Jamaica strengthened its sustainable development agenda in 2025, advancing environmental protection, climate resilience, disaster risk management, land administration and international cooperation, according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ) 2025.

The report, which assesses the country’s progress under Vision 2030 Jamaica, noted that the national sustainable development agenda remained aligned with the strategic priorities of the Medium-Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework (MTF) 2024-2027 and commitments under key multilateral environmental agreements.

It stated that the Government further strengthened the policy and regulatory framework for sustainable development through several significant measures.

These included Cabinet approval of the Cays Management Policy as a Green Paper and the Beach Access and Management Policy as a White Paper. Amendments were also made to the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act and the Wild Life Protection Act to improve monitoring, compliance and enforcement.

Jamaica also completed and submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) and its 2050 Long-term Emission Reduction and Climate Resilient Strategy to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, reinforcing the country’s commitment to international climate goals.

Progress was also recorded in forest conservation and ecosystem restoration.

Six new Forest Management Areas were declared under the Forest Act, providing legal protection for approximately 175 hectares of forested Crown lands and supporting Jamaica’s contribution to the global 30×30 biodiversity conservation target.

During the year, 91.4 hectares of denuded land were reforested, bringing the cumulative area restored under the National Forest Management and Conservation Plan to almost 900 hectares.

Beach monitoring showed an overall 1.2 per cent increase in beach width, with accretion recorded at most of the sites assessed, although marine water quality remained a concern, as most monitored sites exceeded acceptable levels for phosphate and faecal coliform.

The country’s disaster risk financing arrangements also provided critical support following Hurricane Melissa.

Payouts were triggered under the tropical cyclone and excess rainfall policies of the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, resulting in disbursements totalling US$91.9 million.

Overall inflows from risk-transfer mechanisms under Jamaica’s disaster risk financing framework amounted to US$287.4 million, helping to finance immediate relief and recovery activities while reducing short-term fiscal pressures associated with the disaster.

International development cooperation remained an important component of Jamaica’s sustainable development efforts, with total new and ongoing official development assistance amounting to US$1.8 billion.

The report also highlighted major cooperation and financing arrangements, including US$634 million in total disbursements and US$320.6 million in support involving the Inter-American Development Bank, while Government counterpart financing amounted to US$43 million for disaster risk management and climate-change agreements.

These resources supported national priorities, including resilience-building, environmental management and recovery initiatives. Modernisation of land administration services also advanced during 2025 through several land-titling programmes.

The Twenty Thousand Titles Project exceeded its target, strengthening security of tenure and allowing beneficiaries to better leverage the economic value of their properties.

Phase Three of the Jamaica Systemic Risk Assessment Tool project was also completed, improving hurricane modelling, supporting more sensitive coastal protection assessments and strengthening the visualisation of climate and disaster-risk hotspots.

These initiatives are expected to enhance the country’s ability to anticipate, plan for and respond to climate-related threats.

The Survey also highlighted progress in science, technology and innovation, national quality infrastructure and standards development, with Government allocating $22.8 billion, equivalent to 1.6 per cent of the National Budget, to Science, Technology and Innovation for fiscal year 2025/26.

Forty-eight products and services were adopted through the national quality infrastructure framework, while a construction company became the first Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC)-accredited materials testing laboratory in western Jamaica for concrete and aggregate testing.

A petroleum refinery also secured first-time accreditation for petrochemical testing under the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard.

Together, the advances demonstrate Jamaica’s continued effort to build a more resilient, environmentally responsible and innovation-driven economy capable of sustaining national development, while responding to emerging climate, environmental and economic challenges.