Hi everyone,

Thought I’d share this link with you, especially for those not living in Jamaica. This is a good picture of my environmental life. The programme is TVJ’s All Angles, host is Dionne Jackson Miller, and it’s 50 minutes long. I think it’s well worth a look.

The background is that over the past two weeks, it became clear that the Government of Jamaica was seriously considering allowing Chinese investors to build a transshipment port in the Portland Bight Protected Area, centred on two small islands, the Goat Islands. There had been no official announcement of the plan, no consultation with anyone, not even the NGO currently managing the protected area. The subsequent outcry has been most heartening.

Diana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HY8Uonzh08

Thanks Diana...Additionally, here is Dr Peter Edwards' (J'can marine scientist, environmental economist, policy analyst) Brief on NATURAL CAPITAL in an Economic Setting.

...some context regarding balancing trade-offs between environmental sustainability and development:

Why is incorporating natural capital accounting into national accounts important for a country?

Natural capital is the land, air, water, living organisms and all formations of the Earth's biosphere that provide us with ecosystem goods and services imperative for survival and well-being. Furthermore, it is the basis for all human economic activity.

Natural capital has, in the past, not fully been accounted for in national budgets. However, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and some governments now realise that incorporating natural capital into national accounts can support better decisions for inclusive development.

VERSUS: The Poverty Argument

Poverty is indeed a threat to the environment. However, the suggestion that the level of poverty (or prosperity) is directly correlated to the utilisation of a certain area of 'development space' (whatever that means) is fallacious and misleading.

I would argue that the main reason for Jamaica's poverty is, instead, caused by decades of ineptitude and neglect by successive governments (i.e., both political parties) and their failure to invest in our most precious resource - the people - through education, health and other indicators of social well-being.

Gleaner Link: Selling Country to The Lowest Bidder
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130901/focus/focus5.html