Some Jamaicans still unaware of impact of climate change

Many Jamaicans are still blissfully unaware of the issues of climate change and its impact on everyday life.

This was highlighted at the demonstration booth at the William Shagoury Building (formerly Clarendon Pavilion), as visitors acknowledged "hearing the term" without much knowledge of its significance.

Angeli Williams, community development officer at Caribbean Coastal Area Management (CCAM), told The Gleaner that after showing visitors, via the demonstration device that was set up, how mangrove forests assist in protecting the coastline and also how they protect coastal communities, a lot of light bulbs went off in their heads.

"What I realise is that after the demonstration, it made a lot of them see the importance of the mangrove. I am not saying they were ignorant, they were just not aware," she said, adding that a lot of people see the swamps as something negative and an eyesore, never realising the role it has been playing.

According to Williams, the take-home point for many of the visitors to the booth was the importance of everyone promoting environmental conservation.

CCAM received a grant earlier this year to push the climate change adaptation agenda by sensitising communities on its effect, and Williams said they are still expanding community monitoring programmes.

"We are getting more involvement now from the young persons and some also signed on as volunteers," she said.