Marine pollution is a major issue in Jamaica, notably in the tourist and fishing industries. Because of its location in the Caribbean Sea, the country is subject to marine pollution from adjacent countries as well as activities inside its boundaries. Pollution originates from a variety of sources, including sewage, oil spills, and plastics, all of which have major consequences for marine life, human health, and the economy ("New report calls for urgent action to tackle marine pollution, a growing threat to the Caribbean Sea," 2019).
Hunts Bay - Jamaica
Impact on Industry and Sustainable Development
Marine pollution has a significant influence on Jamaica's fishing and tourist economies. Marine pollution has a direct influence on the fishing industry since it affects the health and survival of fish, resulting in decreased catch rates and poorer profitability for fishermen. Marine pollution also has a negative impact on the tourism economy because it harms coral reefs, which are a major draw for visitors. A damaged reef reduces tourists, resulting in lower economic growth for the country ("Tourism and fishing," 2021).
Impact on Coral Reef Degradation
Coral reefs are very sensitive to marine pollution, which has a direct influence on their demise. Pollution causes algae to bloom, which competes with corals for light and space, eventually leading to coral mortality. Climate change-induced increases in ocean temperatures also contribute to coral reef damage ("How does pollution threaten coral reefs?" n.d.).
Connection to Jamaica’s Nationally Determined Contribution
Jamaica has promised to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 7.8% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. Reduced emissions are required to counteract climate change, which is a major cause of coral reef damage. Jamaica is also dedicated to developing and implementing methods to combat marine pollution, notably that caused by plastics (Doyle, 2020).
Systems Thinking Approach
To combat marine pollution in Jamaica, a systems-thinking approach is required. All stakeholders, including the government, the fishing and tourist businesses, and the general people, should be included in the strategy. To prevent the garbage from entering the ocean, the approach should focus on lowering waste generation and strengthening waste management systems. Furthermore, there should be an emphasis on education and awareness-raising initiatives to induce public attitude change. To lessen their influence on the maritime environment, the fishing and tourist businesses should also employ sustainable practices. Finally, cooperation with adjacent nations is required to manage transboundary marine contamination. Jamaica may achieve strong future sustainability and conserve its maritime environment for future generations by taking a comprehensive approach ("Tackling marine pollution: Individual action, the key to ocean restoration," 2022).
References
Doyle, A. (2020, July 3). Jamaica becomes first Caribbean nation to submit tougher climate plan to UN. Climate Home News. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2020/07/02/jamaica-becomes-first-caribbean-nation-submit-tougher-climate-plan-un/
How does pollution threaten coral reefs? (n.d.). https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral-pollution.html
New report calls for urgent action to tackle marine pollution, a growing threat to the Caribbean Sea. (2019, May 30). World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2019/05/30/new-report-calls-for-urgent-action-to-tackle-marine-pollution-a-growing-threat-to-the-caribbean-sea
Tackling marine pollution: Individual action, key to ocean restoration. (2022, June 29). UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1121452
Tourism and fishing. (2021, 28). Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15022250.2021.1955739
In order that a nation such as Jamaica, that relies so heavily on tourism continues to attract visitors to the island, we need to develop a sustainable plan for the issue of marine pollution. I do agree with Williams when she states that a "systems-thinking approach" needs to be adopted by all stakeholders, as this issue also has implications for each and every Jamaican.
More need to be done in the protection and preservation of our wetland areas.
Pollution is not only an issue for government officials it’s for us as a people also … it starts n ends with us if we all play our path in helping to prevent pollution the Jamaica could be as clean and pretty as the 1st world countries
I always thought that this is a very serious thing that Jamaica needs to address.