Jamaica should place nature-based solutions at the centre of its recovery from Hurricane Melissa, particularly in vulnerable communities, according to Dr Kishan Khoday, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Speaking at the National Environment and Planning Agency’s (NEPA) 25th Anniversary World Environment Day Distinguished Lecture on June 5, Khoday argued that the rebuilding phase offers a chance to pursue a stronger, greener recovery.

Such an approach, he said, should prioritise communities most affected by the storm, strengthening their resilience to future shocks. “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,” Khoday emphasised.