Environmental research

The rising cost and consumption of oil in Jamaica is an expensive and an environmentally unhealthy practice. At the moment Jamaica spends nearly $US1 billion to procure oil from OPEC countries. While it is no secret that use of fossil fuels have been linked to global warming and is the main contributor of human led global climate change, very little is being done on the ground to mitigate its effects. Global climate change will be especially drastic for low-lying island states such as Jamaica and our neighbours. Already rising sea levels, warming sea temperatures and extreme weather conditions are wreaking havoc on our delicate ecosystems and infrastructure. Ecological Technologies is organizing a regional conference on climate change to discuss how small island states can mitigate its effects through increased energy efficiency, renewable energy use and technology transfer initiatives. The JSEA would like to play a major role in the preparations for the conference and participate as an integral part of the proceedings but lack the financial capital to make this participation a reality. Funding through the SGP will facilitate the necessary preparations for the participation conference by demonstrating RE applications as an informative and training tool towards community involvement. Renewable energy use can replace oil consuming technologies in many applications. Solar energy, wind energy, biogas, hydro-power and many other alternative sources of power have been available on the world market for many years yet their inroads into the market has been negligible. These products can significantly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels while mitigating GHG production. However, identifying quality products, deciding on the most appropriate solution for the situation and financing these solutions require educational training and advice from trusted experts. The project will combat global climate change by promoting renewable energy solutions for regional residential and commercial energy users in a simple and educational format. The main goals of the project are the following: 1. To educate the 200 participants across economic divides on the climate change conference on the benefits of renewable energy; 2. To present the financial and environmental savings that renewable energy offers the region; 3. To showcase the expertise that is already available in Jamaica. 4. To encourage networking opportunities to influence policy changes toward enabling renewable energy use. 5. To start an educational opportunity for NGO s that will give them the chance to get involved in future projects. The C3 conference is organized to raise awareness of the ramifications of global climate change and develop solutions with regional appeal. With over 200 attendees expected, this networking event, scheduled for 10 to 12 April 2006, will bring together delegates from across the region: government, productive and business sector and community representatives. The conference is designed to provide a platform where national and international players, each community members themselves, can share experiences, identify obstacles to growth and demonstrate practical solutions and new technologies. We also tackle the lack of incentives in place to encourage opportunities for low cost financing. This Conference is extremely relevant and will drive the renewable sector toward growth while providing a platform to educate attendees on the causes of human interfered global climate change and the ramifications of continued high fuel consumption. The above mentioned goals will be achieved through the creation of a JSEA booth at the C3 conference. This informative and engaging booth will take up 4 exhibition spaces and includes an interactive renewable energy display explaining the function of each component while highlighting safety issues wherever possible. Best practices for handling and using each technology will also be a feature of the booth spacing. By approaching renewable applications from an educational perspective, we hope to articulate the simplicity of these applications and encourage its assimilation in Jamaica. Information dissemination is an important aspect of the goals of the conference and booth space. In addition funding from GEF SGP will sponsor the attendance of approximately 20community based Jamaican organizations that due to financial constraints may be unable to benefit from attending the conference. We extend this opportunity so that by increasing CBO/NGO participation, they can reach and teach more community members and spread the news of alternative ways of thinking about energy, effective resource steward ship practices and proven technologies that are affordable and achievable.

Jamaica