‘Environmental advocacy takes money’

THE JURY may be out on the extent of the success of the decades-long movement to save Jamaica’s ecological gem, the Cockpit Country, but there are some key lessons learnt from the experience up to now, according to a new publication that chronicles the legacy of the advocacy efforts.

Among those lessons is the essential role of financing.

“There is often a direct correlation between the availability of financial resources and the ability to influence public opinion. Media campaigns with greater funding have a significant advantage in shaping narratives, getting agendas accepted, and driving public discourse. This highlights the importance of securing substantial resources to maximise campaign impact,” reads a section of the publication titled ‘Beyond Boundaries: The Save the Cockpit Country Movement’, which became available to the public last week.

Beyond Boundaries is a product of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) and its partners who haven been involved in the years-long efforts to preserve the Cockpit Country and its vast array of ecosystem services – including its supply of an estimated 40 per cent of Jamaica’s underground and surface water and its support of the largest number of globally threatened species of any key biodiversity areas in the Caribbean Islands Hotspot, among them 11 amphibians and 40 plant species.

The intention, according to the Chief Executive Officer of JET, Dr Theresa Rodriguez Moodie, is to offer “valuable insights” into the relationship between the Jamaican state and its citizens, as well as the strategies and actions taken to protect rights, livelihoods, and heritage.

“This historical record preserves the story of one of Jamaica’s most significant environmental justice movements while also providing lessons to guide future advocacy for the protection of our natural resources and constitutional rights,” Rodriguez Moodie said.

Another lesson learnt is that “people cannot be expected to join a movement and stay engaged without addressing their real needs and concerns”.

“They should not be treated merely as ‘stakeholders’, ‘community members’, or examples of human rights violations. When mobilising a movement, it’s essential to focus on the fundamentals of human relationships and avoid replicating the same extractive dynamics being opposed,” the publication highlighted.

At the same time, Beyond Boundaries has maintained that community engagement can be as time consuming as it is risky and that a movement requires more than passion and a compelling vision.

“When engaging with communities, it is important to understand the time and effort it takes to attend events or persuasively engage with others while risking their well-being by taking actions against powerful interests. Building a movement [also] demands a careful balance of resources, a deep understanding of potential obstacles, and securing support,”it noted.

“It is [also] important to prioritise gathering and presenting robust, credible scientific data to highlight the importance of the cause. The use of GIS mapping by the Windsor Research Centre to illustrate biodiversity and the ecosystem services of Cockpit Country exemplifies how science can strengthen advocacy,” the publication added.

“Sharing scientific findings in a way that resonates with local communities fosters pride and ownership. GIS maps showing how communities were interconnected with Cockpit Country [for example] helped build local support and awareness,” it said further.

Also on show throughout the movement has been the power and value of filmmaking and photography.

“Filmmaking, whether fiction or nonfiction, has the unique ability to connect with people on an emotional level. A compelling story, combined with powerful visuals and sound, can change how people feel, what they remember, and the actions they take. Movements thrive on emotions like love, excitement, and inspiration, and these can be effectively conveyed through storytelling,audio-visual media, and the creative arts,” the publication said.

The Save the Cockpit Country Movement was started in response to the threat of bauxite mining in the Cockpit Country and dates at least as far back as to 2006 when the Cockpit Country Stakeholders Group was established, comprised of a diverse mix of individuals and entities intent on having an established, protected boundary for the area.

Finally, in 2017, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness presented to Parliament two boundaries – a geomorphological boundary to describe Cockpit Country (which excluded Accompong, Maroon Town, ‘The Cockpits’ cited in the 1739 Peace Treaty and the ‘windward Cockpits’ of eastern Trelawny extending into western St Ann); and a boundary for a Cockpit Country Protected Area.

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