KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Public Service Foundation convened a critical Climate Action Conference and Expo at the AC Marriott Hotel, transforming postponed plans into a powerful demonstration of climate resilience necessity. Originally scheduled for November 2025, the event was rescheduled after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa’s devastating October passage—a disruption that organizers noted underscored the very urgency of their mission.
Under the thematic banner “Road to Resilience: Energy, Disaster Preparedness and Food Security,” the gathering united students, stakeholders, and community members with particular emphasis on engaging Jamaica’s youth in climate response strategies. Sophia Lewis, Head of the JPS Foundation, opened proceedings by framing the conference as both timely and essential given the nation’s recent meteorological experiences. “We want you to leave here today not just informed but inspired,” Lewis declared. “Awareness of challenges must translate into motivation for solutions, empowering everyone to contribute toward a more sustainable Jamaica.”
Lewis emphasized that resilience constitutes a shared commitment rather than any single organization’s responsibility. The Foundation, she noted, proudly serves as an environmental steward dedicated to community empowerment, innovation support, and solution advancement that would help Jamaica not merely withstand climate change but emerge strengthened.
Winsome Callum, JPS Foundation Director speaking on behalf of Chairman Damian Obiglio, highlighted the organization’s sustained focus on youth engagement and empowerment. “Small actions create significant differences,” Callum observed, detailing how the Foundation fosters learning opportunities, encourages volunteerism, and builds partnerships that transition awareness into concrete action. She outlined priority areas spanning climate resilience, STEM education, and community empowerment, describing the event as the Foundation’s flagship initiative—a convergence point for ideas, innovations, and actionable strategies that position JPS as a climate action thought leader.
Callum addressed recent extreme weather patterns as indicative of a troubling trend, noting Hurricane Melissa’s impact as part of a escalating pattern that raises stakes considerably. Professor Dale Webber, Special Envoy on Climate Change, Environment, Ocean and Blue Economy, delivered a keynote address expanding on climate change’s multidimensional threat. “Climate change is no longer solely an environmental issue,” Webber asserted. “It represents a developmental, economic, social, and national security challenge.”
He detailed the catastrophic impacts of recent hurricanes, citing Hurricane Beryl (July 2024) and Hurricane Melissa (October 2025), with the latter causing approximately $1.9 trillion in damages, destroying 200+ buildings, affecting 40,000+ hectares of agricultural land, disrupting electricity distribution networks, and impacting 600+ schools. Webber urged Jamaicans to reconsider critical resource usage and take decisive resilience-building actions, referencing Jamaica’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that target 50% renewable energy generation by 2030. This commitment, he explained, aligns with a national energy policy creating a clear pathway toward reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced resilience.