JET urges Jamaican gov't to reconsider oil exploration

The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) is urging the Government to reconsider its approach to oil and gas exploration amid recent positive updates from United Oil and Gas regarding the prospect of oil offshore Jamaica.

In a media release acknowleging the upcoming observance of Earth Day on Wednesday under the theme "Our Power, Our Planet", JET said it is concerned that "continued interest in fossil fuel investments undermines the power this theme calls us to exercise - the responsibility to protect our planet and to build better lives for our people in line with Jamaica’s climate realities and global obligations."

It cautioned that the growing excitement regarding Jamaica's oil prospects overlooks the well-established link between fossil fuel use and climate change, and the very real impacts already being experienced in Jamaica.

“Hurricane Melissa alone caused billions in damage and disrupted lives across the island,” said Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of JET. “It is deeply concerning that, even as Jamaicans are living through the impacts of a warming climate, there is a suggestion that finding oil could somehow give the country a ‘break.’ Expanding fossil fuels will only deepen the crisis we are already facing.”

JET noted that Jamaica has faced a series of climate-related challenges in recent months, including extreme rainfall, flooding, and warnings of both drought and El Niño conditions. It said these events are consistent with global scientific findings linking fossil fuel emissions to more intense and unpredictable weather patterns.

JET further raised concerns about the specific location of proposed exploration activities.

The Walton-Morant block, off Jamaica’s southern coast, lies near ecologically sensitive areas such as the Pedro Bank and the Pedro Cays, which support fisheries, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Oil exploration in this region could have significant environmental and economic consequences, it stated.

While acknowledging Jamaica’s need for economic growth and energy security, JET cautioned that oil development may not deliver the expected benefits.

It pointed out that other countries with major oil discoveries, such as Guyana, have still faced energy challenges, highlighting that oil wealth does not automatically translate into energy security or broad-based prosperity.

"As Jamaica marks Earth Day, we are calling for a shift toward renewable energy and sustainable solutions that align with the country’s climate vulnerability and long-term interests," JET said.

“We are at a crossroads,” Rodriguez-Moodie stated “Jamaica can continue down the path of fossil fuel expansion, adding to the climate crisis that is already costing us billions, or we can choose to invest in renewable energy and build a more resilient future.”

Executive director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) Dr Damien King has also urged the Gvernmnet to leave oil alone.

He told The Gleaner recently that he hopes Jamaica never strikes commercially viable oil.

King, a former lecturer in economics at the University of the West Indies, fears what development economists call the ‘resource curse’ – a pattern in which the discovery of natural resources weakens, rather than strengthens, a country’s institutions and governance.

Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz recently signalled at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House that the Government is actively seeking oil exploration investors, with drilling potentially commencing as early as late 2027 or early 2028.

UK-listed United Oil & Gas Plc, which holds the offshore exploration licence, recently released results of a geo-chemical survey of the seabed that confirmed oil indicators.

“We have identified butane and pentane hydrocarbons in the analysis. These results enhance our understanding of the licence and provide an important input as we advance towards a drilling decision,” Chief Executive Brian Larkin said earlier this month.

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