UNDP Resident Representative, Dr Kishan Khoday is calling for Jamaica to act now to place nature-based, green solutions at the heart of current and upcoming planning, recovery and reconstruction efforts, post hurricane Melissa, focusing on vulnerable communities.

In a keynote address delivered at the 25th Anniversary World Environment Day Distinguished Lecture of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Dr Khoday said the current phase of the rebuild effort presented an important opportunity to aim for a stronger, greener recovery.

The green recovery should prioritize the most vulnerable communities trying to recover from hurricane Melissa to strengthen their climate resilience to potential crises on the horizon, he outlined. “As the climate emergency accelerates, a need exists to view nature as an Ecological Security System, with ecosystems and the assets they provide at the base of livelihoods and other dimensions of social cohesion,” Dr Khoday emphasized.

“As Jamaica advances on its national recovery frameworks and planning, an opportunity exists to address root causes of local vulnerability, by embedding green recovery solutions into emerging investments. This includes emerging national reforestation, coral and mangrove restoration initiatives, and measures to reduce coastal erosion and soil erosion in watershed ecosystems. All are critical for securing vulnerable livelihoods in fisheries, forestry and tourism sectors,” Dr Khoday stated. He pointed out other opportunities could be leveraged to further expand and decentralize solar solutions for community resilience, to integrate climate-resilient design and technology solutions into new infrastructure build-back, water system restoration, and tourism sector recovery. “This green trajectory can go a long way in restoring both ecosystems and communities”, he explained.

He said UNDP was supporting and reinforcing this green recovery approach through its Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative (JARRI), which is supporting national spatial land use planning and local spatial plans in the most affected impact zones in Western Jamaica, as well as critical debris management and recycling initiatives. He announced that UNDP is initiating a series of new projects with USD 15 million of grants and over USD 50 million of co-financing from the public and private sectors to support the green transition - with contributions to ecosystem and landscape recovery in mountains and forest ecosystems in Western Jamaica, green solutions in tourism sector recovery, solar solutions for water systems and livelihoods, and local grants to CSOs and NGOs for coral and mangrove restoration nation-wide.  

He said Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) must be supported by global partners to scale up green recovery and ecosystem restoration to reverse ecosystem loss and damage from climatic events.  

Dr Khoday explained that ecosystem-based solutions can help to reduce future disaster risks, protect livelihoods, and support a more resilient and sustainable path to development. The recently issued Damage and Assessment supported by the UN notes that impacts on ecosystems across Jamaica account for approximately 30% of overall national losses suffered following Hurricane Melissa.

He promised that as UNDP marks in 2026 the 50th anniversary of its Multi-Country Office in Jamaica, the team will “build on our successful cooperation on this agenda over the years and stand shoulder to shoulder with Jamaica as together we chart the path forward for more resilient ecosystems and communities”.

The NEPA Distinguished Lecture was convened under the theme: Recover Stronger, Recover Greener: Integrating Ecosystem Solutions in Post-Disaster Planning on World Environment Day and in observance of National Environmental Awareness Week (NEAW). Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on 28 October 2025 causing severe damage to the built and natural environment in western Jamaica.  

The high-level forum was attended by policymakers, environmental planners, academics, development partners, community leaders, and the private sector who shared knowledge and discussed recovery planning and national development strategies.