Country Portfolio Study (CPS) Jamaica

Jamaica has received financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) since 1994. The GEF has invested roughly $11.86 million in Jamaica and $42.09 million in co-financing (data as of end of 2010). The Jamaica Country Portfolio Study covered the full-range of GEF-financed interventions, including national projects and Jamaican elements of regional and global projects.

The Jamaica Country Portfolio Study was conducted by the GEF Evaluation Office in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme from October 2010 to April 2011). The study was presented to the GEF Council in May 2011 as a part of the Annual Country Portfolio Evaluation Report (ACPER 2011).

Conclusions

• GEF support in all focal areas has helped Jamaica develop good capacity in environmental management and link to international best practices. Below there is information about some results achieved by the GEF-supported projects.
• GEF biodiversity activities focused on management of watersheds, conservation of areas important to bird life, coastal zone management, and measures to address invasive alien species; these have helped enable Jamaica to meet its obligations under global environmental conventions.
• International waters projects have enhanced country capacity and regional collaboration, and have delivered successful pilot and demonstration activities.
• In climate change focal area, GEF support has helped Jamaica substantially increase its capacity in fields such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, adaptation, and energy sector planning and management. Some measurable environmental benefits have been attained through a large scale adoption of compact fluorescent light bulbs, with limited additional gains from energy efficiency measures taken by the government.
• Most assistance in Jamaica has been in the form of enabling activities that have supported capacity development and piloting. Real challenges will be posed in sustaining and scaling up this initial process.
• The process of developing and managing the GEF portfolio has strengthened networking among national agencies engaged in environmental management.
• GEF Agencies had difficulty keeping projects within their intended time limits which could reduce effectiveness. Many delays are the result of inflexible recruitment and procurement procedures that have not been tailored to small island developing states in general or to the Caribbean in particular.