities can be clear about what is being tracked.
Questions might include the following:

Efficiency:
o Are activities being delivered in a timely manner?
o Are activities being implemented in a cost-effective manner?
40
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?



Effectiveness
o Are activities bringing about the desired specific changes?
Relevance
o Are activities meeting the need of the target groups?
Participation
o Are the levels of participation in activities satisfactory?
o Are the target groups taking part in the relevant activities?
o Are the engagements methods encouraging participation from the target groups?
Assessing the results
While ongoing monitoring will help guide implementation and allow for adjustments to be
made to activities to improve performance, it will also be important to assess the overall
results of the plan. This can be done through specific questions designed to understand
impact as well as by measuring progress towards the plan’s outcomes.
Questions to understand impact might include the following:


Overall results
o To what extent did the project meet the overall needs?
o Was there any significant change and to what extent was it attributable to the
project?
o To what extent has the project led to more sustainable behaviours/practices in
the target groups?
Learning
o What worked well over the life of the plan and what did not?
o Were there any unintended positive or negative outcomes of the project?
The following table shows an example of a monitoring framework, and of indicators that can
be used to measure changes that represent progress towards achieving these outcomes.
An important activity that will need to be carried out at the start of the project is the
establishment of a baseline that reflects the plan’s starting point in each outcome area. The
baseline will make it possible to measure changes in the indicators over the life of the plan. A
version of the following table should be prepared at the end of the life of the plan as part of
the overall evaluation exercise.
41
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?
Port Antonio Community Action Plan Outcomes and Indicators
OUTCOME
OUTCOME
INDICATORS
BASELINE
END OF PROJECT
Outcome area: Uptake of climate change adaptation measures within households and
businesses in the Port Antonio community.
Number of
households and
businesses that
harvest rainwater is
increased.
Volume of recyclable
plastics collected is
increased.
% change in number
of households and
businesses that
harvest rainwater
15 households and
businesses in the
community currently
harvest rainwater
% change in number
of households and
businesses that
recycle plastic waste.
2 households and 4
businesses recycle
plastic waste
% change in volume
of recyclable plastics
collected.
10 L of recyclable
plastics collected
25 households and
businesses in the
community are
harvesting rainwater
(67% increase)
10 households and
15 businesses recycle
plastic waste (400%
and 275% increase,
respectively)
30 L of recyclable
plastics collected
(200% increase)
Tracking climate
Listed below are selected climate indicators that should be monitored over the life of the plan
so that the community can begin to build a body of data that will help residents, local and
national organisations understand how climate is changing so that future. Data collection
methods will need to be developed in association with the relevant national agencies.
Tracking climate changes in Hopkins Village
What to track?
How to measure?
Rainfall
Amount of rainfall (annually, as well by
season)
Flooding
Peak flood levels
Coastline changes (including erosion or
accretion)
Distance to high water mark in selected
locations
Coral health / water temperature
Bleaching episodes
Salt water intrusion (Blue holes)
Levels of salinity in water table
42
HOW WILL THIS PLAN BE IMPLEMENTED?
7
RESOURCES
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
Asset Map for MSMEs in Port Antonio
Documents
Toolkits
Videos
Music videos/Edutainment
43
RESOURCES
7
RESOURCES
7.1
Asset Map for MSMEs in Port Antonio
The Asset Map for MSMEs in Port Antonio, in the context of the objectives of this project, is a
list of community resources (including individuals) that can provide programmes and services
to MSME owners and operators to assist them:
CATEGORY
NAME
Governance
Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries
Ministry of Water, Land,
Environment and Climate
Change
Rural Water Supply Ltd
National Environment and
Planning Agency
Ministry of Tourism
Ministry of Local Government
& Community Development:
Portland Parish Council
Social Development
Commission
Associations,
Organisations
and
Cooperatives
Workforce /
labour
development
Portland Environmental
Protection Association
Ministry of Labour and Social
Development
Institutes for Technical and
Vocational Education and
Training (ITVET)
CONTACT INFORMATION (including email
address and website)
Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica.
Tel:(876)927-1731; 927-1750
www.moa.gov.jm
Tel:(876)926-1590
[email protected]
www.mwh.gov.jm
25 Dominica Drive, Kingston 5, The Towers 3rd
Floor (North Side)
Tel:(876)754-5485
www.rwslja.com
[email protected]
10 & 11 Caledonia Avenue, Kingston 5
Tel:(876)754-7540
www.nepa.gov.jm
Tel:(876)754-7595; 754-7598
www.tourismja.com
1 Gideon Avenue, Port Antonio, Portland
Tel:(876)993-2866; 715-2866
[email protected]
www.localgovjamaica.gov.jm
Oliver Park Community Centre, 5 Smatt Road, Port
Antonio, Portland
Tel:(876)715-2189
[email protected]
www.sdc.gov.jm
6 Allan Avenue, Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica
Tel:(876)993-9632
[email protected]
pepa-jamaica.org
1F North Street North St, Kingston, Jamaica
Tel:(876)922-9500
www.mlss.gov.jm
ITVET, Stann Creek
Hope Creek Village
Stann Creek District, Belize
Tel:(501) 502-0859
[email protected]
44
RESOURCES
CATEGORY
NAME
Business
Education
National Development
Foundation of Jamaica
CONTACT INFORMATION (including email
address and website)
22c-d Old Hope Road, Kingston 5
Tel:(876)929-4100
[email protected]
www.ndfj.org.jm
or
Tourism Product Development
Company (TPDCo)
Education
related to
environment,
DRR and/or
climate change
Office of Disaster
Preparedness and Emergency
Management (ODPEM)
JNBS Foundation
Disaster
preparedness
and relief
Office of Disaster
Preparedness and Emergency
Management (ODPEM)
Portland Parish Council
Microfinance
Co-Foundation
Self-Start Fund
Billy Heaven
Tel:(876)927-8900
The Tourism Centre, 4th Floor
64-70 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5
Tel:(876)968-3441; 968-1909; 968-3626
[email protected]
www.tpdco.org
Mrs. Allison Gordon– Regional Coordinator
(Northern Region) Jamaica
Tel:(876)906-9674; 906-9675; 994-9203
[email protected]
www.odpem.org.jm
32 1/2 Duke Street, Kingston CSO, Jamaica
Tel:(876)922-4931
[email protected]
www.jnfoundation.com
Mrs. Allison Gordon– Regional Coordinator
(Northern Region) Jamaica
Tel:(876)906-9674; 906-9675; 994-9203
[email protected]
www.odpem.org.jm
Denise Lewis
1 Gideon Avenue, Port Antonio, Portland
Tel:(876)993-2665; 715-5389
[email protected]
www.localgovjamaica.gov.jm
Horace Bennett – Executive Director
Austin Mitchell
2 Lismore Avenue, Kingston 5, Jamaica
Tel:(876)960-0776
[email protected]
Frank Whylie
Tel: (876)929-8441; 920-0428
45
RESOURCES
7.2
Documents

The CARIBSAVE Partnership. 2013. Community Baseline Assessment for Port Antonio,
Jamaica. Climate Change Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience &
Knowledge (CCCCE-ARK).Bridgetown, Barbados: The CARIBSAVE Partnership

The CARIBSAVE Partnership. 2012. The CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA).
Bridgetown, Barbados: The CARIBSAVE Partnership
CCCRA uses evidence-based, inter-sectoral approaches to examine climate change
risks, vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities; and develop pragmatic response
strategies to reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience in 15 countries across the
Caribbean (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica,
The Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Vincent &
the Grenadines, Suriname and the Turks & Caicos Islands).
Profiles of the four countries that are part of Climate Change Caribbean Community
Enterprises, Adaptation Resilience and Knowledge (CCCCE-ARK) Project can be viewed
by visiting the CARIBSAVE website and browsing the Publications page
(http://intasave.org/Innovation-Hub_Publications.html)

CDEMA. 2011. Climate Smart Community Disaster Management Module and
Facilitator’s Handbook. Bridgetown, Barbados: The Caribbean Disaster Emergency
Management Agency.
http://www.cdema.org/ccdm/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=categor
y&download=9:facilitators-handbook&id=2:community-cca-and-drr-trainingresources-and-programming&Itemid=68.

CDEMA. 2011. Climate Smart Community Disaster Management Participant’s
Handbook. Bridgetown, Barbados: The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management
Agency.
http://www.cdema.org/ccdm/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=catego
ry&download=6:facilitators-handbook&id=2:community-cca-and-drr-trainingresources-and-programming&Itemid=68.
The Climate Smart Community Disaster Management Modules are designed to help
communities and their partners incorporate Climate Change adaptation
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considerations into their Disaster Risk Reduction planning processes. The Module
outlines what Climate Change is and the likelihood of it affecting the Caribbean and
its communities. It explores the linkages, synergies and differences between Climate
Change adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction and lays the groundwork for
developing a Climate Change adaptation plan and communication strategy, which can
be integrated into a broader community Disaster Risk Reduction plan. In summary, it
is designed to build the capacity of Caribbean communities to increase their resilience
to Climate Change and to reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters, by
providing practical, action-oriented tools and methods that they can use to
understand their climate risk and vulnerability and develop and implement strategies
for reducing them.
The Module and the companion handbooks for facilitators and participants form part
of the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA’s) Climate
Smart Community Disaster Management Programme. Specifically, it is designed to be
integrated into Disaster Risk Reduction planning processes based on CDEMA’s
Community Disaster Risk Reduction Manual. However, it can also be used in other
similar community-based Disaster Risk Reduction programmes and processes, such as
those being implemented in many Caribbean countries by national Red Cross
Societies, and into community development planning and capacity building activities.
7.3
Toolkits

Brown, N.A. 2009. Addressing Climate Change in the Caribbean: A Toolkit for
Communities. Kingston, Jamaica: Christian Aid (Caribbean)
This toolkit is designed to help community organisations develop responses to climate
change. It aims to give community leaders and members a general understanding of
climate change and provide some ideas for action. It includes background information
about climate change and gives examples of key impacts on the Caribbean. It also sets
out what communities can do to address climate change in four main areas: (1)
Understanding and reducing community risk and vulnerability; (2) Public education
and awareness; (3) Engagement and networking; (4) Lobbying and advocacy and
provides tools and templates that can be used at the community level.
http://www.canari.org/documents/CAtoolkitEnglish.pdf

CANARI. 2009. Communicating Climate Change: A Toolbox for Local Organisations in
the Caribbean. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Caribbean Natural Resources
Institute.
This toolbox has therefore been developed to help local (non-governmental,
community based, and grassroots) organisations become more effective in telling
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their climate change stories and making their voices heard in lobbying and advocating
for the policies, laws and other actions necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate
change at the international, regional, national and local levels. It sets out a range of
tools and approaches for effective communication about issues relating to climate
change. The focus is on tools and approaches that are low-cost and easy to put into
practice. It also includes suggestions on making effective use of the increasinglyaffordable and accessible communication technologies that are available, such as
email, the Internet, and video recorders.
7.4
Videos

BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE CARIBBEAN (2014) | UNDP
Length: 3.49 minutes
This film makes the case for investing in disaster preparedness in the face of growing
vulnerability due to climate change. In addition to saving lives, for every dollar spent
in disaster preparedness and mitigation, seven dollars will be saved when a disaster
strikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct1NfFfQNXo

CARIBBEAN FISH SANCTUARIES (2012) | The CARIBSAVE Partnership
Length: 22 minutes
This video is designed to increase awareness of the benefits that fish sanctuaries (also
known as marine reserves, no-take-zones or conservation areas) can generate for the
livelihoods of coastal communities involved in fishing and tourism, as well as for the
resilience of coral reefs to the impacts of climate change. Developing networks of fish
sanctuaries across the Caribbean region is now considered an important adaption
strategy to climate change.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE CARIBBEAN FARMER (2013) | National Institute of
Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), Trinidad and Tobago
Length: 5 minutes
This video examines how climate change is having a severe impact on agriculture and
farming in the Caribbean. It seeks to educate farmers on some of the farming
techniques that can be used to combat the effects of climate change on farming and
agriculture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-Z_AqgrR8M
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RESOURCES

ISLANDS ON THE EDGE (2009) | Buccoo Reef Trust
Length: 22 minutes
This film explains what this means for Caribbean communities using footage from the
region and interviews with expert scientists
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Z-t5U-NpA
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XDpdMftd10

PARTNERSHIPS FOR RESILIENCE: CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARIBBEAN TOURISM
(2010) | The CARIBSAVE Partnership
Length: 16 minutes
This film highlights opportunities for win-win adaptation strategies that provide
immediate and long-term benefits. It showcases success stories from across the
region of partnerships between communities, private sector and governments that
are strengthening the social and environmental resilience of this vulnerable region.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak7cVJ9SXbk

PARTNERSHIPS FOR RESILIENCE: LIVING SHORELINES (2012) | The CARIBSAVE
Partnership
Length: 15 minutes
This video highlights the importance of coastal ecosystems (e.g. mangroves, seagrass
beds, coral reefs) in protecting shorelines and vulnerable coastal communities against
storm surges and sea-level rise. The degradation and removal of these natural
barriers is now recognised as a major concern for the region. The video uses examples
of mangrove restoration from Belize and Guyana and of the benefits of combining
both soft and hard engineering in coastal protection from Barbados.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3IkUXQmoFg
7.5
Music videos/Edutainment

VOICES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE – JAMAICA (2010) | Various artistes
Length: 3.25 minutes
Music video and song produced under the Voices for Climate Change Project in
Jamaica, a joint initiative of project of The National Environmental Education
Committee (NEEC) and Panos Caribbean. Established performing artistes and new,
upcoming talent in Jamaica’s music industry educate and spread awareness on
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climate change issues and promote environmentally friendly behaviour. Artistes
include: Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, One Third, Lloyd Lovindeer, Omari, and Amique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P61VAx6wi5o

NOU AN DANJE, ATISPOUANVIWONMAN – HAITI (We are in danger, Artistes for the
Environment) | (2014)
Length = 6.12 minutes
Music video and song produced under the Projè Atispouanviwonman (Artistes for the
Environment Project) in Haiti by Panos Caribbean featuring 10 well-known Haitian
artistes BélO, BIC, DarlineDesca, Princess Eud, Stanley Georges, Rutshelle Guillaume,
Nathalie Jean, K.libr, Jean Jean Roosevelt and Tamara Suffren. The song is a call to
action to take personal responsibility for adaptation to climate change and conserving
biodiversity. In Haitian Kweyol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ7_ZShNzPg
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8
GLOSSARY
51
GLOSSARY
8
GLOSSARY
Adaptation
In the context of climate change, adaptation is the adjustment in natural or human systems in
response to actual or expected climatic occurrences or their effects, which reduces harm or
takes advantages of beneficial opportunities. For people, it means being ready for climate
change by building capacity and putting measures in place to cope with and recover from the
impacts of climate change. It also means preparing ourselves to live with any climate-induced
change to our surroundings.
Adaptive capacity
The sum of the capabilities, resources and institutions of a country, region, community or
household to implement effective adaptation measures.
Atmosphere
The air or layers of gases that surround the Earth. The dry atmosphere consists almost
entirely of nitrogen and oxygen, together with small amounts of other gases, including
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and ozone. In addition, the atmosphere contains
water vapour, clouds and aerosols. The atmosphere protects the Earth from the sun’s harmful
rays.
Climate
The average, or typical, weather conditions of a given area observed over a long period of
time (usually 30 years or more). Climate is sometimes confused with weather. The important
difference between weather and climate is that weather is short term, that is to say what we
experience from day to day, while climate is the average weather over a long period of time.
See Weather.
Climate change
Any statistically significant, long-term change in the climate of a zone or region. Climate
change may be caused by natural processes or by persistent changes in the atmosphere or in
land use caused by human activity. When the term is used to describe what is happening to
the Earth today, it refers to the increase in the Earth’s temperature and changes in rain, snow
or other moisture from the atmosphere, caused by greater levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and
other gases in the atmosphere. The term ‘climate change’ is often used interchangeably with
‘global warming’.. However, 'climate change' is a better term because it covers many other
changes, besides rising temperatures.
52
GLOSSARY
Climate resilient
The ability of a system, community or society to resist, absorb, accommodate to and bounce
back from the effects of a climate hazard quickly and efficiently, including through preserving
and restoring its essential basic structures and functions.
Also see Resilience
Climate variability
Variations in the average state of the climate.
Cold snap
A period of very cold and dry weather. Also known as a cold wave.
Coral bleaching
Loss of colour of corals due to loss of the algae that live on them and provide their nutrients
and colouration. Bleaching occurs in response to physiological shock as a result of abrupt
changes in temperature, salinity (saltiness), and turbidity (amount of sediment present in the
water).
Ecosystem
A geographical area where a community of living (plants and animals) and non-living (climate,
landscape) things interact together and affect each other.
Extreme weather
An extreme weather event is one that is rare within a given time period at a particular place.
Examples are heat waves, cold snaps/spells, droughts, floods (and the landslides that often
accompany them) storms, cyclones and storm surges.
Fossil fuels
These are fuels produced by the remains of living organisms that built up underground over
geological periods. Fossil fuels mainly consist of carbon and hydrogen and are also known as
hydrocarbons. They are found in different states: liquid (for example, oil), solid (for example,
coal, peat) and gaseous (for example, natural gas).
Global warming
See Climate Change
Greenhouse gases
The atmospheric gases that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the
spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere and clouds.
Water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ozone
(O3) are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
53
GLOSSARY
Infrastructure
The basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a
country, region, or state to function properly, including the systems of public works. The term
can also be used to refer to the resources (as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for
an activity or an organization.
Mitigation
Mitigation involves measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by limiting activities that
produce greenhouse gases, or to enhance the natural systems or sinks (anything that absorbs
more carbon than it releases) that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Without
mitigation, climate change would continue unchecked and would eventually outstrip all our
efforts to adapt.
Precipitation
Moisture that falls from the sky, including rain, snow, and hail. Precipitation occurs when so
much water has condensed that the air cannot hold anymore. The clouds get heavy and water
falls back to earth in the form of rain, snow, hail, sleet, dew, and frost.
Resilience
The ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb,
accommodate to and bounce back from the effects of a hazard quickly and efficiently,
including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and
functions. The resilience of a community in the face of a potential hazard is determined by the
degree to which the community has the necessary resources and is capable of organizing
itself both prior to and during times of need.
Vulnerability
The degree to which a natural, human or built system is susceptible to, or unable to cope
with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extreme weather.
Vulnerability depends on the scale or severity of the climate change effect, the extent to
which the system is exposed, its sensitivity to changes, and its ability to adapt.
Weather
Short-term atmospheric conditions. Weather is measured by temperature, humidity, wind
speed, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness and precipitation. Weather is sometimes confused
with climate. The important difference between weather and climate is that weather is short
term, that is to say what we experience from day to day, while climate is the average weather
over a long period of time.
See Climate
54
NOTES
Glossary Sources
o
Encyclopaedia of the Atmospheric Environment http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae
o
Green Facts Glossary http://www.greenfacts.org
o
IPCC Glossary of Climate Change Terms http://www.unfccc.int
o
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) http://www.iucn.org
o
La Cité des Sciences et de l'industrie http://www.cite-sciences.fr
o
Merriam Webster Online Dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com
o
Scholastic http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/researchstarters/weather/
o
UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction
http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/terminology
o
US Geological Survey Water Science Glossary of Terms
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/dictionary.html
o
US EPA http://www.epa.gov
55
NOTES
NOTES
56
NOTES
Suggested Citation: CARIBSAVE. 2015. Community Adaptation Plan: Port Antonio, Jamaica. Climate Change,
Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience & Knowledge (CCCCE-ARK). Bridgetown, Barbados:
CARIBSAVE (INTASAVE Caribbean).