Environmental justice and the role of environmental professionals

1. LANDLESSNESS, SQUATTING AND ENVIRONMENTAL
REFUGEES IN JAMAICA:
A Role for Environmental Professionals
Barry A. Wade, PhD, OD, JP
Chairman, Environmental Solutions Ltd.
December 3, 2012
http://westorlandonews.com The Jamaica Gleaner http://www.trust.org

2. Introduction
“The Achievement of Sustainable Human Development and
Environmental Integrity cannot be realized without the
consideration and application of concepts of Community, Land
Tenure and Environmental Justice.”
http://www.breadbasketministries.com

3. Introduction
1. Landlessness
Three Critical Environmental Problems
Environmental Solutions Limited

4. Introduction
2. Squatting2. Squatting
2. Squatting
Veritas Jamaican Blog
Three Critical Environmental Problems

5. Introduction
2. Squatting2. Squatting
3. Environmental Refugees
The Jamaica Gleaner
Three Critical Environmental Problems

6. Community
“I am because we are; and
because we are therefore I
am.”
“Africans are particularly tied to
their land because it is thewww.trainedparrot.com
John Mbiti (1969)

7. “We are at peace…as long as
our land is under our
control.”
African Proverb
“As long as we are on our own
land, bread is like steak.”
African Proverb
“To remove Africans from their
land is an act of such great
injustice that no foreigner
can fathom it.”
John Mbiti
Landlessness
www.about.com

8. • Environmental Justice is fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the
development, implementation and empowerment of
environmental laws.
• Environmental Injustice occurs when vulnerable
people are taken advantage of through environmentally
related actions.
Environmental Justice
Food for The Poor Images

9. “The earth is not a gift from our parents;
it is a loan from our children.”
Kenyan Proverb
Copyright Amanda Hunt
http://www.roguegenecollective.com/image-amanda-hunt__p918__African+Sunset+Elephants.html

10. • Native Peoples worldwide are in spatial and
cultural retreat leading to their fragmentation and
decline.
• This has led to loss of land, a struggle for scarce
resources, and the introduction of unsustainable
land use practices, such as:
• Forest removal, Slash and burn farming, Strip
mining.
Landlessness
http://eufin.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/the-climate-change-may-explode-the-number-of-environmental-refugees/

11. • Native Peoples worldwide are in spatial and
cultural retreat leading to their fragmentation and
decline.
• This has led to loss of land, a struggle for scarce
resources, and the introduction of unsustainable
land use practices, such as:
– Forest removal
– Slash and burn farming
– Strip mining.
Landlessness
http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/vegan/deforestation.html

12. In Jamaica the problems of Landlessness, Poor Land Use
Practices, Low Productivity, and Lack of Community
Wholeness are a direct result of our colonial past.
They began on August 1, 1838.
Landlessness
http://pers-www.wlv.ac.uk/~le1810/news%20of%20emancipation.jpg

13. In 2000, the Government of Jamaica instituted
THE LAND ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMME (LAMP)
• To implement an efficient system of land titling
and administration
• To provide land tenure security
• To alleviate poverty
• To enhance economic growth
Landlessness

14. After ten years LAMP has
achieved:
* 15,000 land titles
* 150,000 are needed
Landlessness

15. New Approaches to Land Tenure
Reclaiming the Commons: Vesting substantial
tracts of land in the care of discrete communities for
use and management by legitimate community
members.
Land Trusts: Corporate ownership of land with long
term right to use the land under agreed conditions.
Landlessness

16. • Squatting is the Illegal or
Unauthorized Occupation of
Housing or Land.
• Squatting is an example of
Dead Capital.
• 90% of population in some
countries live on squatted
land.
• Squatting worldwide occupies
land worth US $9.3 billion.
Squatting
http://www.smartyoung.com
http://www.wired.com
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com
http://www.worldnews.com

17. In Jamaica:
* 754 squatter communities
* 0.6-0.9 million squatters
* 33% of population
* 76% squatting on Government lands
* 38% squatting on arable land
* 10% squatting on environmentally fragile
land
Squatting
Jamaica Gleaner

18. * Provides Shelter
* Creates a measure of
Community Living
* Allows for Common
Amenities (Legal/Illegal)
* Provides Community
Security.
-Squatting – Positive Features
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19. * Destroys Land Use Options
* Enables/Encourages Rural-Urban Migration
Squatting - Negative Features
* Engenders Dysfunctional
Communities (Crime and Violence).
* Damages Environmental
Resources
•Creates Poor Public Health
Conditions
• Encourages Garrison Communities

20. Necessary Approaches to the Squatting Problem:
1. Identify the local nature of squatting (history, causes,
location, people etc.).
2. Analyse the relationship between squatting and
landlessness.
3. Transform dysfunctional squatter communities into
viable, functional, supportive communities by
improving infrastructure and providing social
amenities.
4. Build and provide affordable housing solutions
Squatting

21. Squatting will not be solved by legal enforcement.
Screaming newspaper headlines as below are not
the solution:
Squatting
“Squatting epidemic: Enforcement
Unit to be implemented”
“Government gets tough on
squatting”
“Senator wants squatting
criminalized”
“Trelawny moves against squatting”
“MP wants zero tolerance to
squatting”

22. SQUATTERS IN KINGSTON CRY MERCY
“We are only squatters but …we are still human
beings”.
Squatting

23. • Environmental Refugees are
created when persons have to
move by edict or by forced
environmental circumstances
from their place of residence to
some other location.
• The human displacement in Haiti
following the 2010 earthquake is
our nearest and most recent
example.
Environmental Refugees
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
http://sfbayview.com

24. THE NIMBY PRINCIPLE - “Not In My Backyard”
Environmental Refugees

25. To Provide Multi-disciplinary Skills:
• Environmental and Agricultural Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Resource Economics
• Environmental Law
The Role of Environmental Professionals

26. To Study Nature and Extent of Landlessness,
Squatting and Environmental Refugees:
• Impact on Community Development and Welfare
• Public Health Impacts
• Ecosystem Damages
• Government Policies and Legislation
• Environmental Refugee Occurrences
The Role of Environmental Professionals

27. Priority Land Issues:
• National Land Use Policies
• Resources Assessment
• Settlement-Creep on Sugar Cane and Other
Agricultural Lands
• Economic Impacts of Land Misuse, Abuse and Idle
Lands
• Economic Justification for Various Land Uses
• Development of National Spatial Plan
The Role of Environmental Professionals

28. The Challenges - Technical:
• Development and Leadership of Multi-Disciplinary Teams
• Increased GIS Capability and Use
The Role of Environmental Professionals
• Impact Assessment of Specific Crisis
Situations
*Hillside Settlements - eg. Flankers
*River Bank Settlements - eg. Hope River
*Coastal Settlements - eg. Portland Cottage
*Inner City Settlements - eg. Mona
Commons
• Need for Environmental Law and
Economics

29. The Challenges - Governmental:
• Fragmented Ministry Portfolios and
Interests
• Shortage of Public
Sector Specialists
• Financing
The Role of Environmental Professionals

30. The Role of Environmental Professionals
The Challenges - JIEP:
• Broader Membership Base – To attract more
Environmental Economists , Lawyers, Social
Scientists
• Commitment to Public
Education and Advocacy
• Partnering with Others in
the Cause of
Environmental Justice

31. “WHAT GOT YOU HERE WON’T GET
YOU THERE”
Conclusion
We Need:
New Thinking
New Paradigms
New Policies
New Actions

32. THANK YOU
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